How to show support for Latinx Heritage Month
Here at Compass, we are committed to celebrating the beautiful and vibrant cultures in our agent and staff community. For Latinx Heritage Month, we partnered with our affinity group Latinx@Compass and the National Diversity Council for ideas and info on how to best celebrate this holiday.
The purpose of our Latinx Affinity Group is to come together and create dialogue around the beauty and challenges of being a person of Latinx Heritage at Compass. We are here to foster success in every aspect of our lives by amplifying and recognizing our contributions to the greater Compass community.
(Follow Latinx@Compass on Instagram and check out our Spotify Playlist in honor of this month!)
Latinx Heritage Month, or Hispanic Heritage Month, is celebrated on September 15 through October 15 by highlighting the rich and colorful history, culture and achievements of Hispanic Americans in the U.S.
The holiday started as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 and was extended to become Hispanic Heritage Month in 1989. September 15 was chosen as the starting day because it’s the anniversary of independence of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras. Mexico, Chile, and Belize celebrate their independence anniversaries shortly after.
Hispanic Americans, or Latino Americans, play a huge part in our society. They now represent 39 percent of California’s population, and have become the largest racial or ethnic group in our state.
That being said, we are honored to recognize and commemorate the great work done by various members of the Latinx community. Below is a list of actions you can take today to show support during this Latinx Heritage Month and throughout the year!
Donate
Latino Community Foundation exists to unleash the power of Latinx members in California. Their mission is to build a movement of civically engaged philanthropic leaders, invest in Latinx-led organizations, and increase political participation of Latinx members in California.
Acción Latina is a nonprofit organization founded in 1970 that is dedicated to promoting cultural arts, community media and civic engagement as a way of building healthy and empowered Latino communities. They are located in the heart of San Francisco’s historic Mission District, in the area now designated as the Calle 24 Latino Cultural District.
Support
From fashion pop-ups like Viva La Bonita to children’s books stores like Lil’ Libros, there are thousands of Latino-owned businesses in Los Angeles. Check some of them out here.
The Latinx community makes up around 15 percent of the city’s population and has a great influence on San Francisco’s art, culture, food, and music. Latinx-run businesses are mainly concentrated in the Mission District, but can also be found in other parts of the city. Take a look at these businesses with Latinx owners here.
Do you work with a Latinx business owner? Recommend them as a vendor and we will highlight them within our community!
Engage
Hispanas Organized for Political Equality is committed to ensuring political and economic parity for Latinas through leadership, advocacy, and education to the benefit of all communities and the status of women. HOPE ® has focused on empowering communities through advocacy, Latina leadership training, and increasing knowledge on the contributions Latinas have made to advance the status of women for the past 30 years. To date, HOPE’s innovative programming has served 58,000 Latinas and touched the lives of several thousand more through our advocacy efforts.
Absorb
Get familiar with Latinx stories and voices by consuming culture created by Latinx artists.
Movies
22 Best Movies Celebrating Latinx and Hispanic Culture to Watch in 2021
TV
53 Best Spanish TV Shows on Netflix (2021)
The Latin Series We Want to See in 2021
Books
Books to Read for Latinx Heritage Month
20 Life-altering Books by Latinx Authors Everyone Should Read
For comments and questions, please reach out to Latinx@Compass at latinx@compass.com!