September 21, 2020
 
Español

Al marcar el Mes de Herencia Latinx (15 de septiembre a 15 de octubre), aquí en The Lab School estamos orgullosxs de celebrar las culturas, las contribuciones y la resistencia de las comunidades latinxs, hispanas, y latinas en los Estados Unidos y en todo el mundo.

En 1988, la previamente celebrada “Semana de Herencia Hispana” fue expandida a un mes, “Mes de Herencia Hispana,” por la legislación patrocinada por el representante estadounidense Esteban Edward Torres. Se eligió la mitad de septiembre porque coincide con los días nacionales de independencia de varios países latinoamericanos: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, y Costa Rica. Esto países celebraron su independencia el 15 de septiembre, seguidos por México el 16 de septiembre, Chile el 18 de septiembre, y Belice, hoy, el 21 de septiembre.

Aquí en Lab, hemos elegido usar el término “Latinx” para incluir a las identidades no binarias, de género no conforme, y de género expansivo. Además, creemos que el término “latinx” rescata las vidas y las experiencias de lxs indígenas, lxs brasileñxs, y lxs que no hablan español en la periferia. Lxs profesorxs Juliana Martínez y Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, en “Latinx Thoughts: Latinidad with an X,” explica nuestro pensamiento:

Latinx foregrounds tensions among self-naming practices and terms that encompass all members of a diverse and complex ethnoracial group: Latinx acts as a new frame of inclusion, while also posing a challenge for those used to having androcentric terms serve as collective representational proxies.

El término “Latinx” tiene sus críticxs. Como John Paul Brammer dice en su artículo, “Digging Into the Messy History of ‘Latinx’ Helped Me Embrace My Complex Identity,” “the term [“Latinx”] is gaining steam, but plenty of people still despise it.”

Durante este “mes,” y durante el resto del año, esperamos involucrar a la comunidad en la exploración de esta identidad compleja, celebrando e impulsando a las generaciones de personas latinxs, hispanas, y latinas que han influido en y mejorado nuestra escuela y nuestra sociedad en todos los aspectos.

Para ayudarlxs celebrar y honrar el Mes de Herencia Latinx, hemos copilado una lista de algunos de nuestros recursos favoritos que pueden utilizar para traer las voces latinas a sus casas, unos recursos que elevan el rango diverso de identidades, culturas, e historias latinxs.

Quédense atentxs para futuro contenido celebrando e impulsando las vidas latinxs aquí en Lab y más allá del Reservoir.

English

As we mark Latinx Heritage Month (September 15th – October 15th), the Lab School is proud to celebrate the cultures, contributions, and resilience of Latinx, Hispanic and Latino/a-identified communities in the United States and around the world.

In 1988, the previously celebrated “Hispanic Heritage Week” was expanded to a month, “Hispanic Heritage Month,” with legislation sponsored by U.S. Representative Esteban Edward Torres. Mid-September was chosen because it coincides with the national independence days of several Latin American countries: Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica celebrated their independence on September 15th, followed by México on September 16th, Chile on September 18th, and Belize, today, on September 21st!

Here at Lab, we have elected to use the term “Latinx” in effort to be inclusive of the identities of non-binary, gender non-conforming and gender-expansive people. Additionally, we believe the term “Latinx” brings the lives of indigenous, Brazilian and other non-Spanish speaking people from the margins. Professors Juliana Martínez and Salvador Vidal-Ortiz, in “Latinx Thoughts: Latinidad with an X,” provide insight into our thinking:

Latinx foregrounds tensions among self-naming practices and terms that encompass all members of a diverse and complex ethnoracial group: Latinx acts as a new frame of inclusion, while also posing a challenge for those used to having androcentric terms serve as collective representational proxies.

The term “Latinx” is not without its critics. As John Paul Brammer says in his article, “Digging Into the Messy History of ‘Latinx’ Helped Me Embrace My Complex Identity,” “the term [“Latinx”] is gaining steam, but plenty of people still despise it.”

This “month,” and the rest of the year, we hope to engage with the community around this complex identity, celebrating and championing the generations of Latinx, Hispanic, and Latino/a-identified peoples who have influenced and enhanced our school and our society in all aspects.

To help you celebrate and honor Latinx Heritage Month, we have compiled some of our favorite resources for bringing Latinx voices into your homes, resources that uplift a diverse range of Latinx identities, cultures, and histories. 

Stay tuned for future content celebrating and championing Latinx lives both here at Lab and beyond the Reservoir!

La lucha sigue,

Roberta Alvarez (she/her/hers), Admissions Assistant and Parent
Jessica Nolasco (she/her/hers), M.A., Reading Specialist and Speech-Language Pathologist
Liora Valero (she/her/hers), Intermediate Renaissance Club Teacher

In solidarity,

Dr. Anthony Perry (he/him/his), Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion