Hispanic Heritage Month

Published on September 06, 2024

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Every year, from September 15 until October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Winchester and across the country. But what’s Hispanic Heritage Month all about?

First, it’s important to note that the histories of Hispanics in America are diverse. They include the experiences of people with cultural, religious, and linguistic traditions from Mexico, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, El Salvador, Costa Rica, and Nicaragua, among other nations from South America. It is impossible to tell the experiences of these various groups with a single history! That said, the diversity and breadth of the Hispanic history in America is also what makes Hispanic Heritage Month so interesting.

Hispanic Heritage Month was first authorized in 1968, when the U.S. Congress adopted a resolution asking the President of the United States annually to issue a proclamation designating a week in September, including September 15 and 16, as “National Hispanic Heritage Week.” In 1988, Congress expanded the celebration to 31 days beginning September 15. The resolution calls “on the people of the United States, especially the educational community, to observe National Hispanic Heritage Month with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Hispanic Heritage Month also coincides with Independence Day celebrations in many Latin American countries—including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, Mexico, and Chile—as well as “Día de la Nación Pluricultural” (October 12), which is known by different titles but is generally celebrated as a holiday throughout much of Latin America.

People of Hispanic heritage have long played an important role in Virginia. Did you know that from 2010 to 2020, Virginia’s Hispanic population grew from about seven to eleven percent of the state’s total population, an increase of about 43 percent?

Here in Winchester, Hispanic residents comprise nearly a fifth of the City’s total population, according to the 2020 census. Not only that, children with Hispanic heritage are the largest demographic group in the Winchester Public Schools, representing 43 percent of all students. A growing number of businesses in our City are Hispanic-owned, and an increasing number of special events celebrating Hispanic heritage and culture are being organized, joining long-standing events like “Celebración of Winchester.” New leaders of Hispanic heritage are emerging in the community, like Sinclair Health Clinic’s Executive Director, Dr. Mercedes Abbet, and Winchester Economic Development Authority Deputy Director Vanessa Santiago. Finally, a wide range of public and private institutions such as the J2W Foundation, Handley Library, Literacy Volunteers, United Way, Braddock Street United Methodist Church, and the City of Winchester are coming together to launch new initiatives like “Leyendo Juntos,” a community-driven program focused on helping Hispanic families thrive and integrate into the community.

Winchester benefits from its Hispanic heritage in many ways—from its schools to the City’s many restaurants that serve tasty Latin American cuisine! Take advantage of Hispanic Heritage Month this September and October to learn more about this vibrant community, and check out the calendar on the next page for more information on upcoming Hispanic-themed events.

Who knows, maybe you’ll even pick up a few words of Spanish along the way!

Calendar of Events

  • Perreo Land with DJ Casimiro | September 6 (9:00 p.m.) | Brightbox Theatre (15 N. Loudoun Street, Winchester)
  • Latin Festival | September 7 (5:30 - 8:00 p.m.) | Braddock Street United Methodist Church (115 Wolfe Street, Winchester)
  • Festival de Salsa | September 14 (5:00 - 9:00 p.m.) | Youth Development Center (3 Battaile Drive, Winchester)
  • Noche Mexicana: A Celebration of U.S.-Mexico Friendship | September 15 (1:00 - 6:00 p.m.) | Old Town Walking Mall 
  • Celebracíon of Winchester | September 21 (12:00 - 4:00 p.m.) | Old Town Walking Mall 
  • Arte Libre VA Paper Flower Workshop | September 27 (4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.) | Old Town Walking Mall, Taylor Pavillion
  • Gabriel Alegría Afro Peruvian Jazz Sextet |  October 6 (2:30 p.m.) | Armstrong Concert Hall (702 University Drive, Winchester)
  • Arte Libre VA Paper Flower Workshop | October 13 (2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.) | Old Town Walking Mall, Taylor Pavillion 
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