Celebrating Our Hispanic and Latinx Neighbors

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! From September 15 to October 15, we’re paying special tribute to all the wonderful ways Hispanic and Latinx Americans have contributed to our culture and communities across the U.S.

Did You Know?

Someone who’s Hispanic can trace their family history back to a Spanish-speaking country. (There are twenty throughout the world!) Someone who’s Latinx has ancestry from an even larger number of countries considered Latin American—including Mexico, the islands of the Caribbean, and all the countries in Central and South America—but they aren’t necessarily Spanish speaking.

This vast community of cultures has contributed a rainbow of different traditions, foods, discoveries, art, and more to the U.S. and beyond. Here’s a small sampling for you and your family to explore. 

Food

Make your own corn tortillas with this easy recipe for kids. Why not try some cocoa-cinnamon chicken mole or the 50-ingredient fiambre salad made in Guatemala the night before Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)?

For dessert, roll up some chocolate-peanut butter brigaderios or fry up some churro funnel cakes.

Art

Diego Rivera and his wife Frida Kahlo were two beloved Mexican artists whose work continues to shape modern art and culture to this day.

Diego is best known for his movement to bring art to the masses through public murals. You can browse his murals here. Imagine your dream wall. What messages would you like to convey? 

Frida was a vibrant individualist artist of her own accord. She brought nature, mysticism, and the power of triumphing over adversity into her work. Tour this collection and see how her culture, in particular, influenced her work (and vice versa).

Music

You can hear lots of popular Hispanic and Latinx American musicians on the radio today. Sometimes their music is influenced by music specific to their home countries, including salsa, bachata, tango, samba, bossa nova, mariachi, and norteño.

This site explores some of the top classical composers and performers of Hispanic and Latinx classical music today. Take a listen. Which one is your favorite?

Science

For STEM enthusiasts, this list of scientific contributions is sure to kickstart your curiosity. From astronauts and botanists to physicists and virologists, these Hispanic and Latinx Americans have opened the world’s minds to new ideas and possibilities. Which one inspires you most? Do any of them make you want to investigate something new?

For hundreds of years, Hispanic and Latinx Americans have contributed to the American story in ways as diverse as their backgrounds and experiences. They’ve nurtured communities here, established successful businesses, made scientific breakthroughs, built agricultural industries, fought to protect civil and worker rights, written novels and songs, created eye-opening art, and made their mark in countless other ways. Their triumphs and struggles are the American dream personified.

Search on social media for #HispanicHeritageMonth to find even more ideas for your family to enjoy. This is also a great list of kids’ books to add to your bedtime routine this month.

Happy adventuring!