Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage

Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month is celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15. The celebration honors the culture and recognizes the contributions made by those whose ancestors came from Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, South America, and Spain. 

The Hispanic Heritage observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period starting on September 15 and ending on October 15. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, with the approval of Public Law 100-402.

You may remember this month being referred to as Hispanic or Latino/a Heritage Month in the past. The YMCA of Greater Seattle has adopted the term “Latinx” rather than Latino to represent the identities of non-binary, gender non-conforming, and gender-expansive people. “Latinx” also centers on the lives of indigenous, Brazilian, and other non-Spanish-speaking people in this celebration.