• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
Celebrate Hispanic Contributions During Hispanic Heritage Month
Honoring Our Past, Surpassing Our Present and Leading Our Future
By Tomás Alberto AvilaWith a salute to Mayas, Incas, Aztecs, Arahuacs, Tainos and Caribes and a bow to themany Hispanics in Providence, Hispanic Heritage Month is once again upon us.
InSeptember 1968, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to proclaim NationalHispanic Heritage Week. The observance was expanded in 1988 to a monthlongcelebration (Sept. 15
–
Oct. 15). America celebrates the culture and traditions of U.S.residents who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. Sept. 15 was chosen as the startingpoint for the celebration because it is the anniversary of independence of five LatinAmerican countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Inaddition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18,respectively.
 The four weeks of celebration will be pack with social events and festivals honoringHispanic contributions to America. Hispanic Heritage Month is the occasion for theHispanic community to come together not only to celebrate their accomplishments, but toshare with America at large our diversity and pride as a people.As the youngest and fastest-growing segment of our population, Hispanic Americans arean increasingly vital part of our economy. Hispanic American-owned businesses and inrecent years the number of companies owned by Hispanic women, in particular, havegrown at three times the overall rate of business growth. Our citizens with roots in North,Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Spain have inherited an entrepreneurialspirit and an intense work ethic that have helped energize the strongest Americaneconomy in a generation.Throughout our history, America's promise of individual freedom and opportunity hasdrawn millions upon millions of immigrants from across the globe. As these newcomersarrived, they gradually wove their own traditions into the tapestry of our Nation's cultureand society. The world's economy is becoming ever more interdependent andcompetitive, and these changes and others brought on by the revolution incommunication technologies are lowering many of the old barriers to economic, cultural,and intellectual exchange among nations. In this new global community, the UnitedStates benefits greatly from the contributions that Hispanic Americans bring to our economy and our society.One of our Nation's greatest strengths is its vast diversity. The mosaic of races,ethnicities, and religious groups that comprise America provides us with a powerfulenergy and an ability to see the world from many viewpoints. Since our country'sinception, Hispanic Americans have always been an integral part of this great mosaicsuch as Octaviano Larrazola (served 1928-29), became the first Hispanic American toserve in the United States Senate, follow by Dennis Chavez (formerly of the House, and
 
served 1935-62), and Joseph Montoya (also formerly a House member, serve 1964-77).In 2004, Ken Salazar and Mel Martinez (the first Cuban American senator), and BobMenendez was appointed and subsequently elected in 2006.Dennis Chavez and Joachim O. Fernández the First Hispanics elected to the United StateHouse of Representatives in 1931, Ileana Ross-Letinen, the First Hispanic female electedto the United State Congress in 1989. Indeed the history, culture, and traditions of America are greatly influenced by the contributions of those individuals who have their origins in Spain and Latin America.While the impact of the Hispanic culture is manifest in our Nation's customs andtraditions, this legacy continues on beyond the pages of history. Today, HispanicAmericans continue to make important contributions to our society. It would beimpossible to think of American Government, business, industry, Armed Forces,agriculture, science, sports, and the arts without noting the presence and full participationof Hispanic Americans. Judge Sonia Sotomayor was recently sworn in as the firstHispanic to serve a United States Supreme Court Justice,The recent release of the 2000 Census has confirmed that the Latino segment of the population is the fastest growing - and not only is it growing in number, but also in purchasing power. Of the over 281 million total population of the United States,Hispanics account for 12.5. Add to this, the double digit growth rates from 1990 to 2000,their concentration in the largest U.S. cities, and over $4 billion of consumer purchasing power, and these are indeed markets to take notice of.According to to a report released by the Commerce Department's Census Bureau, LatinoOwned businesess totaled 1.2 million firms, employed over1.3 million people andgenerated $186.3 billion in revenues in 1997. Hispanic-owned firms made up 6 percent of the 20.8 million nonfarm businesses in the nation and 1 percent of the $18.6 trillion inreceipts for all businesses.Hispanic citizens also are vital to America's success in expanding trade and developingcloser ties with nations throughout the Western Hemisphere. Sharing a rich cultural andlinguistic heritage with Hispanic Americans, these nations are already among our closesttrading partners.Hispanic Heritage Month climaxes with el dia de la Raza or Columbus Day thatcelebrates the fusion of three cultures, the European Spaniard with the Indigenous Peopleof the Americas and the Africans. Hispanic-Americans can look back and acknowledgethe impact that Spanish explorers and Africans had over the Americas and the birth of theHispanic culture.In many ways, one month seems paltry when you consider the contributions made byHispanics over the course of over 500 hundred years of history. From the earliest missiontowns to modern-day Miami, the vitality of the Latino community has always beenevident. And as our presence grows we are slowly infusing America with our culture even
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...