Every year, the United States observes National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, celebrating the rich history, culture, and contributions of American citizens with roots in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
In communities across Connecticut, residents have been gathering to uplift and share their traditions through vibrant activities and events, such as a concert series, a Hispanic genealogy program, and a fundraising wine event.
INTEMPO:
For the Hispanic Heritage Month Concert Series this year, INTEMPO, a multicultural music education group based in Stamford, Connecticut, will be presenting “Sounds from Latino America” on October 1 in New Canaan and October 15 in Greenwich. The group’s purpose is to promote cultural understanding through music education to children from immigrant backgrounds or other communities underrepresented in the arts.
The concert series will include 45-minute concerts in towns across Connecticut, including New Canaan, Darien, and Greenwich. With efforts to highlight the richness of Hispanic cultures and the importance of preserving their uniqueness, the group will showcase Guatemalan music, Colombian national music pieces, and an Afro-Peruvian music style called Landó.
“We are just looking to give the [Hispanic community] a sense of empowerment, to say that your culture, your language is valuable,” said CEO and founder of INTEMPO Ms. Angie Durwell. “You don’t have to feel like you have to erase and forget all about your origin, but this community is welcoming you as a whole.”
Meriden Public Library:
The Meriden Public Library is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with an array of programs and events that reflect its mission of engaging lifelong learning and fostering community.
Acknowledging the large Hispanic population in Meriden, Connecticut, the library organized events to both welcome Hispanic and Latine populations and invite others to learn about the rich and diverse cultures of Spanish-speaking countries.
This year’s celebration includes programs with mariachi bands, dance performances, traditional Mexican card games, and a Hispanic genealogy program, which intends to explore the roots of the local Hispanic community in the New England area.
Through these events, the library hopes to advance cultural understanding, diversity, and a sense of unity and pride within both Meriden’s Hispanic and non-Hispanic communities. Meriden librarian Ms. Wanda Guzman said, “We just hope that people get a sense of belonging and create a future for Meriden.”
SCOW:
The Spanish Community of Wallingford (SCOW) supports the Latine community through a wide range of services, including medical assistance, mental healthcare, interpretation and translation of documents, programs for children, youth, and adults, leadership initiatives, and language education.
Assistant Executive Director of SCOW Ms. Lizandra Mejias-Salinas recognized Hispanic Heritage Month as a unique opportunity to share the richness of Hispanic culture and traditions with Wallingford: “[It is] an opportunity that we have to learn from each other, the opportunity to teach each other, and showcase those things that make us proud: the love of our values, our culture, and our traditions.”
Their events for the month include an annual fundraising wine event featuring wines and food from various Latin American countries, as well as an empanada-cooking class at the Wallingford Public Library incorporating styles from Colombia, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. These programs aim to encourage open-mindedness, learning, and cross-cultural appreciation.
On a broader note, Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes the 60 million Hispanic Americans and Latine-identifying individuals in the U.S. They constitute the largest minority group in the U.S. today, and their diverse contributions to the nation’s strength and prosperity span across government, culture, the economy, entertainment, and more.
