September 15 – October 15: Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the contributions of individuals in the US tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean. In 1968, Congress set aside a week for this observance and two decades later expanded it to a month stretching from September 15 to October 15. The timing is historically significant as September 15 is the anniversary of independence in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The designated period is also a nod to those from Mexico and Chile, which celebrate their independence September 16 and September 18, respectively. The Hispanic population of the United States as of July 1, 2023, is 65.2 million individuals, making it the nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority — 19.5% of the total population. Hispanic and Latinx individuals make up the largest ethnic minority in Durham County, and Spanish is the second most spoken language in Durham.

Equitable Well Being Activity

Monday, October 7, 11a – 1p, HHS Conference Room C

Join us at a Language Access Simulation in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. With nearly 20% of Durham’s population speaking a first language that is not English, language access is important for us to successfully serve the residents of Durham. Join our simulation to learn the importance of language access and how you can make an impact today. Lunch will be provided, and a group discussion will follow the simulation. (Please note, you must attend the entire event to be able to participate. There are only 75 slots available to DCo employees for this event.) Register for this event here: https://forms.office.com/g/6EZzS7z550.

Connect

Durham County Government and City of Durham are teaming up to host Welcoming Week 2024, an annual campaign and celebration that showcases communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including immigrants and refugees.

There are two key events taking place:

The Durham International Soccer Tournament on Saturday, September 14 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sign up to volunteer at https://lnkd.in/eGxHqPuM
The Immigrant and Refugee Career and Resource Fair on Tuesday, September 17 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sign up by September 10 to volunteer at https://lnkd.in/e7sDaQzi

If you believe that your department has valuable information and resources to share with the participants in the events listed above, contact the Community Engagement team at communityengagementteam@durhamnc.gov to learn about hosting a booth at either of the events. Learn more about Welcoming Week and Durham’s commitment to creating a welcoming community for all residents at Welcoming Week - City of Durham NIS Community Engagement (durhamcommunityengagement.org).

Learn

There are many Hispanic/Latinx organizations throughout Durham County, and a few of them include:

El Futuro | Building a brighter futuro for familias (elfuturo-nc.org) El Futuro focuses on bridging the gaps to provide comprehensive, culturally sensitive mental health services.
elcentronc.org El Centro Hispano is one of the largest Hispanic organizations in our community and provides a variety of wrap around services.
Home - latinoccu.org Cooperativa Latino Credit Union.
LILA Latinx LGBTQI+ Initiative (lilanc.org) A non-profit organization that works with a team of leaders supporting equity and rights of the Latinx LGBTQI+ community, as well as their families and community in general.
tilde Language Justice Cooperative – translations, interpretation, and capacity building for our communities and movements Language Justice Cooperative is a majority Latine-owned language service provider offering translations, interpretation, and capacity building to further language justice for communities and movements. They create multilingual spaces that foster linguistic democracy: universal potential for building community by breaking down language barriers to participation and leadership.

Do

Hispanic Heritage Month is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the impact Hispanic and Latinx individuals have on our nation and community, while listening and understanding their stories. You can begin your learning with some of the resources below:

Want to engage in more activities and events this month? There are plenty of opportunities to choose from! Some include:

Hispanic Heritage Month events hosted by DCo Library
We Connect: Hispanic Heritage Month (raleighchamber.org) Join the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, from 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in the workplace. Join us for an insightful event focused on civic engagement in the Hispanic community, where you will gain practical insights on cultural alignment, and effective strategies for engaging with the Hispanic community.
Calendar • Durham Hispanic/Latino/Latinx Heritage Month Rece (durhamnc.gov) Visit City Hall on October 17th at 5:30pm for the Durham Hispanic/Latino/Latinx Heritage Month Reception.
Kermes, a celebration of Latino culture | El Futuro (elfuturo-nc.org)
Event Details (onecause.com) - El Futuro’s 2024 Conference, Nunca Caminamos Solos: Supporting Latine Families Across the Lifespan

Discuss

Here are some questions to start conversations with others about Hispanic Heritage Month. For leaders, try building in time in supervisions or team meetings to prompt staff conversations about Hispanic Heritage Month. Options could include:

Did you learn anything new about Hispanic individuals, communities, and culture this month?
Have you made any new personal or professional connections this month that can help you support Hispanic individuals and communities?
Did you learn anything new about Hispanic Heritage Month this month?
How did you participate in Hispanic Heritage Month?
How can things you learned or did for Hispanic Heritage Month impact how you do your job?