Each year, we celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 by honoring U.S. citizens’ histories, cultures, and achievements from Spanish, Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central, and South American countries. As a part of celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Summit Area YMCA invites all YMCA staff, volunteers, members, and the community to join us in various activities to learn about the significance of this month and important figures that pioneered the way for others today. Check our Summit Area YMCA social media platforms to learn fun facts and see how we honor historical Hispanic figures and how their contributions have molded the America we know today.
How it began
The observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon B. Johnson. California Congressman George E. “Barney” Brown proposed officially recognizing the month of September as Hispanic Heritage Month. The idea caught fire and soon spread across the country. President Ronald Reagan expanded it in 1988 to include an entire month of celebration. It was enacted into federal law on Aug. 17, 1988, on approval of Public Law 100 402.
The day Sept. 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence from Spain for Latin American countries Costa Rico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
In Mexico and Chile, independence days are celebrated on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively. Columbus Day, or D a De La Raza, which is Oct. 12, also falls within these 30 days.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ
Born in 1989 in New York City, Alexandria Ocasio Cortez was raised in the Bronx and attended Boston University before becoming involved in politics. She entered the U.S. House of Representatives for New York’s 14th district in January 2019. She became the youngest woman ever elected as a member of the United States Congress after winning a successful grassroots campaign election against Joe Crowley in June 2018.
LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA
Born in 1980 in Washington Heights in New York City, he is a composer, actor, and playwright. His most famous accomplishment is the hit Broadway musical, Hamilton. He has also won multiple Academy Awards, including one for best original song for “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana, and was given the MacArthur Foundation’s Genius Grant in 2015. He is known for his philanthropy, especially in Puerto Ricos’ debt relief and disaster relief.
SONIA SOTOMAYOR
In 2009, Bronx born Latina Sonia Sotomayor became the first Hispanic Supreme court justice of the United States. Nominated by President Barack Obama and approved by the Senate in a vote of 68 – 31. Sotomayor holds a B.A. from Princeton and a J.D. from Yale University. Her long career includes times spent as an assistant district attorney for New york county, being a judge to the U.S. district court (appointed by George W. Bush), and serving as a judge to the U.S. court of appeals for the second circuit. Sotomayor is outspoken about how her unique experiences as a Latina have contributed to her judicial work.
CÉSAR CHÁVEZ
Born in Arizona in 1928 to a Mexican-American father and a mother born in Mexico, César Chávez was a labor leader and social justice activist. He served in the U.S. Navy before joining the community service movement. With Dolores Huerta, he founded the National Farmworkers Association (NFWA) and led peaceful protests and strikes to advocate for farm worker rights. His legacy continues through the work of organizations such as United Farm Workers, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, and the National Hispanic Media Coalition. In 1993, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
LEARN MORE ABOUT NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH
Through welcoming, inclusive practices and environments, the Summit Area YMCA welcomes and engaged people from all diverse groups of the community to help and create lasting, meaningful change. We at the Y realize that in order to better the world around us and for the future, we must unite and work towards the strengthening of the individual in mind, body and spirit. So join us in celebrating and honoring Black History Month at the Y, in the community, and in your daily lives.
If you would like to get involved by volunteering, donating to a local cause, or to partner with the Summit Area YMCA for a new program or event, please contact Tiffany Escott, Summit Area YMCA – Mission Advancement and Development Director, at tiffany.escott@thesay.org.
Questions? Contact
Tiffany Escott
Mission Advancement and Development Director
SUMMIT AREA YMCA
tiffany.escott@thesay.org
(908) 464-8373
SUMMIT AREA YMCA
BERKELEY HEIGHTS YMCA | SUMMIT YMCA | THE LEARNING CIRCLE YMCA
In 1886, we were founded as the Young Men’s Christian Association, but today, we are The Y. An association that values, and is made stronger by, its diverse people. We stand for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility — For a better us. We are committed to creating equal opportunity for all regardless of gender, age, disability, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our four core values — responsibility, honesty, caring and respect — are integral to everyday operations.
Each year, as one of the area’s leading 501(c)3 charitable organizations, the Summit Area YMCA serves more than 15,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the New Jersey communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling and Summit. Our history is rooted in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Through the generosity of our members, donors, and partners, we are able to offer financial assistance for our programs and services to those in need.
