Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 begins on Wednesday, September 15th, and ends on October 15th. For Hispanic Americans the purpose of those four weeks is to honor their respective cultures and the history behind them. And by “Hispanic Americans” we refer to those who identify as Hispanic. Hispanic Heritage Month is a period of recognition, education and celebration.
Companies over the past years have started to celebrate this awareness month internally, working with their Hispanic Employee Resource Group to develop a program for their employees. With some clients we get to also produce external campaigns that spread the message even further. Before you start planning Hispanic Heritage Month, here is everything you need to know.
What is this year’s theme?
The National Council of Hispanic Employment Program Managers (NCHEPM) today announced the poster selection to accompany the 2022 Hispanic Heritage Month national theme: Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation. Both the theme and poster reinforce the need to ensure diverse voices and perspectives are welcomed in decision-making processes, thereby helping to build stronger communities and a stronger Nation. NCHEPM members, Federal agency partners, Employee Resource Groups and members of the general public selected the theme through a substantive voting process.
Ms. Irene Matos Chan, a senior Information Technology manager in the Square Tech Computer Repair & Training Center for the Castle Square Tenants Organization submitted the winning theme, stating:
“I am biracial and I wanted to represent my Hispanic culture and the Hispanic countries. I want people to connect to their Hispanic culture and show it and express it to their community. [The poster] expresses that you should be proud of your race no matter what it is , and be proud to show it and represent it. “
What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean?
The celebration was created to recognize the positive impact that Hispanic Americans have left on the country. We celebrate American Citizens whose ancestors cam from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean and Central and South American (According to the official government website.
Who started Hispanic Heritage Month?
President Lyndon B. Johnson first introduced National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. In his Presidential Proclamation he wrote “Wishing to pay special tribute to the Hispanic tradition, and having in mind the fact that our five Central American neighbors celebrate their Independence Day on the fifteenth of September and the Republic of Mexico on the sixteenth, the Congress by House Joint Resolution 1299, has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating the week including September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage Week.”
What countries are involved?
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the month honors “the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.” Those include Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela.
Looking for a way to celebrate the intersectionality of your community? make sure you send us an email to contact@notainclusion.com to see how our team can help produce, elevate and design a program that will honor the Hispanic community.