Each year since 1968, across the country we celebrate the contributions, histories and cultures of people like me, with heritage from the countries of Spain, Mexico, The Caribbean, and Central and South America.
While we should celebrate and uplift our stories every day of every year, this month creates an essential reminder of how much strength we draw from our roots and that Latinos are an integral part of the very fabric of this nation, both economically, socially and culturally.
Let us remind ourselves that the way our country looks like was because 7 states in the US used to be Mexico. The US bought the land in 1947 for $15 million dollars and with it came millions of nationals of Mexico that became residents of the states we now know as California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Utah, New Mexico and Colorado.
In Georgia, the first European settlement was Spanish as was the first currency in our country, the Spanish dollar.
And so you see, we have always been here, working, learning, living and loving in this state with close to 1.2 million people of Latin American descent or close to 11% of the population.
As we kick off Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month in 2022, we center on this year’s theme: UNIDOS, INCLUSIVITY FOR A STRONGER NATION. We invite YOU to unite with us and support, celebrate and uplift the organizations and leaders working in partnership with our workers, families, students and entrepreneurs. Consider attending one or more of the events featured in our community calendar and share with friends, family and colleagues about the great time you had, what you learned and how you plan to incorporate that in your life.
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