Hispanic Heritage Month Is Almost Here, and These Activities Are the Perfect Way to Celebrate
What to watch, read, eat, and do.
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Hispanic Heritage Month is soon to be upon us, beginning on September 15 and ending on October 15, as it has every year since 1989. It's split across two months because September 15 is a key date in the history of several Latin American countries: It's when Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua declared their independence from Spain in 1821. Much like Black History Month in February and Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time for Americans who identify as Hispanic to celebrate the traditions and history unique to their cultural background.
While the monumental societal contributions and remarkable history of Hispanic heritage should be recognized all year round, Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to pay extra homage with nationwide celebrations, including art shows, community gatherings, festivals, and so much more. Observing Hispanic Heritage Month allows our country to appropriately recognize the millions of people who have contributed to the U.S., as well as raise awareness for the ways in which we can all offer additional support.
Even if you don't consider yourself Hispanic, Latino, or Latinx, you can still seize the opportunity to learn more about the cultures of the 21 Spanish-speaking countries and territories honored during these four weeks. And with plenty of activities to choose from, you can have lots of fun while doing so. Whether you're gearing up to celebrate with friends and family or you prefer to keep it low-key this year, here are 15 festive Hispanic Heritage Month activities to try.
Take a virtual tour.
Explore the Teotihuacan Pyramid (Pyramids of the Sun) of Mexico or the Christ the Redeemer statue in Brazil from the comfort of your home. If you're not able to visit these iconic sites in real life, you can learn about their important history. Thanks to advanced technology and virtual reality sites, you'll feel like you're really there—how cool!
Donate to the community.
With more than 62 million Hispanics living in the United States, there are plenty of organizations that aim to support the well-being, education, and professional pursuits of Latinx people. Consider donating to The Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), the first Latino professional organization in the U.S., The Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU), which promotes higher education in the Spanish community, or The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (CPLC), which aims to combat discrimination in Latino and Spanish-speaking communities.
Support Hispanic influencers.
Not only can you support Hispanic actors by watching them on the big screen or musicians by downloading their music—you can also like influencers' content and subscribe to their channels! Consider following Ada Rojas, Francisco Viera, and Giselle Torres, to name a few.
Enjoy a classic Latin American dish.
There are so many national and regional foods to choose from. Try a Venezuelan arepa, or get a taste of El Salvador with a warm and chewy filled pupusa. There's the complex flavors of mole poblano traditional to Puebla, Mexico, the seafood paella of Spain, fresh Peruvian lime-cured ceviche...anybody else hungry?
Support a Hispanic or Latino-owned business.
Looking for gorgeous jewelry, your new favorite makeup, and haircare for curly girls? These Latina-owned businesses have got you covered. And any time is a great time to invest in your community by shopping local!
Take a dance class.
Mambo, rumba, cha-cha, or flamenco—dance your way into Hispanic Heritage Month. Learning some new moves is an energizing way to exercise (it's a fun date night activity, too).
You don't even need to leave the house to perfect your salsa steps with Salsanerd's virtual classes. Prefer to mix it up? Even beginners can learn to dance merengue, cumbia, and more through the aptly named Latin Dancing Online.
Play a game of lotería or dominoes.
Everyone loves a game night. Gather around the table for a round of lotería, a Mexican bingo game known for its colorful cards, which has long held a powerful nostalgic meaning within Latinx and Hispanic communities. Dominoes are another popular pastime for many of Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican heritage in particular.
Make a playlist of Hispanic artists.
Or, given the wealth of talent across genres, you can create several playlists. Pop hits from Jennifer Lopez, Camila Cabello, Rosalia, J Balvin, and Ricky Martin are perfect for your workout mix, for example. Dive into Spotify, Apple Music, or wherever you listen to round up some of your favorites and discover acts you've never heard before. Feel free to draw inspiration from our roundup of Marc Anthony, Bad Bunny, and Selena songs, too.
Visit a museum highlighting Hispanic and Latino culture.
There are oases of eye-pleasing culture across the United States: Chicago boasts the National Museum of Mexican Art and the National Museum of Puerto Rican Arts & Culture, while you'll find the Smithsonian's Latino Center in Washington, D.C. Many sites also offer online exhibitions as well as events that showcase less-explored aspects of the Latino diaspora, such as this streaming Smithsonian talk on "the tangible connections between baseball and Latino culinary traditions."
Listen to some Spanish and Latino podcasts.
Podcasts are a great way to entertain yourself and learn something on the go. Some even present an opportunity to brush up on your language skills, such as News in Slow Spanish. Latinx Therapy, hosted by therapist Adriana Alejandre, offers mental health tips that center on Latinx communities. And WBUR's Anything for Selena, available in both English and Spanish, explores the legacy, life, and death of Selena Quintanilla.
Related: The Best Latino and Spanish podcasts
Learn about Mexican Independence Day.
Nope, not Cinco de Mayo—that's a completely different holiday. Mexican Independence Day is September 16. It's the date marking the day in 1810 when a Roman Catholic priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla delivered a rallying speech that's considered the first formal declaration of Mexico's independence from Spain.
Read books by Hispanic and Latinx authors.
Whether you prefer fiction or memoir, immersing yourself in the lived experience of another person is a great way to gain fresh perspectives. Looking for a place to start? May we recommend What Would Frida Do? This part-biography, part motivational compendium inspired by the iconic Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is penned by Latina author Arianna Davis.
Related: Eight Books by Latinx Authors to Check Out Right Now.
Hold your own Spanish-language film fest.
Dig into the films of Pedro Almodovar, Guillermo del Toro, and more celebrated Hispanic filmmakers who've made movies in their native language.
Make paletas.
Hispanic Heritage Month may arrive in the last week of summer, but we'd argue that paletas should be a year-round treat. The Mexican ice pops are simple to make; the basic main ingredients are water, sugar, lime juice, and fresh fruit. But flavor combinations abound—add chili, cream, chocolate, and whatever fruit combos you can dream up and turn your own home into a paletería.
Samantha Vincenty is the former senior staff writer at Oprah Daily.
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