The Hispanic community is one of the most active and influential in the United States. The significant contributions to the economy and great cultural diversity, full of colorful traditions, make it so there is great cause to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15.

History of the Celebration of Hispanic Heritage

The official festivities of Hispanic heritage were organized over 50 years ago. Its history can be divided into two parts:

1968: Hispanic Heritage Week

The annual celebration began in 1968, when President Lyndon B Johnson proclaimed the first National Hispanic Heritage Week. This was celebrated for 20 years in the middle of September. They chose this week because it included the independence days of various countries in Latin America.

• September 15: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica
• September 16: Mexico
• September 18: Chile

After the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Week, the U.S. government urged educational entities and civil organizations to celebrate every year by carrying out cultural activities in which we recognize the value of the Hispanic community.

1988: Hispanic Heritage Month is Proclaimed

20 years later, the length of celebration of Hispanic Heritage month was lengthened to one month. In August 1988, President Ronald Regan reiterated the importance of recognizing the great contributions that the Hispanic society has made, both culturally and economically, on the United States. For this reason, it was important to prolong the length of the celebration. Congress approved the law 100-402, with which they extended the days of celebration from September 15 to October 15 each year. Since then, 33 years have passed since the government, educational institutions, and civil and diverse organizations and companies have united to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

The Impact of the Hispanic Community

The Hispanic community is one of the most influential in the American society in many aspects, but what stands out is its rapid demographic grown, its economic impact, and its great cultural contributions.

Demographic Impact

According to the last population census, the Hispanic community was the fastest growing minority group in the United States in the last decade. In 2020 it was recorded that 62.1 million people with Hispanic origin were living in the U.S., representing 18.7% of the total population. This means that the number of Hispanics has increased by almost a fourth since 2010, when they did the last census, when Hispanics represented 16.3% of the population.

Furthermore, it is a community that is majority made up of young people. The average age being only 28 years old. It is for this reason that the Hispanic group is the minority group with the most growth in the U.S.

The population of Hispanics is constantly growing, however, there are certain states where the growth is more significant, and its influence is felt in almost all parts. These states are California, Florida, Illinois, New York, and Texas. Do you live in one of these states?

Economic Impact

Even though the COVID-19 pandemic affected the pockets of many people in the Latino community, it has not interfered with its desires to move forward and grow economically. Thanks to this attitude, the Hispanics have a strong impact on the economy of the country. As an example, we can see what the Hispanic community has accomplished throughout the last decade:

• In February 2020, the number of Latino business owners of small businesses grew 34%, becoming the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S.
• The businesses started by Latinos contribute annually, with earnings of approximately $500 billion, which contributes to the country’s economy.
• Latino businesses have generated jobs for more than 3 million people, or 5.5% of the total workforce in the U.S.
• Latinos generate more than $2.3 trillion economic activity in the country.
• In the last decade, the purchasing power of the Hispanic community increased by 69%
• In the last 6 years, the Hispanic community represented 75% of the growth of the workforce in the U.S.
• If the Hispanic community formed an independent country, it would have the eighth largest economy in the world!

Cultural Impact

The strong impact of the Hispanic community is not limited to the rapid economic growth. Throughout the last decades, Latinos have made immense contributions to the great cultural diversity of the United States. Some of the most important are:

The Language

Spanish is the language used most by Latinos in the United States. Therefore, in the last few years, its use has expanded to other populations. Today, it is the second most studied language in the country. Because of this, it is estimated that by the year 2060, the United States will be the country with the second most Spanish speakers in the world, only behind Mexico.

The Food

The influence of Latino culture can also be felt on people’s palettes. Many of the traditional dishes of Latin American cuisine have become favorite dishes in the U.S. The mest example of this is tacos – which are even more popular than hamburgers. We can also mention the popularity growth of delicious dishes such as arepas, pupusas, empanadas, guacamole, and arroz con pollo.

Traditions

Immigrants in the United States try to continue living the traditions that unite them with their country of origin. In the past few years, many of the traditions have become more visible in our current communication, awaking curiosity and respect from the public. Some of these traditions are the celebration of Día de Muertos on November 2, the celebration of XV years, the use of pinatas in birthday parties, the celebration of 5 de Mayo, and Christmas celebrations in December.

The Arts

The arts are one of the areas where the Hispanic community has had a strong impact in the United States, with more and more Hispanic artists having an important presence in different artistic disciplines.

One of those is music. The beats – like salsa, reggaeton, or Latino pop – have had growing popularity in the last decades, something that was demonstrated by Shakira and Jennifer Lopez participating in the 2020 Superbowl halftime show. They were the first Latino artist to perform in this event.

Another area where Hispanics have had an important impact throughout the years is in the cinema. There are more and more actors and filmmakers that have a strong presence in Hollywood, as demonstrated throughout the last decade through the success of Mexican directors Alfonso Cuaron, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, and Guillermo del Toro in the most important awards given in the film industry.

How is Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrated?

Since Hispanic Heritage months was instituted, the government has promoted educational and cultural activities which remind us of and celebrate the contributions of Hispanics to the United States society throughout history.

Year after year, there have been many educational institutions, social organizations, and large and small companies that have joined the celebration with activities like Latino music concerts, presentation of book with Hispanic authors, theatrical works in Spanish, presentations fo traditional dance, and art exhibits with Latino artists, along with other activities. Other examples of activities are: Hola Mexico Film Festival, Exhibition of the 200 Years of Mexican Independence, Parade of the Día de la Hispanidad in New York, Hispanic Heritage Awards, forums, and other activities.

How Can We Join in the Celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month?

If you want to join in on the celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, you can consider individual ideas, or something in your business or community. You can also consider participating through social media by changing your profile photo to the flag of your country of origin, sharing articles and videos related to Hispanic Heritage Month, photos of your favorite traditional dishes, organizing thematic parties, or putting a flag representing your country of origin in front of your house or somewhere visible in your car.

In Eagan Immigration, we join in this celebration with many different activities and promotions, because the most important thing for us is that as many people as possible can fix their papers so that their lives and their family’s lives can be changed. We have various surprises awaiting throughout these important dates for our clients and the public in general. Call 202-709-6439 for more information.

We specialize in resolving complicated immigration cases. If you would like to obtain work permission, travel permission or permanent residence, call us at 202-709-6439 or leave your information here to schedule a consultation and qualify your case. You can also contact us through WhatsApp.