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Every year, September 15 marks the start of the month-long celebration known as Latinx Heritage Month. The month is meant to mark the various anniversaries of independence for Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Mexico, and Chile and was created to celebrate the achievements and contributions of people from what we know today to be Latin America.
As we mark the beginning of this month, we begin by honoring the Indigenous peoples who have lived, resisted, and thrived for centuries across the lands now called Latin America. Their wisdom, traditions, and resilience are the foundation of our cultures, our languages, and our sense of community.
Communities of Latin American and Caribbean origin have been a profound positive impact to this country, enriching it in countless ways through our creativity, resilience, labor, and love. Today, in a time when policies are being wielded as weapons to criminalize, silence, and even disappear us, we affirm our pride in who we are.
We embrace the cultures, languages, traditions, and values of our ancestors, and we commit ourselves to building a dignified quality of life for our communities in the United States and across our countries of origin.
We must all rise and denounce the disappearances of parents, neighbors, and human beings torn from our communities. We must denounce the violation of our constitutional rights and the racial profiling and discriminatory actions of this administration that seek to strip us of our humanity and dignity. And we must denounce the relentless abuse of working-class communities, who continue to bear the brunt of expanding economic inequities. As wealth is hoarded by a powerful few, the majority are left forgotten, systematically marginalized, denied opportunities, and lied to with false narratives that blame our neighbors instead of the broken systems crushing us.
What would truly make this country better is not fear, division, or punishment, but justice: access to quality health care, safe housing, strong education, and fair wages. A better world is not only possible, it is necessary. One that refuses to scapegoat or dehumanize those who are different, and instead builds power in our shared humanity and collective struggle.
This month, and every month, we will continue to raise our voices. We will not allow fear to erase our history or diminish our pride. Instead, we stand rooted in who we are and steadfast in our vision of justice, dignity, and belonging for all. We invite everyone to join us in celebrating the richness of Latin American and Caribbean cultures, learning the true histories of our peoples, and standing alongside us in the fight for dignity and justice. Together, we can ensure that our communities not only survive but thrive, with pride and joy in the places we call home.
