Hispanic Heritage Month

Background

Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the contributions Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean have made to American society and culture. The observance began in 1968 when Congress authorized the president to issue an annual proclamation designating National Hispanic Heritage Week. Just two decades later, lawmakers expanded it to a month-long celebration, stretching from September 15 to October 15.

It always starts on September 15, a historically significant day that marks the anniversary of the independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The designated period is also a nod to those from Mexico and Chile, both of whom celebrate their independence on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.

Hispanic refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a Spanish-speaking country.

Latino/a or Latinx refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a country in Latin America.

Proclamation

At the September 6, 2022 City Council meeting, Mayor Mary Lou Pauly proclaimed September 15 through October 15, 2022 Hispanic Heritage Month in the City of Issaquah.

Events

Join us in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

United We Are Stronger/Unidos Somos Más Fuertes, September 17, from 6-8 p.m.

• Issaquah Senior Center
• Hear award-winning bilingual Mexican author Maria de Lourdes Victoria talk about her novel La casa de los Secretos “The House of Secrets”
• Watch Baile Folklore Colibri perform and take their folklore dancing class 
• Create papel picado “Mexican party streamers”
• Eat food from La Chingona Taqueria and the Issaquah Ice Cream Trike

Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias, September 17, 1-7 p.m., September 18, 1-6 p.m.  

• Seattle Center
• An event with live music, a health fair, food and children’s activities.

Ideas to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

1. Learn about Hispanic artists, something local from Sept 15- Oct 15 the Centro Cultural Mexicano in Redmond is hosting an art expo to celebrate the Hispanic Heritage Month.
2. Hold a Hispanic film festival with your family, find our recommendation list below.
3. Learn about Latin America’s history.
4. Listen to Latin American music including:
   • Merengue, bachata, tango, Latin pop, Latin urban, salsa, regional Mexican music, reggae, cumbia, vallenato, samba, bossa nova, among many others.
5. Read a Hispanic author, the King County Library System staff, curated this list.
6. Talk to people that you know have Hispanic heritage, get to know them.
7. Read 10 Creative Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in 2021

Movie Recommendations

• Underwater Dreams, unrated documentary (2014)  
  • Narrated by Michael Pena, chronicles the story of how the sons of undocumented Mexican immigrants learned how to build underwater robots. And got up against MIT in the process.
• East side Sushi, PG l Drama (2014)
  • An immigrant single mother disenfranchised by her regular life decides to take a chance working at a Japanese restaurant and realizes her dreams to become a sushi chef to provide a better future to her family.
• Selena, PG l Biography (1997)
  • The true story of Selena, a Texas-born Tejano singer who rose from cult status to performing at the Astrodome, as well as having chart topping albums on the Latin music charts.
• Dolores, unrated documentary (2017) 
  • The documentary begins discussing Dolores' life prior to her becoming the activist she is known for being today. Dolores during the 1940s and 50's was living out the typical life of a Chicano for that period. Even at an early age she was disturbed by the world around her and felt unsatisfied with the life that she was living.
• Spirit Untamed, PG l animated (2021)
  • Lucky Prescott’s life is changed forever when she moves from her home in the city to a small frontier town and befriends a wild mustang named Spirit.