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Community Feature
The greater Eau Claire community is the heart and soul of our foundation. To highlight and promote the outstanding work of our nonprofit partners in our community, we feature significant progress and notable events in our community on a rotating basis. To read past community features, click here.
October 2023: Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month
We’re in the last few days of Hispanic & Latine Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15)!
“We know that just one descriptor can hardly capture the spirit and cultures of so many people who descend from a vast geography that includes present-day Southwestern U.S. states to the southern most tip of South America, and nearly every present-day country and island in between.” (pbs.org)
“Hispanic” typically refers to anyone from a Spanish-speaking country. (teenvogue.com)
“Latino” includes any Latin American regardless of language and can be more inclusive than “Hispanic.” “Latino” uses a masculine suffix to refer to any mixed-gender group. (teenvogue.com)
“Latinx” and “Latine” are gender-neutral alternatives for “Latino.” Unlike “Latinx,” which uses recent English conventions of “x” denoting gender neutrality, “Latine” follows Spanish conventions by using “e” as a gender-neutral ending. (teenvogue.com)
These terms are “in addition to the many more terms used for people who have families and ancestors in the 22 nations and territories that comprise Latin America.” (pbs.org)
“The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras[,] and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively... Día de la Raza, which is October 12, [also] falls within this 30 day period.” (hispanicheritagemonth.gov)
“Latino history is American history. Latinos trace their origins to Latin America and other Spanish colonies, both in the Caribbean and in the contemporary United States. These groups include, but are not limited to, Indigenous, Mestizos, Afro-Latinos, and other mixed-race people.” (hispanicheritagemonth.gov)
“Currently representing the largest ethnic minority in the country, Latinos have participated in the creation and growth of this nation well before it was named the United States. Complex stories of colonization, immigration, and slavery make Latino history an infinite source for inquiry and knowledge.” (hispanicheritagemonth.gov)
If you want to learn more, check out the article “Top 8 Reasons Why and How We Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month” by Emily Key and Adrián Aldaba published by the Smithsonian Learning Lab and the Smithsonian Latino Center.