Edit Content
Click on the Edit Content button to edit/add the content.

Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 is as American as Apple Pie

Although I didn’t learn about Cesar Chavez until well into my twenties when I went on a mad search for everything about Hispanic culture and the diaspora along with its history, it has become one of my favorite quotes.

“Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.”

Cesar Chavez

The quote personifies how I feel about Hispanic Heritage Month as a proud Latina & a proud and grateful American.

Because, the celebration itself is the celebration of the cultures of Americans who have come from countries that make up the Hispanic diaspora.

Hispanic Influence on America

That diaspora, along with others like the Irish, Italian, African and so on have helped to shape American culture throughout the forming of this amazing country.

Here are a few examples of the Hispanic influence on American culture:

The cowboy hat & rodeo came from Mexico.

Ranching was originally Spanish. Conquistadors brought it with them to the New World. Lasso, chaps and shack are all anglicized Spanish ranching vocabulary.

The oldest records of European explorers and settlers on the territory of United States were written in Spanish.

The oldest European town, St. Augustine, Fla., was founded by Spain in 1565 — 42 years before the founding of Jamestown.

Five states have Spanish names (Florida, California, Nevada, Colorado, Montana)

Four states have Hispanicized native names (Texas, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona) Until the mid-19th century, they were all part of New Spain, and then part of Mexico after independence, before the U.S. took them over.

The U.S. dollar has Spanish roots. From 1500 until the mid-19th century, the Spanish dollar, commonly referred to as “pieces of eight,” was the de facto currency of international commerce. It served as a model for currencies ranging from the U.S. dollar to the Chinese yuan, and was legal tender in the U.S. before Congress approved the Coinage Act of 1857.

Stock prices were quoted on the New York Stock Exchange in eighths until 1997.

What About The Cha Cha?

One of my favorite topics is the Cuban Cha Cha musical style and its immense influence on modern music. There are thousands of songs based on the Cha Cha.

Here are a few examples.

“Louie Louie”, “Billie Jean” Michael Jackson

“Moves Like Jagger” Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera

“September” Earth, Wind & Fire

“Two Pina Coladas” Garth Brooks

“Kokomo” The Beach Boys

“Smooth” Santana with Rob Thomas

“Got to Give it Up” Marvin Gaye

“What Is Love” Haddaway

“Blurred Lines” Robin Thicke feat. T.I., Pharrell

“Tik Tok” Kesha

“Whatever Lola Wants” Della Reese

How to Be Part of the Celebration

As I wrap up planning for the month at the agency level, I am reminded of how amazingly rich and diverse Latinidad really is and what a joy it is to learn about ad share all of the culture and history of the countries involved.

It’s a tremendous opportunity to learn about and celebrate the amazing diversity of multiple cultures. For example, did you know that several Hispanics have received Nobel Prizes in various fields?

Gabriel García Márquez is a Nobel Laureate in Literature, Mario J. Molina in Chemistry, and Rigoberta Menchú in Peace.

There are a ton of great Hispanic Heritage Month events all over the country and online to check out including festivals and small gatherings like learning how to make home made salsa at a local library.

On the agency side we will be promoting campaigns like the FREE Government Phone offer from TrucConnect and Recursos and the OpinionLandSurvey market research campaign that pays you for your opinion and for referring other Latinos/Hispanics to become panelists.

The Significance of September 15th

The month-long celebration of Hispanic & Latino culture kicks off on September 15th due to it being the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

It is followed on the 16th with El Grito de Dolores (Cry of Dolores) which was the battle cry in the Mexican war for independence from Spain.

Then, September 18th is the celebration of Chile’s independence.

Join the Conversation

I’m hosting multiple conversations to celebrate the month, so follow me into the social interwebs and share your Latino pride!

On Facebook:

On LinkedIn

On Clubhouse

Our AmigosMax.com community is hosting some cool audio chats to celebrate the month and we would love to have you join us! Simply click, listen and add your own answer!

Here’s to kicking off another fantastic, enlightening, entertaining and creative Hispanic Heritage Month!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

image

Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 is as American as Apple Pie

Although I didn't learn about Cesar Chavez until well into my twenties when I went on a mad search for everything about Hispanic culture and the diaspora along with its…
image

5 Reasons to Start Weaving Magic with Threads App

Another App: OK. I know what you're thinking. Oh look! Yet another social media platform to manage. Trust me when I say, I feel the same way. But then I…
image

The Social Media Cha Cha – Dancing With Features

Un. Dos. Cha Cha Cha Ahhh, the rhythm of my childhood. So many great songs are based on the Cha Cha Cha rhythm. In fact, you would be surprised to…
image

3 LinkedIn Tips to Get Your Profile Noticed

You are NOT a rockstar. Look, most people on LinkedIn are normal folks who are just trying to be seen and heard so they can make their case. That case…
image

How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Company Page in 2023

LinkedIn is a powerful tool for businesses to connect with potential customers, partners, and employees. It also serves as an excellent SEO tool when it comes to your brand. And…

KUSC Presents Classical Kids Discovery Day on October 1st at Los Angeles’ Eastside Cultural Capital: Plaza de la Raza

— A free day of bilingual entertainment and cultural activities for all ages —

MEDIA ADVISORY: Tito Puente Ran Kan Kan Dance Competition

SAN JUAN, PR — September 27, 2023 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — WHAT: "Celebrate Tito Puente," sponsored by the PRCDA and produced by 21 Events, is a series of events in Puerto Rico during Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 25 - Oct 8, 2023), honoring the 100th anniversary of Puente's birth. One of the events will be …

La Oficina del Defensor aboga por condiciones seguras y humanas para todos los inmigrantes detenidos

27 de septiembre de 2023 — (NOTICIAS NEWSWIRE) — La Oficina del Defensor de Inmigrantes Detenidos (OIDO, por sus siglas en inglés) está aquí para ayudar a la comunidad de inmigrantes detenidos. La OIDO, una oficina independiente del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) de EE. UU., se dedica a promover y apoyar condiciones seguras y humanas …

View More