Did you know that Hispanics are one of the most influential and active communities in the United States? How great is that! Our strong contribution to the economy and great cultural diversity, full of color traditions, gives us a great reason to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th.

Keep reading and learn about the important history behind this great celebration, and above all, find out how you can join the celebration from the comfort of your home and community.

History of the celebration

The official celebration of hispanic heritage has been organized for more than 50 years. However, it’s possible to divide its story in two parts based on the duration of the celebration:

1968: Hispanic Heritage Week

This annual celebration began in 1968, when the former president Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed National Hispanic Heritage Week, which lasted for twenty years in mid September. That week was chosen because it included the independence days of several Latin American countries:

September 15: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica
September 16: Mexico
September 18: Chile

Starting with the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Week, the US government urged educational entities and civil organizations to celebrate each year by carrying out cultural activities that recognize the value of the Hispanic community.

1988: Hispanic Heritage Month is proclaimed!

Twenty years later, the festivities surrounding hispanics were extended to a month. In August of 1988, president Ronald Reagan reiterated the importance of recognizing the great contributions of the hispanic community to the American society, culture and economy, for which it was important to extend the days of celebration. For this, Congress approved Law 100-402, with which the days of celebration were extended: from September 15th to October 15th of each year. Since then, 33 years have passed in which the government, educational institutions, civil organizations and various companies have come together to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

The impact of the hispanic community

The hispanic community is one of the most influential in American society in various aspects, but its rapid demographic growth and its great contributions to the culture stand out.

Demographic impact

We continue to grow more!

According to the last population census, the hispanic community was the fastest growing minority in the United States during the last decade. In 2020, there were 62.1 million people of Hispanic origin living in the country, representing 18.7% of the total population. This means that the number of Hispanics increased by almost a quarter since 2010, when the last census was

In addition, we are a predominantly young community, since the average of Latinos is only 28 years old. This is why Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnicity in the US, a very important reason to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!

Keep in mind: The Hispanic population is constantly growing, however, there are states where our community increases significantly and its influence is seen and felt almost everywhere. These states include: California, Florida, Illinois, New York and Texas. Are you in one of them?

Economic Impact

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the pockets of many people in our community, it has not interfered with our desire to keep going and grow economically. Thanks to this attitude, hispanics have had a strong impact in the country's economy, and as a sample we can see all that we have achieved during the last decade:

As of February of 2020, the number of Latino small business owners increased 34%, making us the fastest growing group of entrepreneurs in the US.
Businesses started by Latinos Latinos contribute annually with profits of approximately $500 billion to the economy of the country due to their high sales.
Latino businesses have created more than 3 million jobs, or 5.5% of all the jobs in the US.
Latinos generate more than $2.3 trillion of the country’s total economic activity.
In the last decade the purchasing power of Latinos increased 69%.
In the last 6 years we accounted for 75% of the growth of the US workforce.
If Hispanics formed an independent country, we would be the eighth largest economy in the world!

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