Hispanic Heritage Month – In Need of a Makeover


Each year, the U.S. honors the contributions that Latinos have made in the U.S. during Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th - October 15th. This is a time for celebrating culture, art, music and achievements of Hispanics.

Having worked in the Hispanic advertising industry for the last 15 years, Hispanic Heritage Month has always seemed more of a marketing strategy and a way for companies to use the celebration as a promotional vehicle for their products and services. While I think that it’s important that companies recognize and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, especially since we are a significant force at 54 million and yield tremendous buying power at $1.2 trillion, I think it’s time Hispanic Heritage Month had a major overhaul and Latinos took over this commemoration. According to a study done by Nielsen, only 30% of Hispanics celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

With Hispanic Heritage Month just around the corner, I think it’s important to acknowledge and commemorate ordinary Latinos who live ordinary lives yet have made extraordinary progression or contributions, most within their own community circle.

If I had it my way, Hispanic Heritage Month would be celebrated nationwide in more personal and profound ways. It should be about spreading the word, sharing it with loved ones, recognizing the sacrifices that were made by us and by those who are closest to us. Kids, in particular, need to see their own faces reflected in the history of their parents and grandparents. This will help create a connection between them and the past and possibly get them thinking how they can contribute to future generations.  Technology and social media have made it easier for all of us to share our story. Latino achievements and success stories shouldn’t just be limited to the rich and famous. Everyone has something unique, interesting and powerful to say and that’s what Hispanic Heritage Month should be all about…recognizing the unsung hero.

I think of my dear immigrant dad who trekked into this country in the mid-60’s with nothing on his back but a small bag and $50 in his pocket. He left everything and everyone he knew and loved behind, facing the unknown with great courage and a fierce determination to make it work in this great land of opportunities. A few years later, and after establishing some ground in the U.S., he went back to his home country to bring the love of his life back with him – my mom. She also left behind her parents and 8 siblings to start a new life in a place that held a lot of hope and opportunity for them as well as a bright future for their yet unborn children.


My parents have gone through life experiencing triumph and failure, joy and pain, and they are living examples of hope, perseverance and faith and showing us that while a circumstance may be hard, it can and does get better. As they get older and more forgetful, we carry their history with us, close to our hearts and what better time than Hispanic Heritage Month to honor Latinos like them while keeping their stories alive.

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