AARP Hearing Center
From coast to coast, there's a wealth of diversity within the Hispanic community in the United States, all to be celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Running from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the four weeks of national recognition aim to acknowledge the culture and contributions of a vibrant, multifaceted, multiethnic group of people, proud of their roots — whether from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, South America or Spain.
Hispanic Heritage Month is “important because it is a period when Hispanics can have more visibility and a moment for us to reconsider our contribution and our history in the United States,” says Gloria Arjona, an expert on Latino history and culture and a Spanish language and literature lecturer at Caltech.
While many people celebrate their heritage all year long, including Abelardo de la Peña Jr., marketing and communications director for LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes museum, he notes that raising the profile of Hispanic contributions is essential.
"It's really the recognition of the Latino community, the Hispanic community as an important part of the American fabric,” says de la Peña, who is also the founder of LatinoLA.com, a website that salutes the diversity of Latino voices and highlights relevant events and activities.
So during this Hispanic Heritage Month, learn more about Afro-Latino culture, take in a mariachi performance or attend a local festival. Check out the offerings below.
LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes museum in Los Angeles
AGUSTIN PAULLIER/Getty Images
Hispanic History in the U.S.
Take a deep dive into some of the history behind the contributions that Hispanic groups have made to American culture, with year-round exhibits like those at LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes museum in Los Angeles. “We have been part of our nation's history throughout,” says de la Peña.
The exhibit "LA Starts Here!" uses video, photos, artifacts and personal narratives to tell the stories of indigenous, Mexican and Mexican American people from the Spanish Conquest through the 1970s, de la Peña says. The stories and histories are those that “many people don't know about because they don't learn about this in school,” he notes.
Even though the museum has reopened for visitors there's still plenty to view online. The exhibit "afroLAtinidad: mi casa, my city," is dedicated to the history, culture and lived experiences of Afro-Latino Angelenos. Online visitors can take a virtual, interactive tour of the exhibit or view a video on its creation.
