Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is here, from September 15 to October 15, and we're excited to celebrate and honor the rich tapestry and diverse influence of Latine culture and contributions—from vibrant traditions and histories to the many achievements of Latine individuals and communities.  

We acknowledge that experiences are diverse and that the cultures we celebrate this month are rich and varied, each with its own unique heritage. Every community has culturally specific terms that reflect its distinct identity, and we strive to honor these distinctions in our celebration.  

First introduced by Congressman George E. Brown in 1968, President Ronald Reagan expanded the commemoration to a whole month in 1988, recognizing the integral roles of Latine communities in American history.
 
The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month is no coincidence—it begins in mid-September, aligning with the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua (September 15), Mexico (September 16), and Chile (September 18). 

We invite you to join us in celebrating some of our most beloved local Latine producers and community members—starting with our friends at Adelante Mujeres. 

We’re proud of our longstanding partnership with Adelante Mujeres, a local nonprofit empowering Latine women and their families through education, leadership training, and enterprise development.

As part of our Community Impact program—and our commitment to building and nourishing local communities—we help support their Empresas Small Business Development Program, a crucial initiative that equips Latine entrepreneurs with the tools to build and sustain successful small businesses. 

We connected with Elizabeth Aguilera, Ph.D., Director of Communications, and Andrea Chunga-Celis, Director of Development at Adelante Mujeres to learn more about the organization and its contributions to the Latine community:

NSM: Do you use the term Hispanic or Latine (or neither) when describing your organization?

AM: We use the term Latine at our organization. When there is strength and vitality throughout the Latine community, the perspectives, values, culture, and commitments of Latinos improve the experience of everyone, regardless of race, ethnicity, or social status.

NSM: How is food incorporated into the work your organization does?

AM: One of our core values is to love and respect the earth, and we weave that into everything we do, like acquiring land for our regenerative agricultural program to support the growth of regenerative farmers and increase access to healthy, locally grown produce for our Latine community. We also contribute through our food-related programs: Adelante Farmers Market, Produce RX, and Child Nutrition Program.  

NSM: Why is federal acknowledgment and celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month important?  

AM: It highlights Latine contributions to this nation and the work that still needs to be done—for Latine women and their families who have faced generations of poverty, racism, sexism, isolation, and limited opportunities for empowerment. 

Learn more about Adelante Mujeres, and their incredible contributions to our local Latine communities here.