Bienvenidos, mis amigos!
“We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 to October 15) to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success. The observation began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988.” https://www.archives.gov/news/topics/hispanic-heritage-month
I did not realize Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month went back this far. “Hispanic or Latino” identifies a person of Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or origin regardless of race. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, “Among the 50.7 million Hispanics in the United States, nearly two-thirds (65%), or 33 million, self-identify as being of Mexican origin, according to tabulations of the 2010 American Community Survey (ACS) by the Pew Hispanic Center, a project of the Pew Research Center. No other Hispanic subgroup rivals the size of the Mexican-origin population. Puerto Ricans, the nation’s second largest Hispanic origin group, make up just 9% of the total Hispanic population in the 50 states and District of Columbia. Overall, the 10 largest Hispanic origin groups—Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Dominicans, Guatemalans, Colombians, Hondurans, Ecuadorians, and Peruvians—make up 92% of the U.S. Hispanic population.Six Hispanic-origin groups have populations greater than 1 million. https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/09/09/key-facts-about-u-s-latinos-for-national-hispanic-heritage-month/
This year’s theme is “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope” to celebrate the community’s resilience, strength, and hope.
The United States is a country founded and grown by immigrants—peoples from countries around the world. For a long time, the general mindset was that we were a “melting pot.” This meant that everyone assimilated, leaving behind their native culture to become American. I think that is a gross misnomer. Each culture has distinct flavors and colors that can add richness to this multicultural country. I heard some use the term “tossed salad, which seems to make a bit more sense.
We have yet to fully embrace the concept that everyone has something beautiful to bring to the table. It breaks my heart how white supremacy has so distorted the images of God’s beloved children who are deemed to be different from what some consider to be racially superior. Unjust discrimination needs to be confronted for what it is—evil in the sight of God. I have said it before, I will say it again: each human being is created by God, in God’s very image, as God’s beloved child. The sooner we come to understand and believe that, the sooner we will be able to live in a just, peaceful, and sustainable world.
Celebrate the gifts, graces, resilience, strength, and hope of our Hispanic/Latino siblings. Learn something of their achievements, culture, languages, struggles, and joys. Greet your siblings in love.
Bendiciones,
Donna
Rev. Dr. Donna Patterson serves as Anam Cara Chaplain in Residence for Scarritt Bennett Center and directs the Center’s Soul Work program.