At MeridianLink, we’re proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. We know we’re stronger together and value the diversity of our teams. That’s why we work to create a culture that promotes knowledge about and inclusion of people from all different backgrounds. To help you celebrate, we’re providing some information about the history of this month along with this year’s theme. As we grow and celebrate the unique perspectives of others, we can make a lasting, positive impact in our communities.
The Origin of Hispanic Heritage Month
Every year from Sep. 15 to Oct. 15, Americans commemorate National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the cultures, histories, languages, values, and contributions of citizens whose ancestors came from Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, and Spain.
The observation began in 1968 when President Lyndon Johnson signed a law proclaiming the week beginning September 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Week. Then on Aug. 17, 1988, President Ronald Reagan signed a law declaring September 15 to October 15 National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 because El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Nicaragua celebrate their independence on that date, while Mexico observes its independence day on September 16, and Chile on September 18.
This Year's Theme: Inclusivity
The theme for this year's Hispanic Heritage Month, "Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation," encourages Americans to consider the contributions that the more than 62 million Hispanic Americans have made and will continue to make to build stronger communities and a stronger country.
Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates how diverse and far-reaching the Hispanic community is, lauds its successes, and allows us to reflect on the struggles members of this community have faced. It also helps educate non-Hispanic Americans who might be unaware of the Hispanic community’s contributions to American society. We all benefit when different voices are included in making key decisions because the conversations necessarily address the concerns of all citizens, meaning the solutions are more comprehensive and solve more systemic problems.
National Hispanic Heritage Month offers us the opportunity to celebrate the cultural and historical contributions that Hispanic and Latino Americans have made to our great nation. If we want to create a truly inclusive and equitable future for everyone, we must all work together to increase and elevate the opportunities for all citizens.
As we focus on inclusivity at work and in our communities, we value our shared experiences and appreciate learning about each other’s cultures, traditions, and beliefs, which will help us better understand and appreciate how diversity makes us stronger together.
