hispanic heritage month country research project

Spanish Mama

Teaching Spanish & Spanglish Living

The Ultimate Guide to Hispanic Heritage Month Activities

Inside: A collection of Hispanic Heritage Month activities and ideas for schools or to celebrate at home.

National Hispanic Heritage Month occurs every year in the United States, from September 15th to October 15th.

It’s a month to celebrate the achievements of famous Hispanic Americans , along with everyday people. HHM is also the perfect chance to celebrate Latino culture in general, at home, or as a school.

First, let’s take a look at how Hispanic Heritage Month came to be, and answer some common questions.

Then, I’ll share a ton of ideas for honoring this special month !

If you are already familiar with the history of National Hispanic Heritage Month and just want to see the activities, click here .

Contents: 1. When Did Hispanic Heritage Month Begin? 2. Why Does HHM Start In the Middle of the Month? 3. Why Do We Have HHM? 4. Why Is It called Hispanic Heritage Month? Or Jump to: Hispanic Heritage Month Activities

When Did Hispanic Heritage Month Begin?

Hispanic Heritage Month began as a week-long celebration in the United States under President Johnson, and was later extended to a month by President Reagan. California Congressman George E. Brown first introduced the idea.

Hispanic Heritage Month takes place September 15 to October 15 every year as a time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the American Latino community. Beginning in 1968, Hispanic Heritage Month was originally observed as “Hispanic Heritage Week” under President Lyndon Johnson, but it was later extended to a month during President Ronald Reagan’s term in 1988. –  White House Hispanic Prosperity Initiative , Dept. of Education

Why Does Hispanic Heritage Month Start In the Middle of the Month?

You might think it makes more sense to pick one month and declare it National Hispanic Heritage Month . There’s a special reason, though, that it starts on September 15th.

September 15 was chosen as the kickoff because it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of five “Central American neighbors,” as Johnson called them—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Those five nations declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821. – History.com

Other Spanish-speaking nations have anniversaries close to those dates as well. Mexico– our neighbor– declared independence from Spain on September 16th, 1810. Chile did the same on September 18th, 1810.

Why Do We NEED Hispanic Heritage Month?

Throughout U.S. history, Latinx communities have had to struggle for equal rights. The Chicano population (Mexican Americans), especially, has experienced discrimination, and sometimes brutally.

(I detail more of this history in another post, What’s the Big Deal About Sombreros? )

Hispanic Heritage Month was established as a way to honor previously overlooked Latinx contributions and highlight new ones, going forward.

President George Bush said in 1989,

“Today, Hispanic Americans are leaders in government, business, education, sports, science, and the arts… Not all of the contributions made by Hispanic Americans to our society are so visible or so widely celebrated, however. Hispanic Americans have enriched our nation beyond measure with the quiet strength of closely knit families and proud communities.” – President Bush, Proclamation 6021 —National Hispanic Heritage Month, 1989

As of 2020, the Hispanic/Latino population in the U.S. was approximately 18% of the population. ( Census.gov )

Why Is It called Hispanic Heritage Month?

The term Hispanic has starting falling out of popularity–and fairly– due its colonialist connotations. ( Hispanic generally means Spanish-speaking, and refers to people, countries, or cultures connected to Spain.)

People from these 21 Spanish-speaking countries are considered to be of “Hispanic heritage”:

• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Puerto Rico

It’s a little complicated, though, to find a better word that means the same thing.

Many people prefer to say Latino or Latinx Heritage Month , thought that would technically refer to Central America and South America, and include places like Brazil.

Including neighbors makes more sense to me than including Americans whose ancestors are from Spain, but I don’t make the rules of course. We’ll see if there’s an official name change sometime soon!

Related: Free Map Worksheets of the 21 Spanish Speaking Countries

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH ACTIVITIES

All of that information is great, but how do we make Hispanic Heritage Month meaningful and accessible for our students and communities?

These lesson plans and activities will give you plenty of authentic, fun, and worthwhile ideas.

One more thing: before you dive in, I recommend reading this resource packet from Teaching for Change. Here’s a brief quote from the packet:

Ironically, typical heritage month programs and celebrations may do as much to reinforce stereotypes as they do to challenge them. It is important to acknowledge marginalized histories, but special events in isolation can affirm stereotypes rather than negate them… Honor Latino/Hispanic Heritage month by providing time for teachers to deepen their own background knowledge and make plans to infuse Latino history into their curriculums. – Beyond Heroes and Holidays: A Practical Guide for K12 Anti-Racist, Multicultural Education and Staff Development, by Deborah Menkart

The rest of this post is packed with many meaningful ideas for Hispanic Heritage Month Activities!

To jump to a specific section, click on one of the links below:

HHM Ideas for Teachers: Printable Lessons and Activities for Hispanic Heritage Month Online Learning Activities 5 Ways to Celebrate HHM as a School Crafts for Learning About Latino Culture Learn about Famous Hispanic Americans Movie Suggestions 5 Famous Songs in Spanish Informational Videos Infographs

Let’s get started!

Created by Davis Marret from Cario Middle in Charleston, SC.   See the template here . 

Activities and Resources for Hispanic Heritage Month

Here are printable lesson and activities for learning about Latino Heritage topics. I do have some paid resources that I recommend, but if you’re on the look out for free resources, I have PLENTY for you!

Resources To Introduce What Hispanic Heritage Month is :

1. 10 Free Slides Introducing HHM These simple and well-designed slides provide a nice introduction to Hispanic Heritage Month for kids. Easy and done-for-you! See it here . (Elementary and up.)

2. Free HHM Crossword Puzzle This 1-page Printable PDF covers important vocabulary and facts about famous Latino leaders. See it here. (English, best for Middle – High School.)

3. 5 Free Leveled Reading Passages This pack of 5 free readings present the basics of HHM. (English, for Elementary and up.) See it here.

4. Free Intro Video to Hispanic Heritage Month for Kids This video also introduces kids to HHM, with colorful illustrations. See it here . (English, for Elementary and up.) Keep scrolling for a TON more video suggestions!

HHM Coloring Pages

Enter your email and I’ll send the printable pack your way.

Resources to Learn About Famous Latinos:

1. Famous Latinos Free Coloring Pages For all ages, these free coloring pages feature 30+ famous Spanish speakers. Enter your email above and I’ll send them to you!

2. Free Biography Poster Project Fun for Spanish Teachers describes a really good poster project that includes a QR code where students link to a voice recording. Visit the page here . (Elementary and up.)

3. Free Lessons on Dolores Huerta If you want to do a deep dive into the life of a famous Latina leader, Dolores Huerta is a wonderful place to start. I have free editable activity packs you can make your own copy of, right from these links:

• Dolores Huerta Elementary Spanish Pack
• Dolores Huerta Elementary English Pack
• Dolores Huera Secondary Spanish Pack

4. Slides on Famous Latinos

If you need slides to use all month long, I have a set of Google Slides introducing 36 Latinos who changed the world and made history. These are great for bellringers, posting on a bulletin board, or to incorporate into biographies into your lessons all year. I included more than you need, so you pick the names you wish to highlight.

Here are some ready-to-go resources I have:

• 36 Famous Latinos in English ($6)
• 36 Famous Latinos in Spanish ($6)
• Mini-Books for 8 Famous Latinos ($3)
• 30 Famous Latinos in Simple, Present-Tense Spanish

Printable Posters and Bulletin Boards for HHM:

1. Free Printable HHM Portraits Print these full-color posters of Latino writers, activists, leaders, scientists, athletes, entrepreneurs, artists, musicians and others to display for a bulletin board. See them here .

2. Simple Intro Poster This is one-page bilingual printable with a simple paragraph explaining what HHM is. See it here .

3. Printable HHM Banner These free printable letters form the phrase “Hispanic Heritage Month” using flags. Very cute! See it here .

4. Printable Quotes from Famous Latinos These quotes are available in Spanish and English and have zen coloring backgrounds older students will like. Make your own copy here.

Learn About the Spanish Speaking Countries:

1. Color the 21 Country Flags I have coloring pages for each flag from the 21 Spanish-speaking countries. Make your copy here .

2. Card Games and Printable Maps Download my free card games and maps for learning and reviewing the Spanish-speaking countries, capitals, flags, maps, and fun facts. See them here .

3. Free Research Project for Spanish Speaking Countries Printables to guide students as they research different countries and take notes on them. Really nice layout! (Spanish, Middle School and up.) See it here.

4. Simple Geography Brochure Project This is an editable outline you can give students to gather basic facts about the country they choose. Includes a detailed rubric! See it here. (English, Upper Elementary and up)

5. $1 Printable Flags Simple banner of mini-flags to print and add color to a bulletin board or room!

6. Presentation to Each Country These slides show where each country is, along with capital and a few photos.

More Activities:

Play Cuban dominoes .

Make an authentic dish from Spain or Latin America! I have a whole post with easy-to-make-in-class ideas, whether you have access to a griddle, a microwave, or no kitchen at all!

More Resources:

Virtual tour of the National Museum of the American Latino.

Latino Civil Rights Timeline with linked Lesson Ideas. (Background for teachers, high school +)

Interactive lesson from PBS on “ Latinos Share Their Experiences “. (Middle school +)

The Smithsonian has a large collection of resources as well. I found it overwhelming to navigate, but feel free to browse!

5 Simple Ways To Celebrate HHM for Schools

Some of these are “lighter” ideas and should always be in the context of deeper cultural studies.

We should always be incorporating in-depth culture year-round, through equity-focused curriculum.

1. Do trivia with prizes over the morning announcements

You can see my post with 31 Days of Hispanic Heritage Month Trivia for plenty of school-appropriate questions and fun facts.

These online quizzes on famous Hispanic Americans and Latino Entertainers have info you can use as well.

An alternative could be to have fun little games by the office or in the lunchroom ( idea from the FB group Spanish Teachers in the U.S: “How many frijoles in the jar, flan flavor guessing contest, piñata on the last day, etc.” )

2. CELEBRATE LATIN CULTURE WITH MUSIC

This is a great time to expose your students to all different kind of music in Spanish ! I have a huge collection of classic Spanish Songs and playlists by genre and themes, or you can browse this list of cultural classics. Allison from Mis Clases Locas also had the great idea to do a  Hispanic Heritage Music Madness bracket .  

Select a song from each country, and vote throughout the month until you have a winning song!

3. Drum up Interest with Displays and realia

Set up a bulletin board with artifacts, quotes, or biographies in the background.

Assign a famous Hispanic-American or Spanish Speaker as a project. Some of these could be selected to display in the hall or by the school entry as a way to spotlight Hispanic Heritage Month.

Some schools go big with a school-wide event that features  Latin food, music, traditional games, country-themed tables, dancing , a  Taco Truck Day, etc. If you have the resources for it, these would be really fun!

4. Involve the Community

Invite community members to talk or share something cultural (a dance lesson, cooking lesson, craft, childhood stories, etc.)

Note: be mindful if you do this! Make sure you are not burdening families or students to educate and share unless you know they are eager to do so.

5. Include All Content Areas

Coordinate with other teachers to emphasize the Hispanic-American community.  Talk with the art teacher about incorporating an artisan craft or studying a Hispanic artist like Frida Kahlo (not Mexican-American, but she did spend quite a bit of time in the U.S.)

Another example would be incorporating literature. For example:

• Choose from this list of Authentic Picture Books
• Here are free lesson plans on the books Esperanza Rising , 100 Years of Solitude , and In the Time of Butterflies .

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH CRAFTS & CULTURE

• Do a Nazca Lines Project from Peru
• Mexican Folk Art Paintings  from Kid World Citizen
• Create a Mola from Panama  from Kid World Citizen
• Create a Diego Rivera Mural   from Kid World Citizen

• Learn About Weaving from Guatemala  from Kid World Citizen
• Make a Paper Arpillera   from Mundo de Pepita
• Make Guatemalan Worry Dolls  with DTWTMSE

BOOKS on Famous Latinx Leaders

These books are a great start for learning about famous Hispanic Americans.

I have great lists of famous Spanish speakers and inspiring Latina leaders . They link to posts with quotes, resources, videos, book, and more on each person. If you are working with students, here are some of my favorite high-interest people to teach about:

• César Chávez (Labor activist)
• Dolores Huerta (Labor activist)
• Ellen Ochoa (First Latina in space)
• Lin-Manuel Miranda (Writer of In the Heights and Hamilton )
• Roberto Clemente (Baseball Hall of Fame)
• Selena Quintanilla (One of the top Latina singers of all time)
• Sonia Sotomayor (First Latina Supreme Court Justice)
• Sylvia Méndez (Was part of the landmark school desegregation case in California as an 8-year-old)

MOVIES FOR HHM

This is the perfect time to show a movie that showcases Hispanic culture. Here’s where to find them!

Movies to show in class:

The Ultimate List of Movies for Spanish Class  from Secondary Spanish Space (includes ratings, and a brief synopsis).

Spanish TV Shows for Students

G and PG Movies in Spanish  from Spanish Mama

Movies for teachers/adults or need editing for class:

• Latin American Movies on Netflix
• Movies from Spain on Netflix
• Mexican Movies on Netflix
• Movies from Argentina on Netflix

Here are some cool infographs you can use for Hispanic Heritage Month activities:

6 Famous SONGS in Spanish

Music is an excellent way to share language and culture at the same time. There are so many songs you could use this month! Check out my  All-Time Classic Songs in Spanish , or  Folk Songs in Spanish for Kids , or choose from the few I’ve featured below:

LA GOZADERA

Celebrate Latin American countries in this happy song. If the video isn’t appropriate for your school, consider using a version that just features the lyrics.

GUANTANAMERA

Expose your students to one of the great classics in Spanish, by the legendary Celia Cruz.

La Bamba  isn’t just one of the most famous songs in Spanish, it features a Chicano artist who bridged Mexico and the US through his life and music.

A traditional song for children, De Colores is a beautiful and classic Hispanic song that can be enjoyed by all ages.

Bidi Bidi Bom Bom

Selena is a legendary example of life as a Mexican-American artist. Despite being born Mexican parents, she only spoke English as a young child and had to learn Spanish later on, for her music.

HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH VIDEOS

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Google Arts (obviously not all of Frida Kahlo’s paintings can be used in every classroom context):

Kids Talk About Hispanic Heritage Month (in English):

Hispanic Heritage Month, as explained by young Disney Stars:

How Pitbull’s Cuban-American family came to the U.S:

Mes de la Herencia Hispana

A series of adorable videos where young kids introduce themselves and their Latino roots and culture, in Spanish:

Latino Learning Modules

This one explains the terms Hispanic, Latino, and Chicano

Biographies in Simple Spanish:

A simple introduction to Ellen Ochoa. (This is part of a series introducing famous Hispanics for young children- though I bet you could use it for older students as well! So far there are intros for Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Roberto Clemente, Alberto Baez, and more):

An song intro to HHM and Latin culture from Nickelodeon (preview for Shakira’s outfit, hah- up to you!):

Video in English, mostly text:

FOOD AND RECIPES

Pico de Gallo Receta  from Mundo de Pepita

Recipes by region: https://www.goya.com/en/recipes/by-region

Image Credits

“ Mission Mural – Political Art ” ( CC BY-SA 2.0 ) by  fabola

Like it? Pin it!

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12 comments.

Thanks for the informative post! Linking back to you 🙂

Wow! Thank you so much. You have some of my favorites, and also ideas I never thought of. Plenty to choose from.

Glad you got some new ideas!

These are great suggestions! The art teacher and I are doing an immersion Spanish/Art class this year instead of a semester of each subject separately. We have the first month to start class and take notes over art, cover Spanish colors and alphabet, which then led us to HH Month for 2 weeks, then we spend all of October on Día de los Muertos. It’s a blast so far! These are great to keep in mind for future years!

Thanks for these resources. I always find something super useful on your site.

i love it thank you so much

The HIspanic heritage is not American but European. To understand why it is Latino and Hispanic one must begin with the culture and political system that laid its perimeters Unlike the way it is used by poorly educated people Latino does not refer to a colored race but the language of ancient Rome, Latino, from which evolved what are called Romance dialects such as French, Italian, Spanish, Porttuguese. Similarly labels such as Hispanic or Hispania do not define a racial grouping as much as a Roman geography with such labels as Britannia, Italia, Germania, Lusitania (Portugal). Hibernia, Caledonia, and so on. Romanization of Hispania – Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanization_of_Hispania Several factors aided the process of Romanization: Creation of civil infrastructure, including road networks and urban sanitation. Commercial interaction within regions and the wider Roman world. Foundation of colonia; settling Roman military veterans in newly created towns and cities. The …

Romanization Of Hispania – Image Results Roman conquest of Hispania – YouTube Spania – Wikipedia Hispania – Wikipedia What’s the difference between Hispanic and Latino? – Quora More Romanization Of Hispania images

Thank you so much for these resources. It is great to educate my kids in America about the Hispanic heritage!

Hola! By any chance, do you have the info graphs that you have listed here in a PDF that can be used for easy printing? I would love to make a large skinny poster for my classroom during HHM. We (my WL department) host a big cultural festival for the entire district and community and these would be great to have on display there too!

Why do you include Puerto Rico as a Country? It is one of the fourteen US territories.

Yes, Puerto Rico is more technically a commonwealth than a country, though many are denied the rights that would come from either being a true commonwealth or a U.S. state.

While the United States does not have an official language, Puerto Rico lists both English and Spanish as official language. Because of this, it’s traditionally included in lists of the 21 Spanish-Speaking countries and listed in places like the World Bank as a country. But yes, each list should include a note that it’s not technically a country. I’ll add one!

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Hispanic Heritage in the Humanities: Recent Projects Funded by the Division of Research Programs

In 2017 Buffalo, New York, artist and educator Betsy Casañas was invited by the city's Albright-Knox Public Art Initiative, the Hispanic Heritage Council, and the Rich Family Foundation to create what became this mural celebrating the contributions made by the region's Hispanic and Latinx communities by Carol M. Highsmith, 1946-, photographer.

Courtesy of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. 

From September 15 to October 15, the United States marks National Hispanic Heritage Month. First established in law as “Hispanic Week” by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968, it was expanded to a month in legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The thirty-day period encompasses many important dates in Hispanic history, including the start of the Mexican War of Independence, several Latin American nations’ independence days, and Columbus Day (also commemorated as “ Día de la Raza ,” “Day of the Pluricultural Nation,” and “Indigenous Peoples’ Day”).

In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Division of Research Programs is highlighting some of the many books and digital projects it has funded that center Hispanic history and culture.

Books Funded by the Division of Research Programs

A Place at the Nayarit: How a Mexican Restaurant Nourished a Community (University of California Press, 2022)

Courtesy of the University of California Press.

Molina, Natalia. A Place at the Nayarit: How a Mexican Restaurant Nourished a Community (University of California Press, 2022).

Through researching the history of her grandmother’s Mexican restaurant in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, Natalia Molina explored the immigrant experience and the power of restaurants as spaces of community belonging. Molina received a Public Scholar award from NEH to complete the manuscript of her book. Learn more about Molina’s work here .

Racial Uncertainties: Mexican Americans, School Desegregation, and the Making of Race in Post–Civil Rights America (University of California Press, 2022)

Olden, Danielle R. Racial Uncertainties: Mexican Americans, School Desegregation, and the Making of Race in Post–Civil Rights America (University of California Press, 2022).

In a groundbreaking 1973 case brought by a group of local parents, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Denver public school district must immediately desegregate. In light of the ruling, all sides struggled to categorize the racial identity of Mexican American students, who did not fit neatly into established Black or white categories, and whose visions of “equal” schooling often contradicted those of other minority students. Supported by a Research Division fellowship, Danielle R. Olden produced the first scholarly work on Mexican American civil rights activism and racial identity in Denver. Learn more about Olden’s work here .

Defiant Braceros: How Migrant Workers Fought for Racial, Sexual, and Political Freedom (University of North Carolina Press, 2016)

Courtesy of the University of North Carolina Press.

Loza, Mireya. Defiant Braceros: How Migrant Workers Fought for Racial, Sexual, and Political Freedom (University of North Carolina Press, 2016).

From 1942 to 1964, an agreement between the United States and Mexico allowed millions of migrant workers to enter the American South. Mireya Loza explored the diverse identities and experiences of these braceros through archival research and oral histories. Through a Summer Stipend award, Loza was able to revise her manuscript for publication. Defiant Braceros received the Theodore Saloutos Book Award for best book on immigration history and the Smithsonian Secretary’s Research Prize for excellence in scholarly research. Learn more about Loza’s work here .

New York and the International Sound of Latin Music, 1940-1990 (University Press of Mississippi, 2020)

Courtesy of the University Press of Mississippi.

Lapidus, Benjamin. New York and the International Sound of Latin Music, 1940-1990 (University Press of Mississippi, 2020).

Innovation in Latin music in New York City in the mid-twentieth century was made possible by interethnic and cross-disciplinary collaboration, making it the capital of a transnational Spanish Caribbean music scene. Scholar of music Benjamin Lapidus received a yearlong fellowship to complete the book manuscript on the Latin sound of the Big Apple. Learn more about Lapidus’s work here .

The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography (Bloomsbury Press, 2014)

Courtesy of Bloomsbury Press.

Pawel, Miriam. The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography (Bloomsbury Press, 2014).

In the first major scholarly biography of Cesar Chavez, Miriam Pawel studied the legacy of the Mexican American labor activist. Chavez, who cofounded the group which would later become the United Farm Workers labor union, became controversial in his later years but remains an icon of the American labor movement. Pawel, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, received a fellowship from the Research Division to complete her archival research for the book, which included the transcription of previously unheard tapes by Chavez. Learn more about Pawel’s work here .

Corazón de Dixie: Mexicanos in the U.S. South Since 1910 (University of North Carolina Press, 2015)

Weise, Julie M. Corazón de Dixie: Mexicanos in the U.S. South Since 1910 (University of North Carolina Press, 2015).

In the first comprehensive study of Mexican and Mexican American life in the U.S. South, historian Julie Weise drew on archival records and oral histories to present case studies of distinct Hispanic experiences. Corazón de Dixie received the Merle Curti Award for best social history from the Organization of American Historians and the C.L.R. James Award from the Working-Class Studies Association. Learn more about Weise’s work here .

Ink Under the Fingernails: Printing Politics in Nineteenth-Century Mexico (University of California Press, 2021)

Zeltsman, Corrina. Ink Under the Fingernails: Printing Politics in Nineteenth-Century Mexico (University of California Press, 2021).

In the century leading up to the Mexican Revolution, the printing press occupied a central role in the struggle for political power. Historian Corrina Zeltsman focused on the behind-the-scenes labor of workers in urban presses to explore the broader implications of state and religious authority in Mexico. Ink Under the Fingernails won the Howard F. Cline Prize in Mexican History from the Latin American Studies Association and the Best Book in the Social Sciences Award from the LASA Mexico Section. Learn more about Zeltsman’s work here .

Digital Projects Funded by the Division of Research Programs

“ Civil Rights in Black and Brown ”

Through a three-year NEH Collaborative Research grant, researchers at Texas Christian University led by Max Krochmal collected hundreds of oral histories from participants in the fight for African American and Hispanic civil rights in Texas. The interviews are compiled in a searchable online database and have been widely cited in scholarship on modern American civil rights. Learn more about the project here .

“ University of Arizona E-Books in Indigenous and Latinx Studies ”

With the support of an NEH grant, the University of Arizona Press was able to retain staff during the COVID-19 pandemic to digitize books in Indigenous and Latinx Studies, and to expand “Open Arizona,” its collection of free, open-access online scholarly works. Learn more about the project here .

“ Memoria Presente : The Common Spanish Legacy in Italian and Latin American Cultures ”

Led by Teresa Fiore and supported by an Awards for Faculty grant from NEH, the Italian Studies department of Montclair State University launched a wide-ranging research and curriculum program studying the cultural commonalities between Italy and Latin America stemming from a shared history of Spanish colonialism. “ Memoria Presente ” created an interdisciplinary online archive, compiled oral histories from students of Hispanic-Italian backgrounds, and developed an “Italian for Spanish Speakers” curriculum. Learn more about the project here .

Recently Funded by the Division of Research Programs

“Good Neighbor at Home: Mexican Americans’ Bid for Political Empowerment in the World War II Era, 1930s-1940s” by Natalie Mendoza

Historian Natalie Mendoza received a Summer Stipend award to complete writing on her forthcoming book Good Neighbor at Home: Mexican American Identity and Civil Rights during World War II . The “Good Neighbor” policy, which called to improve U.S. relations with Latin American countries on the grounds of a shared democratic heritage, gave Mexican Americans the unprecedented opportunity to call for federal officials to address domestic racial issues. Learn more about Mendoza’s work here .

“Social and Civic Transformation in Suburban Los Angeles Since 1945” by Becky Nicolaides

Through a Research Division fellowship, Becky Nicolaides studied social and civic life in the postwar suburbs of Los Angeles. Nicolaides contextualized the emerging diversity of the suburbs in broader patterns of settlement by diverse ethnic groups, especially Hispanic populations, in the postwar period. Her book, tentatively titled The New Suburbia: How Diversity Remade Suburban Life in Los Angeles After 1945, will be published in January of 2024 by the Oxford University Press. Learn more about Nicolaides’s work here .

Challenging Exclusion: Mexican Americans, Textbook Reforms, and Archive Preservation by Omar Valerio-Jiménez  

In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, Mexican Americans in New Mexico and Texas challenged negative characterizations and omissions in public school textbooks to assert their right to citizenship. Historian Omar Valerio-Jiménez received an Awards for Faculty grant from the Research Division to complete research and draft his forthcoming book, Challenging Exclusion in Education: Mexican Americans and School Reform . Learn more about Valerio-Jiménez’s work here .

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Srta Spanish

Support for Spanish Teachers

How to do a Hispanic Heritage Month Research Project

August 17, 2023

Research projects are an amazing way to engage students with the language and give them an opportunity to explore the culture, history, geography, and important figures. These projects allow for creativity, critical thinking, research skills, and (if you want) collaboration. Unfortunately, they can ALSO be a total headache to organize, so I wanted to share tips for a successful Hispanic Heritage Month research project in your classes!

Watch the Video

Options for a Hispanic Heritage Month Research Project

You don’t have to do the same research project year after year with your students. Here are a few options for you to consider as you’re planning a project to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month:

• Biography poster project
• Wax museum project
• Spanish holidays project
• Spanish-speaking country project
• Create a virtual field trip! ( Explore one country or report on several )
• Animals of the world
• Spanish-speaking authors
• Spanish-speaking artists

Tips for a successful Hispanic Heritage Month Research Project

• Have clear expectations
• Allow choice
• Check in with students along the way 
• Bring in a media specialist or expert to help your students research
• Show off their stuff

Tip #1 Have Clear Expectations

Make sure your students understand what you want the final projects to look like and the language you expect from them. A great start is discussing proficiency levels, like I mention in my post on How to Keep Students from Using Google Translate here . Another is just showing them an example of a completed project, or using readings as a mentor text to help model what they are capable of. These expectations will of course vary depending on the level doing the project!

Tip #2 Allow Choice

Within reason, it’s a great idea to include student choice! It’s one of the reasons choice boards can be so effective – students like being able to pick! I love to give students a choice as to where or what they are researching to help with student buy in. I always include a blank poster template for students to add another option, in case there’s a topic they’d like to research that I didn’t think of ahead of time.

Of course, this is within reason. Sometimes they want to research someone who just isn’t appropriate for the setting. If you let your students choose, make sure they know that you will approve their choices before they continue with the project!

Tip #3 Check in with students

If you want your students to be successful with their Hispanic Heritage Month research project, you want to check in with them along the way. Don’t just hand them the expectations and set them off to researching! Make sure you set points to visit with them to make sure they understand what they are supposed to do, and no one is surprised when it’s time to present.

Tip #4 Bring in an expert for your Hispanic Heritage Month Research Project

If you can, it’s a great time to lean on any resources your school has to offer. If you have a librarian or school media specialist, talk to them! They might be able to come to your room to help with research. If not, they likely have a list of student-friendly resources your district has access to to support your students.

If there’s no librarian or media specialist, connect with your co-workers and admin. Other subject areas do research projects, too! Does the social studies teacher have a list of sites you could snag? Is one of your admin a former English teacher who might help with a lesson on evaluating sources? You don’t have to do everything alone!

Tip #5 Show off their stuff

View this post on Instagram A post shared by catherine 👩‍🏫✏️ (@laprofeagradecida)

Whether your students host a “field trip” to their museums , hang their posters in the hallway, or send classrooms on a virtual trip they created , it’s important to give them a chance to show off their hard work. An added bonus is that showing off their projects is a great way to turn your classroom celebration into a school-wide Hispanic Heritage Month celebration !

Showing off their work can be as simple or complex as you like. Two of my favorite simple options are to just hang their work on a display in the hallway or to do a rotating presentation. Put students in pairs, have them present to each other, and then swap partners. It’s much lower stress than presenting in front of the whole class, and doesn’t take as much time!

More for Hispanic Heritage Month

Looking for more lesson plans and tips to help your Hispanic Heritage Month in your Spanish classes instead of just your club?  This post has tips, lessons, activities – everything you need to host a celebration!

If you’re looking for more ideas, check out these 7 simple ideas for how you can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with your Spanish club !

Want to host a school wide celebration?  Check out 10 ways to include your student body in Hispanic Heritage Month plans!

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Hispanic Heritage Month

By: History.com Editors

Updated: September 15, 2023 | Original: September 11, 2020

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latino and Hispanic communities. Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 will last from Friday, September 15, 2023 through Sunday, October 15, 2023.  The event commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large.

Origins of Hispanic History Month

The term Hispanic or Latino (or the more recent term Latinx) refers to a person’s culture or origin—regardless of race. On the 2020 Census form, people were counted as Hispanic or Latino or Spanish if they could identify as having Mexican, Mexican American, Chicano, Puerto Rican, Cuban, or “another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.”

Hispanic Heritage Month actually began as a commemorative week when it was first introduced in June of 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown. The push to recognize the contributions of the Hispanic community had gained momentum throughout the 1960s when the civil rights movement was at its peak and there was a growing awareness of the United States' multicultural identities.

Brown, who represented East Los Angeles and a large portion of the San Gabriel Valley—both heavily populated by members of the Hispanic and Latinx communities—wanted to recognize the role played by those communities throughout American history.

On September 17, 1968, Congress passed Public Law 90-48 , officially authorizing and requesting the president to issue annual proclamations declaring September 15 and 16 to mark the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Week and called upon the “people of the United States, especially the educational community, to observe such week with appropriate ceremonies and activities.” President Lyndon B. Johnson issued the first Hispanic Heritage Week presidential proclamation the same day.

Why the Date of Hispanic Heritage Month Is Important

The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American nations. September 15 was chosen as the kickoff because it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of five “Central American neighbors,” as Johnson called them—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Those five nations declared their independence from Spain on September 15, 1821.

In his proclamation, Johnson also acknowledged Mexico, which declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810. Although not mentioned specifically by Johnson, Chile also celebrates its independence during that week (September 18, 1810 from Spain) and Belize, which declared its independence from Great Britain on September 21, 1981, was subsequently added to the list of nations specifically celebrated during what is now Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hispanic Heritage Expands From a Week to a Month

From 1968 until 1988, Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan all issued the yearly proclamations, setting aside a week to honor Hispanic Americans. In 1987 U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California proposed the expanding the observance to cover its current 31-day period. Torres wanted more time so that the nation could “properly observe and coordinate events and activities to celebrate Hispanic culture and achievement.”

In 1988, Senator Paul Simon (D-Illinois), submitted a similar bill that successfully passed Congress and was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan on August 17, 1988. And on September 14, 1989, President George H.W. Bush (who had been a sponsor of the original Hispanic Heritage Week resolution while serving in the House in 1968) became the first president to declare the 31-day period from September 15 to October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

“Not all of the contributions made by Hispanic Americans to our society are so visible or so widely celebrated, however. Hispanic Americans have enriched our nation beyond measure with the quiet strength of closely knit families and proud communities,” Bush said .

In the decades since, National Hispanic Heritage Month proclamations have been made by every sitting president of the United States.

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Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S. runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. NPR celebrates these communities — with stories, podcasts and a Tiny Desk takeover , including "El Tiny" performances by Omar Apollo, Carla Morrison, Farruko, and other artists.

Yes, We're Calling It Hispanic Heritage Month And We Know It Makes Some Of You Cringe

Vanessa Romo

As the nation begins its annual celebration of Latino history, culture and other achievements, it's not too late to ask why we lump together roughly 62 million people with complex identities under a single umbrella. Peter Pencil/Getty Images hide caption

As the nation begins its annual celebration of Latino history, culture and other achievements, it's not too late to ask why we lump together roughly 62 million people with complex identities under a single umbrella.

As the headline unambiguously states, here at NPR we've kicked off Hispanic Heritage Month.

Not Latino Heritage Month. Not Latinx Heritage Month. Not even a compromise or a combination of the three: Hispanic/Latino/Latinx Heritage Month.

To be honest, NPR began to participate in the national event that is called Hispanic Heritage Month with no discussion about existing tensions within Latino communities regarding the use of the word Hispanic, its origins and whether it may be time to swap out the catchall label for something different.

Perhaps that has something to do with the rapid pace of the news recently regarding the end of a 20-year-long war in Afghanistan, another terrifying spike in the COVID-19 pandemic or this week's recall election in California.

Or, in full transparency, it could have something to do with the fact that as of 2020 only 6% of the NPR's newsroom and on-air journalists identify as Hispanic or Latino.

But it's not too late to pose the following thorny questions: What's the harm in lumping together roughly 62 million people with complex identities under a single umbrella? Is a blanket pan-ethnic term necessary to unite and reflect a shared culture that is still largely (infuriatingly) excluded from mainstream popular culture? Or the more basic question: ¿Por que Hispanic?

How Latinos/Latinas/Latinx people became Hispanic

Hispanic Heritage Month initially began as a weeklong celebration in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson who, at the time said , "The people of Hispanic descent are the heirs of missionaries, captains, soldiers, and farmers who were motivated by a young spirit of adventure, and a desire to settle freely in a free land."

"This heritage is ours," he proclaimed.

It wasn't until 1988 that President Ronald Reagan extended the week to a full 31 days — through Oct. 15 — keeping the Sept. 15 start date because it coincides with national independence day of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Similarly, Mexico celebrates on the 16th, Chile on the 18th and Belize on the 21st.

But even before Johnson landed on the term Hispanic, there was a lot of debate within government entities on how to refer to Latinos in the United States, Cristina Mora, a sociologist at the University of California, Berkeley, tells NPR.

Mora, who wrote about the adoption of the term Hispanic in Making Hispanics: How Activists, Bureaucrats, and Media Created a New American , found that use of the umbrella categorization is inextricably linked to the U.S. Census and its attempts to identify and quantify different groups of people.

The Pew Research Center reports that in the 1930s Latinos living in the U.S., regardless of their place of birth or family origin, were all noted as "Mexican" by door-to-door U.S. Census Bureau counters. It wasn't until 1970 that the agency began asking Latinos living in the U.S. to self-identify as either "Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, Other Spanish" or "No, none of these." This, however, led to a bizarre and unexpected underrepresentation of white Americans who misunderstood the classifications. Apparently, hundreds of thousands of confused people living in the South or central regions of the U.S. mistakenly identified as Central or South American, according to Pew.

But even with the added Latino subgroups, Mora says the 1970 Census once again resulted in a severe undercount of the minority but growing population, which in turn led to a national backlash from activists, academics and civic leaders who demanded fair representation.

Latinos could have been called "Brown"

New groups were formed to tackle the problem, including the Census Bureau's Spanish Origin Advisory Committee and a group of Spanish-speaking federal employees called the Ad Hoc Committee on Racial and Ethnic Definitions . Mora recalls several of the options being floated at the time included "Brown," "Latin American," "Latino" and Hispanic.

"One of the problems is that Latinos were seen as foreigners, invaders and not inherently American. And one of the jobs of the advisory board was to really show that Latinos were an American minority group, like African-Americans — a minority that stretched from coast to coast and that were patriotic, that fought in wars, that contributed to American history, that built American cities. So when a term like Latin American was used, right away, it seemed to strike discord because it was seen as too foreign," Mora explains.

She adds: "Hispanic was never a term that everybody loved, but it was a term that got a lot of support from within Latinos in the Nixon [administration] and, later, the Ford administration." It was eventually added to the 1980 census.

Many Latinos had an immediate disdain for the term

"We hated the term Hispanic because it was a term that we felt was forced upon us by the U.S. government," Paul Ortiz, author of An African American and Latinx History of the United States , tells NPR.

"It wasn't a natural fit for anyone that I knew. I didn't know anyone growing up who said, 'Oh, hey, I'm Hispanic.' It was always either, I'm Mexican, Mexican-American, Chicano or Chicana," says Ortiz, who is also a history professor at the University of Florida.

A large part of that, he says, is based on the origins of the word Hispanic, which is the English translation of the Spanish "Hispano," meaning a person whose cultural traditions originate from Spain.

When that is the starting point, he says, "That immediately erases all of the centuries of pre-Columbian history, culture and civilizations that existed before the European conquest and colonization of the Americas ... and that's understandably upsetting to people who are not white." It alienates indigenous and Afro-Latino communities whose history includes deep resistance to the Spanish invasion and is not necessarily tied to Spain, Ortiz says.

The term Latinx is rising in popularity

The recent popularity of the word Latinx in the U.S. presents another alternative to the contentious Hispanic label that proponents say also offers gender inclusivity. Ortiz marvels at the way it has so quickly been adapted by young people, academic institutions and corporations alike, though it is not without its own critics .

When naming his book, it was his students who suggested using Latinx in the title. "Originally it was going to be African-American and Latino History in the United States . But my students really impressed upon me the themes of inclusivity and diversity, [saying] we have to be open."

He's also noticed that in the past two years or so, many of the speaking requests he's received from corporations are for Latino or Latinx Heritage Month not Hispanic Heritage Month — that includes an invitation to speak at a Deutsche Bank event later this week.

Ortiz suggests that one theory for the shift is that it is being driven by diverse employee organizations within the companies. "Almost all of them — the ones that have reached out — have taken on the term Latinx."

"I find this fascinating because the stereotype is that the term Latinx is being foisted upon us by academics but that's just not true," he says.

The types of stories told during Hispanic Heritage Month are also important

Beyond the dispute over what to name the month-long celebration, there is another concern: that in an effort to make it more palatable or commercially viable, stories of oppression, prejudice and injustice are whitewashed or ignored.

"Too often the focus is on the musical contributions or dancing or other happy artforms," Mario T. Garcia, professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara, tells NPR.

"But we also need programming that reflects historical problems ... because you can't assume that Latinos already know about the lynchings in South Texas in the 1910s ," the Zoot Suit Riots , the segregation of Mexican kids in schools , or the Chicano-led high school walkouts of the 1960s that permanently changed higher education enrollment for Latino students.

In his experience, Garcia notes, the U.S. public education system does such a poor job of teaching Latino history in this country, that often Hispanic Heritage Month is the only opportunity for any students to learn about it. "It is a real shame," he says.

But approached in the right way, he adds, even these stories can be ultimately seen as happy. "Because the historic struggles of Chicanos, Mexican-Americans, other Latinos are happy stories ... because only through those struggles have we been able to achieve more social justice in this country, more education."

• U.S. Census Bureau

Todos Somos, Somos Uno (We are All, We are One): Pathways to Equity

September 27, 2023

Hispanic Heritage Month aligns with the date of independence from Spain for many Latin American countries.

One of the greatest strengths of our country is its rich diversity. Each year, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month  from September 15 to October 15. During this month, we commemorate the diverse cultures and many contributions Hispanic or Latino* people make to U.S. society.

Read on to learn more about some of the factors that influence health for Hispanic and Latino people in the U.S. and its territories. Explore what CDC is doing to ensure Hispanic and Latino people have a fair and just opportunity to achieve their highest level of health. Share this information in your community!

The theme for the 2023 National Hispanic Heritage Month is Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We are All, We are One. This theme highlights that Hispanic and Latino people are both deeply connected to one another and to U.S. society as well as richly diverse. Hispanic and Latino people in the U.S. have ancestry from 21 Spanish-speaking or Latin American countries and territories. In 2022, approximately 1 in 5 people  in the U.S. were Hispanic or Latino.

The conditions in which we are born, grow, work, live, and age shape our health. Hispanic or Latino people in the U.S. often face unfair differences in these conditions, which can sometimes lead to worse health.

Let’s take a closer look at just one of the conditions that impacts our health – work. To maintain good health, people need steady incomes that allow them to meet their health needs. Hispanic and Latino people play an important role in the U.S. economy , but are less likely to have higher-earning jobs and earn fair pay when compared with non-Hispanic or Latino people. Hispanic or Latino people are also less likely to have access to employer-sponsored benefits like health insurance coverage and paid sick leave, and may struggle to access quality and affordable healthcare .

A more diverse health workforce can help advance progress toward health equity.

Hispanic or Latino people in the U.S. are underrepresented in healthcare and related health fields and face challenges to receiving the post-secondary education and training needed to enter these fields. A diverse health workforce can lead to more culturally competent care , more effective public health programming, and better health outcomes for all people.

For over 35 years, CDC has sponsored public health education and training opportunities for Hispanic or Latino students and young professionals. Some of the current CDC education and professional development efforts with a focus on Hispanic and Latino people in the U.S. and its territories include:

Lewis Scholars and Ferguson Fellows share their public health projects at the 2023 Summer Showcase at CDC.

Through the Lewis Scholars and Ferguson Fellowship Programs, CDC funds seven academic and public health institutions who provide undergraduate and graduate students from across the country the opportunity to explore public health through hands-on training, public health project placement, mentorship, and professional development. Over the last ten years, 1 in 5 program participants were Hispanic or Latino and were recruited from across the U.S. and its territories.

• The Public Health Associates Program (PHAP) In this competitive, two-year, paid training program with CDC, associates are assigned to state, tribal, local, and territorial public health agencies and nongovernmental organizations, and work alongside other professionals across a variety of public health settings. CDC promotes PHAP to potential Hispanic and Latino applicants through a partnership with the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities and the Organization of Hispanic and Latino Allies in Health.

Work and workforce diversity are just two of the many factors that influence health for Hispanic and Latino people. CDC is committed to advancing health equity for Hispanic and Latino people in the U.S. by addressing social determinants of health .

We all have a role to play. Learn more about health for Hispanic or Latino people in the U.S. and its territories.

• FastStats – Health of Hispanic or Latino People
• Hispanic or Latino Vital Signs Report
• Vital Signs: Leading Causes of Death, Prevalence of Diseases and Risk Factors, and Use of Health Services Among Hispanics in the United States — 2009–2013 (cdc.gov)
• Trends in Hispanic or Latino Population Health, United States
• Hispanic or Latino People and Cancer
• Hispanic or Latino Health Disparities in HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STDs, and TB
• Unfair and Unjust Practices and Conditions Harm Hispanic and Latino People and Drive Health Disparities

Explore some of the ways CDC is addressing the conditions and systems that influence health for Hispanic and Latino people.

• Health Equity in Action
• Health Equity
• Racism and Health
• Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health
• Community Health Worker Resources
• Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support / en español

CDC offers extensive web content in Spanish through Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades CDC .

Share these resources in your community!

CDC’s Office of Health Equity recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month as part of our  anniversary . We’re celebrating 35 years of “baking” health equity into our public health work. “Baking in” health equity means that health equity is foundational in our work, and the key ingredient to our vision that all people have the opportunity to attain the highest level of health possible.

* We use “Hispanic and Latino” throughout this article to represent both Hispanic and Latino people. “Hispanic” refers to people who speak Spanish or who are from Spanish-speaking countries, including Spain. “Latino” refers to people descended from Latin American countries. While these populations are distinct, they face many of the same inequities in the U.S.

• Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades CDC
• The HHS Office of Minority Health’s Commitment to Advancing Language Access – Blog Post
• Executive Order On Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government
• National Hispanic Heritage Month (hhs.gov)
• Hispanic/Latino – The Office of Minority Health (hhs.gov)
• Hispanic/Latino Health in the United States (hhs.gov)
• Home – Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (hacu.net)

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Meet the Hispanic and Latinx Scientists Pioneering Environmental Research 

While the global scientific community is incredibly diverse, and many Hispanic and Latinx leaders have significantly impacted science, representation in many mainstream U.S. publications still needs to be improved. That is why we highlight the contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Earthwatch scientists, not just in honor of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month but year-round.

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time in which we spotlight the cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx people. We asked Earthwatch scientists to share more about their careers, perspectives, and advice for aspiring Hispanic and Latinx STEM scientists to commemorate the occasion. Learn about Earthwatch scientists leading vital research on wildlife, climate change, and ocean health worldwide.

Meet our Hispanic and Latinx Scientists!

Dr. lenin oviedo correa (he/him), research associate & associate head of the tropical marine mammals ecology lab for the centro de investigación de cetáceos costa rica (ceic), lead scientist on “ conserving marine mammals in costa rica ” and “ sea of giants: marine life of the baja peninsula ”.

Focus area: Ocean Health

Dr. Lenin Oviedo Correa is a Venezuelan researcher captivated by the diversity of marine animals in Latin America. During his education, he fell in love with Golfo Dulce, the focus on his current work with Earthwatch, which he describes as a “wonderful tropical fjord.” Last year, his nine years of collecting wildlife monitoring data alongside hundreds of Earthwatch volunteers as the lead scientist on our  Conserving Marine Mammals in Costa Rica  expedition culminated in the  designation of Golfo Dulce as an Important Marine Mammals Area , bringing increased protection for whales, dolphins, and other wildlife.

Q: How has your background influenced your career as a scientist? 

LOC: "I am a Venezuelan scientist working in Latin America with the support of Earthwatch, a US-based institution. Working in my home region in science applied to conservation has been incredibly challenging due to the complexity of the socio-economic issues of the region and the limited funding available for science, but my formative years were also faced with these challenges, making me an adaptable, creative, and resourceful survivor. The difficulties make the endeavor even more enticing, making science and conservation a great experience that usually becomes a passion. Add to this that our regions include six megadiverse countries so rich in biodiversity that every challenge is worth it. My advice to other Latin Americans doing STEM is to read a lot and fall in love with your process, from data collection to publishing your results, then appreciate and be grateful for your formative years.”

Dr. Gabriela Blanco (She/Her)

Adjunct researcher at centro para el estudio de sistemas marinos (cesimar–conicet), lead scientist on “ trailing penguins in argentina ”.

Focus area: Wildlife & Ecosystems

Dr. Blanco, an expert on penguins, petrels, and other seabirds, has spent much of her career exploring migration and nesting behavior. As lead scientist on Trailing Penguins in Argentina , her work has focused mainly on studying the spatial ecology of Magellanic penguins, studying these creatures’ behavior at sea and their interactions with their overall environment. In response to dwindling Magellanic penguin populations, Dr. Blanco and her teams work to inform efforts to preserve this incredible species.

Her work with Earthwatch has also led to publications analyzing the at-sea distribution, diving, and foraging performance of Magellanic penguins, measuring the impact of plastic pollution on pelagic seabirds, and more.

Q: How does your Hispanic/Latinx heritage intersect with and enrich your work and research?

GB: "Biological sciences are transversal to any cultural heritage, and this is the way it should be seen. As scientists, we publish our work in international scientific journals; once the article is published, I don't believe the specific culture of the scientists matters.

That said, as Latinxs, we face some difficulties in carrying out our research. The first is the language barrier; most scientists from Latino countries are bilingual. The next one is the economic situation of our countries, as most of the time, there are few or non-budget assigned for research. Moreover, some scientific journals charge large amounts of money that we cannot afford to pay, which makes our work less visible than the work of scientists from developed countries.”

Dr. Manoel Muanis (He/Him) 

Researcher at the universidade federal do rio de janeiro, lead scientist on ” wildlife and reforestation in brazil ”.

Focus area:  Wildlife and Ecosystems

Dr. Muanis’s engagement with Earthwatch dates back to 2003, when he began working with volunteers to study wildlife and ecosystems. Today, as lead scientist on  Wildlife and Reforestation in Brazil , he works in the Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu, collecting important data on how large-scale reforestation efforts are impacting regional wildlife. The data that Dr. Muanis and his team collect is used directly in regional management plans, and his teams also contribute directly to reforestation efforts by planting and helping to grow seedlings in the reserve. 

For a look at the volunteer experience on this expedition, read “ A Day in the Life of a Reforestation Volunteer in Brazil .” In the past, Dr. Muanis has also worked with Earthwatch to publish on topics like otter behavior in the Pantanal wetlands.

Q: How does your heritage intersect with and enrich your work and research?

MM:  “As a Brazilian who loves my country, culture, and nature, since I was a kid, I have tried to understand how I can benefit from greater biodiversity after decades of studies and expeditions in and outside my country. I’m still looking for the answer, but of course, as time passes, the models in my mind become more and more complex. The Brazilian people, much like their biodiversity, are heterogeneous and creative and have a special way of solving problems with the resources that are present, which, most of the time, are limited and scarce. We call this “jeitinho brasileiro”— Brazilian way. Here we have a funny, popular saying that NASA has to come and study Brazilians and the ingenious solutions that people come up with to overcome adversity. But in the end, the solutions work well and often solve problems that would cost thousands of dollars.”

Elsa Valiente Riveros, MS (She/Her) 

Former director of the restauración ecológica y desarrollo a.c. (redes), co-lead scientist on ”conserving wetlands and traditional agriculture in mexico (retired) ”.

Focus area: Wildlife and Ecosystems

Elsa Valiente Riveros, M.S., is the director of Restauración Ecológica y Desarrollo A.C. (REDES). REDES is a local non-profit that aims to increase the health of wetland ecosystems in Xochimilco, Mexico, by monitoring water quality and local biodiversity, providing research results to policymakers, and educating local farmers on sustainable agriculture and business strategies. Elsa has been working in Xochimilco to restore the wetlands since 2002. Through her partnership with Earthwatch, Elsa has worked with volunteers and farmers to create and implement technical and management solutions to agricultural challenges and ensure ecosystem health. 

Q: How does your heritage intersect with and enrich your work and research?

EVR: “I think a fundamental fact that impacts our research and work with farmers is that Mexico, as part of Mesoamérica, is the site of origin for many crops such as corn, zucchini, beans, amaranto, cacao, vanilla, quelites, etc. They represent our agrobiodiversity, which is the result of hundreds of years of our people taking care of the native crops according to the several food and cultural characteristics of each region of our country. With this in mind, any scientific research needs to be enriched with the social part, integrating the feelings and thoughts of the local people to ensure long-term positive results.”

Dr. Claudia Ponce de León (She/Her)

Professor, faculty of sciences, universidad nacional autonoma de mexico, lead scientist on ”conserving wetlands and traditional agriculture in mexico”  (retired).

Dr. Ponce de Leon specializes in water chemistry and the effects caused by environmental stressors on aquatic organisms, communities, and ecosystems. In her partnership with Earthwatch, she works alongside Elsa Valiente Riveros, MS, and the rest of her project’s expert team to help farmers protect ecologically critical wetlands. She has also studied many wetlands-related subjects, like the impacts of agricultural and industrial chemicals on wetlands and creating evaluative systems to measure wetland health.

“With the support of enthusiastic citizens, we can cover a lot more ground and sample comprehensively. With their keen observations of the surroundings, we can pinpoint sources of environmental disruption (e.g., contamination).”

Dr. Bernat Claramunt-López (He/Him)

Researcher and ecology lecturer at creaf (centre for ecological research and forestry applications), lead scientist on ” wildlife in the changing andorran pyrenees ”.

Dr. Claramunt-López is an ecologist who loves mountains. His research centers on discovering how mountain communities, especially the ones at high elevations, adapt to changing environmental conditions. Using cameras, his team studies how climate change and human encroachment impact wildlife in the mountains of Andorra, sharing their high-quality data with the Andorran government to inform wildlife management decisions.

Dr. Claramunt-López’s recent scholarly work with Earthwatch includes research on the impact of climate change on wildlife in the Andorran mountains, investigations into the social and legal implications of camera traps for wildlife monitoring, and more. 

“For a scientist interested in the future of natural communities, The Pyrenees are—maybe unfortunately—a perfect place to work. Most global change models predict notable changes in Mediterranean regions, and the Pyrenees are at the core of one of them. Some evidence of these changes, such as decreased snow cover, is already easy to see. Also, the orography [topography] of the Pyrenees, as with all mountains, makes some gradients occur very close together. So, changes in the composition of natural communities can appear more clearly than in flat regions. And needless to say, it is a pleasure working in mountains with extraordinary landscapes.”

Dr. Pilar "Bibi" Santidrián Tomillo (She/Her)

Science director at the leatherback trust, research director on ” costa rican sea turtles ”.

Dr. Bibi Santidrián Tomillo has worked on the Costa Rican Sea Turtles expedition for over ten years. Her current research with Earthwatch focuses on the effect of climatic events on the hatching success of leatherback turtles and other reptiles. In that time, she and her team protected hundreds of nests, studied the behaviors of hundreds of individual turtles, and ensured that tens of thousands of hatchlings were recruited into the endangered turtle population. Her expertise also includes population biology, marine biology, and conservation. 

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News release, ten ways to celebrate hispanic heritage month in national parks.

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WASHINGTON –  This Hispanic Heritage Month , discover the connection between national parks across the country and Hispanic/Latinx heritage. From visiting parks in person to learning about Hispanic/Latinx history to exploring ways to get involved in parks, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity for all to learn about the intersection of national parks, conservation and recreation with Hispanic/Latinx heritage.  

Explore the connection between national parks and Hispanic/Latinx heritage.

• Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area , where Mexican homesteaders and ranch owners built a strong cultural heritage still seen today.
• Tumacácori National Historical Park , a place where Spanish missionaries, settlers and soldiers intersected with the native O’odham, Yaqui, and Apache people.
• El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail is recognized throughout the United States and Mexico as a timeless route of trade and cultural exchange, with a complicated legacy of 300 years of conflict, cooperation, and cultural exchange between a variety of peoples.

Valles Caldera National Preserve encapsulates the story of early Spanish and Mexican settlement across the present-day American Southwest and the socio-political shifts that occurred when the territory was annexed by the United States.

John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor has a large and vibrant Latinx community including immigrants from Colombia, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and other Latin American countries who came to work in the area’s factories in the 1970s. Water from the river has fueled industry and employment opportunities for more than 200 years and ethnic influences from around the globe are reflected in the area’s natural and cultural attractions.

National Mall and Memorial Parks features several monuments that commemorate the contributions of Latino leaders who brought freedom and change throughout the Americas and played important roles in the history of the United States.

Have fun in a national park.

Find a park and go for a walk, hike, picnic, scenic drive, camping trip, or get involved in stewardship and conservation efforts in parks. Whatever you do, be safe and Plan Like A Park Ranger ! Find planning tips and tools on our website or in the NPS app to make sure your only surprises are happy ones.

Join us - volunteer, do an internship, or work for us!

Diversity and inclusion within our organization is important so that our workforce can reflect the communities that we serve. Throughout the nation, Hispanic/Latinx NPS employees, volunteers and interns are working diligently to help preserve and protect our natural, cultural and recreational resources. Find out how to join our team this Hispanic Heritage Month.

Learn about the father of wildlife management in the NPS, George Melendez Wright.

Wright ’s many contributions to the NPS are as valuable today as they were a century ago. Wright organized, and even initially funded, the first NPS wildlife surveys, leading to the establishment of the Wild Life Division in 1933. Thousands of images from those surveys and others from the NPS Wildlife Division Photo File are now available online. His legacy lives today through the hard work, dedication, and passion of natural resource managers and scientists.

Explore los programas de jóvenes guardabosques en Español (Explore Junior Ranger activity books in Spanish).

Kids can become jóvenes arqueólogos ( Junior Archeologists) and exploradores subacuáticos ( Junior Ranger Underwater Explorers) . Several parks offer Spanish-language resources: El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro National Historic Trail , San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, Everglades National Park and Rocky Mountain National Park.

Meet some of our Hispanic/Latinx employees .

Some are superintendents, park biologists, historians, architects, park rangers. Learn about the variety of career paths and experiences from NPS employees of Hispanic or Latinx backgrounds and get inspired to work with us !

Martin Stohr.

Tap into the Power of Parks for Health .

With at least one national park in every state, there are plenty of opportunities for visitors of all backgrounds to find a nearby national park and experience the health benefits of spending time outdoors this Hispanic Heritage Month.

Share your own experiences and get inspired.

Use #HispanicHeritageMonth #FindYourPark, #EncuentraTuParque on social media to tell us why and how you are celebrating your Hispanic/Latinx heritage this month.

Photo courtesy of California State Historic Preservation Office

Visit historic places near you.

Just about every county in the country has at least one site in the National Register of Historic Places . Many listings recognize the contributions of Hispanic/Latinx people, culture and notable achievements: Freedom Tower in Miami, Casa Amadeo in New York, Guadalupe Center in Missouri, Women's Building in California, Bullion Plaza School in Arizona.

Photo (cropped) by Eric Guo, CC-BY-2.0 (Wikimedia).

Meet influential Latinas and Latinos throughout history.

Learn about some of the notable Hispanic/Latinx figures like Dolores Huerta , Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías , Ynes Mexia , and more .

www.nps.gov

About the National Park Service . More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America's 423 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov , and on Facebook , Instagram , Twitter , and YouTube .

Last updated: September 15, 2021

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