Celebrating the Hispanic and Latinx Community

September 18, 2023October 2, 2023 Michael Corwin

Hispanic Heritage Month, also known as Latinx Heritage Month, is a month-long annual celebration from September 15 through October 15. These dates were selected to incorporate the independence days of Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Latinx Heritage Month recognizes the legacies and contributions of individuals who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean.

The 2020 Census found that there were roughly 62 million Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx Americans living in the United States. There are many Hispanic Americans who made their mark on history, including Rita Moreno, Cesar Chavez, Roberto Clemente, Jennifer Lopez, Ellen Ochoa, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and Dolores Huerta, to name a few.

What’s the Difference Between Hispanic and Latino and Latinx?

Hispanic refers to people from Spanish-speaking countries once colonized by Spain (Hispanicized) and Spain itself. This includes Mexico, most of South and Central America, and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean.
Latino is shorthand for the Spanish and Portuguese word latinoamericano. It broadly unites all countries in Latin America (South America, Central America, Spanish-speaking Caribbean, and Mexico), including Brazil, to create a shared cultural identity.
Latinx (and Latine) further expands upon Latino as a gender-neutral version of the term.

NYCHA’s Employee Association

Did you know NYCHA has an employee association called the Organization of Hispanic and Latin Americans (OHLA)? Their mission is to promote and provide opportunities for all NYCHA employees to learn and experience the full breadth of Hispanic and Latin American cultures. With an inclusive mindset, OHLA’s goals are to foster and encourage unity through mutually beneficial interaction amongst NYCHA’s diverse workforce. To join or for more information, please contact Joseph Pesante at joseph.pesante@nycha.nyc.gov or OHLA at ohla.ea@nycha.nyc.gov.

Events: Anyone Can Participate and Celebrate!

At NYCHA:

-Hispanic Heritage Potluck: An opportunity for all to share and enjoy a variety of home-cooked dishes.

Date: Friday, October 13, 2023
Time: 12pm-2pm
Location: 90 Church Street, 5^th floor Ceremonial Room
RSVP: odei@nycha.nyc.gov with name and dish contribution

-Puerto Rican Day Parade (Participate Next Year!)

NYCHA will register as a participant in 2024 – come march with us on June 9, 2024! Registration begins in January 2024; for more info, please contact Joseph Pesante at joseph.pesante@nycha.nyc.gov or OHLA at ohla.ea@nycha.nyc.gov.

Around NYC:

-NYC Council’s Independence of Mexico Celebration