Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations make adjustments in current political climate

Each year during Hispanic Heritage Month, huge celebrations can be expected across the US to showcase the diversity and culture of Hispanic people.

This year, the Trump administration’s immigration crackdowns, a federally led English-only initiative and an anti-diversity, equity and inclusion push, have changed the national climate in which these celebrations occur. Organisers across the country, from Massachusetts and North Carolina to California and Washington state, have postponed or cancelled heritage month festivals altogether.

Celebrated each year from September 15 to October 15, the month is a chance for many in the US to learn about and celebrate the contributions of Hispanic cultures, the country’s fastest-growing racial or ethnic minority, according to the US Census. The group includes people whose ancestors come from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

More than 68 million people identify as ethnically Hispanic in the US, according to the latest census estimates.

HOW DID HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH START?

Before there was National Hispanic Heritage Month, there was Hispanic Heritage Week, which was created through legislation sponsored by Mexican-American US Rep Edward R. Roybal of Los Angeles, and signed into law in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson.

The weeklong commemoration was expanded to a month two decades later, with legislation signed into law by President Ronald Reagan.

“It was clustered around big celebrations for the community,” Alberto Lammers, director of communications at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute said. “It became a chance for people to know Hispanic cultures, for Latinos to get to know a community better, and for the American public to understand a little better the long history of Latinos in the US.”

September 15 was chosen as the starting point, to coincide with the anniversary of ‘El Grito de Dolores’, or the ‘Cry of Dolores’, which was issued in 1810 from a town in Mexico that launched the country’s war for independence from Spain.

The Central American nations of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica celebrate their independence on September 15, and Mexico marks its national day on September 16, the day after the cry for independence.

Also during National Hispanic Heritage Month, the South American nation of Chile observes its independence day on September 18

The White House so far has not mentioned any planned events. Last year, President Joe Biden hosted a reception and issued a proclamation for the occasion.

WHO IS HISPANIC?

Hispanic was a term coined by the federal government for people descended from Spanish-speaking cultures. But, for some, the label has a connotation of political conservatism and emphasises a connection to Spain. It sometimes gets mistakenly interchanged with ‘Latino’ or ‘Latinx’.

For some, Latino reflects their ties to Latin America. So some celebrations are referred to as Latinx or Latin Heritage Month.

Latin Americans are not a monolith. There are several other identifiers for Latin Americans, depending largely on personal preference. Mexican-Americans who grew up during the 1960s civil rights era may identify as Chicano. Other may go by their family’s nation of origin, such as Colombian-American or Salvadoran-American.

Each culture has unique differences when it comes to music, food, art and other cultural touchstones.

Immigration fears led to celebration cancellations

September typically has no shortage of festivities. Events often include traditional Latin foods and entertainment like mariachi bands, folklórico and salsa dance lessons. The intent is to showcase the culture of Mexico, Puerto Rico, Venezuela and other Latin countries.

Masked ICE agents carrying out President Donald Trump’s policies via workplace raids at farms, manufacturing plants and elsewhere – which has included detaining legal residents – led some to fear large gatherings would become additional targets for raids. Another obstacle heritage celebrations face is the perception that they’d violate bans on DEI programming – something Trump has discouraged across federal agencies. Some companies and universities have followed suit.

Early in September, organisers of a Mexican Independence festival in Chicago announced they would postpone celebrations because of Trump’s promises of an immigration crackdown in the city.

“It was a painful decision, but holding El Grito Chicago at this time puts the safety of our community at stake – and that’s a risk we are unwilling to take,” said the organisers of the festival.

A new date has not yet been announced. Though Mexican Independence Day falls on September 16, celebrations in Chicago typically span more than a week and draw hundreds of thousands of participants for lively parades, festivals, street parties, and car caravans.

“The fact that the federal government is sending troops as we start these celebrations is an insult,” Illinois state Senator Karina Villa, a Democrat, said at a news conference. “It is a fear tactic. It’s unforgivable.”

Similarly, Sacramento’s annual Mexican Independence Day festival was cancelled, with organisers citing the political climate and safety concerns.

Other events that have been cancelled include the Hispanic Heritage Festival of the Carolinas, Hispanic Heritage Fest in Kenner, Louisiana and FIESTA Indianapolis.

– Associated Press