September 15 through October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month, a month-long observance commemorating the histories, cultures and contributions of people with Mexican, Caribbean, Central and South American roots.
September 15 also coincides with the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Mexico.
This year, Indigenous People’s Day, known as Dia de la Raza or Day of the Race, falls on October 9, which is also part of the National Hispanic Heritage Month celebration. The day is significant in the sense that it honors and celebrates the many countries and people Spain and other Europeans conquered, colonized and subjugated for centuries.
The City of Revere has a broad Hispanic community, comprised of those born here and immigrants from countries such as Peru, Columbia, Honduras and Guatemala. Most Hispanic countries have representation in our city and schools, with Hispanic children being the largest demographic group in our school system.
Revere is an incredibly diverse community with over 60 spoken languages and 32.08% of the population speaks Spanish fluently!
Song, dance, food and music are important characteristics of Hispanic heritage and history. The restaurants in Revere reflect the rich stories, traditions and cultures of the Hispanic diaspora.
Some notable Hispanic Americans include Sandra Sotomayor (the first Hispanic person to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court), Roberto Clemente (the first Latino player inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame), Ellen Ochoa (the first Hispanic woman to go to space) and Carlos Santana (10-time Grammy Award-winning songwriter and guitarist).
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we interviewed City of Revere Human Resources Director Claudia Correa, Revere High School Deputy Principal Caitlin Reilly, and Revere High School Family Liaison Sandra Figueroa to find out what Hispanic Heritage Month means to them and how we can all celebrate.
In this video, Correa, Reilly and Figueroa share their perspectives on the significance of National Hispanic Heritage Month with us.
Watch the video here.
Also, take some time to learn more about Hispanic heritage and the history of Hispanic American culture by accessing the resources below.
National Hispanic Heritage Month