WHAT IS LATINX HERITAGE MONTH?

Mi Gente Latina is thrilled to honor the cultures, accomplishments, and resilience of Latinx, Hispanic, and Latino-identified people around the world as Latinx Heritage Month begins.

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​History tells us that Latinx Heritage month began 50 years ago with President Lyndon B. Johnson's Decree 3869, which became a week-long commemoration of the histories, cultures, and accomplishments of Americans of Hispanic origin in the United States. 

Ever since, the one-week festival has evolved for what is now known as Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month, a celebration that runs from September 15 to October 15 and is inextricably tied to the independence anniversaries of several Latin American countries, as well as uplifting the cultural legacy of a people with a long history.

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Though, one does not need to look too far to realize that the people whose heritage and ancestors came from the Latin American region have long been celebrating to them what it means to be Latin American. These celebrations have long expanded outside the Latin American region in a diaspora that has impacted various parts of the world. The people of the Latin American region have always manifested celebrations about their individuality and heritage long before a month was finally given to us more than 50 years ago. 

Mi Gente Latina recognizes that Latinx Heritage Month is not the only opportunity and the end point to Latin American celebrations. The heritage and pride of Latin American people should be celebrated today, everyday and all year long. Likewise, it is important to acknowledge that this month provides a window of opportunity for individuals of other cultures and identities to appreciate and celebrate with those who choose to commemorate Latinx Heritage Month. Through awareness on multiculturalism and the history of Latinx communities' various contributions, this month has become a critical opportunity to eradicate ignorance, prejudice, and fear.

To express the identities of non-binary, gender non-conforming, and gender-expansive individuals, Mi Gente Latina has embraced the term "Latinx" rather than "Hispanic" or "Latino." In this celebration, “Latinx” also includes indigenous, Brazilian, and other non-Spanish speaking groups.

Juliana Martnez, a writer and assistant professor at American University, says that choosing definitions and labels is important because a few terms can have significant ramifications. She claims that the terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" were institutionalized by the United States Census and might not even resonate with or encapsulate all identities and communities they have historically been used to refer to, including a majority of primarily U.S.-born citizens of all generations, including immigrants and descendants of Latin American migrants. 

Martinez went on to write that, “Puerto Ricans, Mexican-Americans, Chicanos, Cubans and Central Americans have very specific histories,” continuing with, “There is a lot of doubt that one single term can define and group all these populations together, but at the same time the use of one term does have the potential to help consolidate these communities and create a broader political group to defend their rights and defend collective action.”

Martnez explains the terms as follows:

The oldest word for the largest and most diversified growing minorities in the United States is "Hispanic." The term is frequently associated with the beginnings of Spanish colonialism in America, and it has the potential to exclude indigenous, Brazilian, and other non-Spanish-speaking peoples. 

Because it has nothing to do with language and encompasses the entire region, “Latino” is regarded to be more inclusive in terms of geography. The androcentric nature of this Spanish-language phrase, i.e. the usage of the masculine form as universal, however, excludes a whole group of identities.

“Latinx” is a newer phrase that has lately acquired traction among academics, activists, and millennials as a term that encompasses both gender-expansive and gender non-conforming people. Furthermore, the term “Latinx” subverts the binary structure of the Spanish-language term Latino (a). The powerful "X" has opened doors to a wide range of identities, and it is also employed in the name "Chicanx(o/a)" to emphasize numerous tribes' vast indigenous history.

Mi Gente Latina is delighted to present some of the rich histories, cultures, and accomplishments of the people that make the Latin American region what it is today. LGBTQ Latinx individuals, indigenous communities, Afro-Latinx communities, and allies from Central and South America likewise the Caribbean who continue to fight and defend change for our communities throughout this month as we recognize the Latinx community.