Hispanic Heritage Month

Psychoeducation

Posted: October 2, 2022

From September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month.

This month is intended to recognize & celebrate the many contributions, diverse cultures, and extensive histories of the Hispanic-American communities. As of 2016, one out of every 6 people in the US identifies as Hispanic or Latino.

During this month the following countries celebrate their independence days:

Costa Rica
El Salvador
Guatemala
Honduras
Honduras
Nicaragua
Mexico
Chile

Hispanic is a term that refers to the people, language, culture, & descendants of Spain. Identity is a very personal issue, and which terms a person uses to identify can be influenced by a number of factors.

Identity is a very personal issue.

It’s important to remember that however a person chooses to identify, it is up to us to accept and respect that decision.

If you don’t understand why someone identifies the way they do, you can ask with respectful curiosity,

“What does it mean to you to identify as…?”

And it is important that you respect the person’s decision to share OR NOT with you.

No one actually owes you an explanation for how they identify.

A person’s identity is not yours to debate.

And since we’ve entered Halloween season, this is your reminder that another person’s culture IS NOT your costume.

Sources: US Dept of Education, US Bureau of Labor Stats, National Park Service