We Elevate

“We can choose to be a character in a story written by someone else or we can choose to be the author of our own story.” --Rudy Garcia

Dear TVUSD!

September 15th begins the month-long celebration of the histories, cultures, and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino/a or Latinx Americans that have had a profound and positive influence on our country. National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. The term Hispanic or Latino/a (more recently termed Latinx) refers to a person’s culture or origin, regardless of race. The U.S. Hispanic population reached 65.2 million in 2023, up from 50.5 million in 2010. Nearly one in five people in the U.S. are Hispanic/Latinx.

The timing of Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of several Latin American Nations. September 15th is the Independence Day for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua from Spain in 1821. Additionally, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. As culturally proficient educators, it is important that we incorporate the histories, cultures, and contributions of all cultures throughout the year, not only limited to one month. Hispanic Heritage Month is another opportunity to highlight Hispanic and Latino/a or Latinx Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our Nation and society.

We encourage you to identify materials in your existing core curriculum that can be used to highlight National Hispanic Heritage Month. Below are additional resources that you may find helpful:

On September 11th the Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (REDI) Commission for the City of Temecula celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month by holding a proclamation for TVUSD clubs from our high schools. This video from the meeting highlights our scholars and the impact they are having on our community!