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Hispanic Heritage Month

For decades, Hispanic Heritage Month has served as an opportunity to share Hispanic and Latino culture throughout the U.S. Spanning from Sept. 15–Oct. 15, Hispanic Heritage Month pays tribute to the expansive contributions and accomplishments of generations of individuals who are Hispanic or Latino.

History behind Hispanic Heritage Month

Originally, recognition of Hispanic and Latino culture only lasted a week when President Lyndon B. Johnson initially announced Hispanic Heritage Week on Sept. 17, 1968. The celebration was extended to a month after U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California proposed a Senate Bill to expand the observance and President Ronald Regan signed the bill into law on Aug. 17, 1988. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush became the first president to declare an annual proclamation celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15–Oct. 15. These dates are important because several South American countries like Chile, Costa Rica, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua and El Salvador celebrate their independence at the beginning of this observance period.

Hispanic and Latino defined

The term Hispanic or Latino refers to a person’s ethnicity, culture or origin. Hispanic can refer to individuals who speak Spanish or are from a Spanish-speaking country. Latino can refer to people who are from Latin America. While a person can identify as both, it is not always the case.

On the 2020 Census form, people were counted as Hispanic/Latino/Spanish—regardless of race—if they identified as having Mexican, Latin American, Puerto Rican, Cuban or other Spanish-language culture or origin. However, capturing demographic information about people who are Hispanic or Latino people has been difficult.

Federally, Hispanic or Latino is defined as an ethnicity but for many, their ethnicity is closely tied to their race. For example, in the 2010 U.S. census, 94 % of respondents selected one of the standard five racial categories provided. However, only 63% of Hispanic or Latino individuals selected one of those categories while 37% chose “some other race” and provided write-in answers for their places of origin (e.g., Mexican). These issues of race reporting are complicated by long-lasting, complex historical aftereffects of colonization and slavery across Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions.

Cultures and traditions

Given their wide-ranging places of origin, Hispanic and Latino cultural heritage is rich, varied and unique. Traditional foods have resulted from the immigration and settlement of different cultures throughout across Latin America, the Caribbean and other regions. As they have migrated and settled throughout the U.S., foods from Hispanic/Latino cultures have increased in popularity and led to fusion of local and global cuisines. Music from these cultures includes a long list of European, African, Arab and Native American cultural influences. Today’s Latin musical genres vary from Bachata, Bomba, Merengue, Reggaeton , Salsa, among others and collectively they are considered the fifth most popular genre in the U.S.

Contributions and innovations

Hispanic innovators have changed the way we experience the world. For example, Guillermo González Camarena, a Mexican engineer, filed the first patent for a mechanism that would transmit color TV. His invention was later used in 1979 by NASA to transmit images of Jupiter from Voyager’s mission. Luis von Ahn, the Guatemalan entrepreneur, co-founded Duolingo, a popular digital app which allows users to learn new languages and developed CAPTCHA, the cyber security system that prevents spam.

Other influential icons, such as Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, popularized Hispanic and Latino folk-art which have had an enduring influence in art and culture. Increased mainstream representation in films and pop culture have also made Hispanic and Latino culture more accessible. The 2020 Super Bowl halftime show performance by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez introduced audiences to Latin musical stylings and dances such as the Columbian Champeta. The performance was watched by more than 102 million people and has amassed 246 million views on YouTube, making it one of the most watch halftime shows of all time.

Films like “In the Heights” and Disney’s Oscar-winning “Encanto” highlight Hispanic and Latino culture, family structures, and experiences. Other films such as “The Book of Life” and “Coco” , bring attention to important traditions like Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead), a joyful Mexican celebration which gathers family to commemorate family members who have passed.

Growing Hispanic and Latino Population

It is widely recognized that the Hispanic and Latino population is one of the most rapidly growing minority groups in the U.S. In 2020, they accounted for 19% of the U.S. population and are now considered the second largest racial or ethnic group in the nation. Similarly, Hispanic and Latino populations increased in Indiana by 42% in 2020, accounting for 8.2% of the total Hoosier population. In Marion County alone, the population grew to 129,286 residents in 2020, 13% of its total population. A 2022 Pew Research Center study reports that over the past decade, there has been a decrease in the number of Hispanic and Latino immigrants and an increase in the number of Hispanic or Latino individuals born in the U.S. The Hispanic and Latino population is expected to continue to grow, eventually accounting for almost 30% of the U.S. population by 2060.

Despite these population gains, Hispanics and Latino individuals continue to face many barriers including lack of health insurance, poverty, workplace discrimination, language barriers and low educational attainment. In 2014, 37% of Hispanic and Latino Hoosiers 25 years or older had not completed high school. Almost 30% lived in poverty and only 40% between the ages of 18–64 had medical insurance. Across the U.S., many of these issues were compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, with record unemployment, financial hardship, and risk of death or hospitalization from COVID-19 among Hispanics and Latino individuals.

However, according to a 2019 study reported by the Pew Research Center, the share of U.S. Hispanics with college experience has increased since 2010. About 42% of U.S. Hispanic adults ages 25 and older had at least some college experience in 2019, up from 36% in 2010. The Pew Research Center also reports that English proficiency is on the rise among Hispanics and Latino people. The most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau found that 72% of Hispanic and Latino individuals indicated they were proficient in English, compared to 59% in 1980. U.S.-born Hispanics and Latino individuals reported that they spoke English proficiently. Meanwhile, the percentage of Hispanic and Latino households have also reported a decrease in the use of the Spanish language at home.

As the Hispanic and Latino population continues to grow, it is important that social service and health providers are prepared to respond to their needs in a culturally competent manner. This demographic shift might also affect the gaps and barriers to services that may need a more targeted approach to help inform systemic barriers.

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