‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ October 1, 2020

Community Teamwork Celebrates Hispanic Heritage

This year’s theme for Hispanic Heritage Month is: “Be proud of your past, embrace the future.”     First launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, the celebration not only commemorates the Independence Day of Latin-American countries, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua, all in the month of September (1810-1821, and 1981 for Belize) but also highlights and honors the countless cultural and social contributions of more than 60 million Hispanic/Latinx* living in the United States (18.5% of US population). The observation was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period, and was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on the approval of Public Law 100-402.    Hispanic/Latinx are the largest minority group in the United States and have consistently helped make this country strong and prosperous (US Department of State). The population represent an array of distinct and vibrant cultures, each of which enriches communities in valuable ways. Sharing the dream of equality and boundless opportunity, many Hispanics have marched for social justice and helped advance America's journey toward a More Perfect Union (Presidential Proclamation, 2013).    At Community Teamwork, we are privileged and proud of have 40% of our caring, dedicated staff identifying as Hispanic or Latinx  #DEIatCTI Hispanic/Latin culture share the following traditions: Carnivals and Festivals Many countries have their carnival or festival during their Independence celebration.

Posadas, Parrandas, Aguinaldos Many Hispanic/Latinx countries and communities have very similar traditions of gathering together to celebrate the Christmas season. During this celebration, groups of people will go house to house or walk down the Street singing and bringing happiness to their friends, family, and neighborhood.

Noche Buena/Christmas Eve Very similar to a Thanksgiving celebration, family and friends gather around the table to have a feast. Noche Buena is a celebration anticipating the birth of Jesus.

Other popular traditions include: ·     The Quiceañera ·     Independence Day   ·     Religious traditions ·     The Three Kings Day ·     Day of the Dead ·     Holy week ·     Serenatas (serenades)  And many more… *Latinx: of, relating to, or marked by Latin American heritage —used as a gender-neutral alternative to Latino or Latina (Merriam-Webster).

COMMUNITY TEAMWORK HOTLINE | 978-654-5607 | CovidResponseCTI@commteam.org | www.commteam.org