Aaliyah Pacheco | On 10, Oct 2018

Did you know that from September 15th to October 15th it’s National Hispanic/ Latino Heritage month? The first thoughts of September and October usually are the first month of school and Halloween, but it’s much more than that. Many Hispanics and Latinos have shaped the world we live in today through television, books, and history. As a society, we have filtered out these Hispanic influences, but that must change. To highlight Hispanic contributions in media, below are some examples of just why the Latino community shouldn’t be ignored any longer.

‘One Day at a Time’ is a Netflix series with an all-Latino cast facing real world issues. It features issues dealing with the LGBTQ community, veteran based problems and even just overall Hispanic heritage. The main character, Penelope, is a single mother living with her own mother and two teenage children, the audience sees her deal with many obstacles in which she has to overcome, especially due to her race.

‘Like Water for Chocolate’ is a 256-page novel written by Laura Esquivel. The book opens each chapter with a homemade recipe and follows the story of the youngest daughter in a family that lives in a small town in Mexico. In this coming of age book, the young girl struggles to find independence and love. The book is written in Spanish, however, there are English editions available. It also made into a film on the big screen in 1993 where it was nominated for several awards.

Dolores Huerta is an important Hispanic historical figure. She was an activist for labor workers, as she grew up to work in horrid work conditions in Mexico. She hosted a boycott against the grape industry in order to gain better working environments for workers. She has made a huge difference and continues to do so as she enters her late 80s.

Roberto Clemente was and still is a major inspiration to many boys and girls in sports. Clemente is famous for playing baseball for the Brooklyn Dodgers minor team and then playing major league for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Many softball and baseball fields and parks are named after this courageous and inspiring figure. Holding 3,000 career hits, two World Series Championships, one World Series MVP and 12 Gold Glove awards, Roberto holds plenty of accomplishments and all are very well deserved. Sadly, Roberto Clemente ended his career when he died in a plane crash traveling to help the impoverished population in Nicaragua.  

The days between September 15th and October 15th should be celebrated with a lot of Hispanic pride. We should acknowledge these Latino figures that have shaped media and have inspired many to become who we want to be.