Thankful Thursday: National Hispanic Heritage Month

It’s Thankful Thursday and today I’m grateful for this month’s National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15, 2024). This year's theme is Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One.

National Hispanic Heritage Month traditionally honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as heritage rooted in all Latin American countries is celebrated. According to Hispanic Economics, one in ten Hispanics live the Hispanic diaspora in the United States. These are persons who identify culturally, ethnically, linguistically, or socially as Hispanic or Latino.

Living in the United States provides us one of the most unique opportunities to learn and absorb cultures and practices different from our own. Growing up in a small town in Michigan, my exposure to Hispanic or Latino neighbors, classmates or families was quite limited. Today, my life is enriched with friends and colleagues whose native language is Spanish and who have welcomed my curiosity and the good sense to listen and learn.

I hope that everyone takes our daily/weekly/monthly acknowledgements of identity as an opportunity to participate in the greater community of humans who populate our neighborhoods, workplaces, schools, places of worship, or wherever you may gather. I send gratitude to those who know that my curiosity is genuine, my passion for learning is instinctive, and that my life has been enriched by knowing you.