By Diego Lara
Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month! For those who don’t know, Hispanic Heritage Month is a national observance of all Hispanics and Latinos, especially the ones who have left positive attributes and achievements within the community. That includes Diego Rivera, Frida Khalo, Cesear Chaves, Dolores Huerta, and many more inspiring Hispanics. At first, there was no Hispanic Heritage Month; in 1968, President Lyndon Johnson created Hispanic Heritage Week to honor Hispanics. After two decades, President Ronald Reagan extended it to a whole month.
This celebration is from September 15 – October 15 and celebrates all from or with ancestors from Mexico, Spain, and Central and Southern America. This national observance starts on September 15 because many Hispanic countries celebrate their independence from Spain on the 15th. It was intended to end on Columbus Day (Día de la Raza), but they decided to give it the full 30 days. Aside from its history, let’s focus on the people that make Hispanics known.
Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo were famous Mexicans who left a fantastic legacy in the Hispanic – Mexican community. Diego Rivera and Frida Khalo were favorite Mexican artists who would do self-portraits, portraits, and murals. At the time, Diego and Frida were one of the most hated people in Mexico. Many didn’t like how Frida was openly lesbian and how Diego was okay with it. A few decades later came along Cesar Chaves and Dolores Huerta; they also impacted Hispanic culture, unlike Diego and Frida.
Cesar Chaves and Dolores Huerta are civil rights leaders who were recognized for fighting against the laws that prohibited farm workers from getting recognized for their hard work. Chaves enacted the first Bill of Rights for agricultural workers. Dolores Huerta was the most influential labor activist of the 20th century and a leader of the Chicano civil rights movement. What made Huerta who she is today was the assault that her brother experienced. After World War II, her brother was brutally beaten by white men for wearing a Zoot – Suit ( a popular Latino fashion).
Many people have been impacted by the people I just talked about, inspiring them to make changes within their community. A few ways how you can help support the Hispanic community is by buying from local shops. Local shops can include street vendors, pop-up shops, and anything Latinx-owned.
