10 Ideas for Hispanic Heritage Month
Diversity and inclusion are essential pillars to building a happy workplace. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month as a team is one of the best ways to show your support for inclusivity and diversity. But what is Hispanic Heritage Month and what activities are available for you as a team? Let’s find out.
What is Hispanic Heritage Month and why do we celebrate it?
From September 15 through to October 15 of every year, individuals, companies, and societies celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. We celebrate to honor Americans' histories, cultures, and accomplishments with ancestors in Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
President Lyndon Johnson established the celebration in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week. President Ronald Reagan expanded it in 1988 to a 30-day period beginning on September 15 and concluding on October 15. On August 17, 1988, it became law after Public Law 100-402 was approved.
Why is Hispanic Heritage Month in September and October?
The 15th of September is noteworthy because it marks the anniversaries of the independence of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Guatemala.
Additionally, on September 16 and September 18, Mexico and Chile commemorate their respective independence days. Also, the date of October 12—also known as Día de la Raza—falls inside this 30-day window.
Why should we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
There are various reasons why you should celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month as a team.
It offers your company the opportunity to celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of the Latinx community - including members in your team.
It is also a time to learn about the rich history and culture of the Latinx community in America and the contributions they have made to our society.
It is a time to come together and acknowledge the diversity of our culture - as a team and as a country.
It also allows your team to reflect on how to better serve a diverse workforce, which will make for more cohesive teams and ultimately, a more successful company.
How do businesses celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
This celebration is an opportunity for all team members to learn about the contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. There are many ways Hispanic Heritage Month activities. It is also important to remember that these can include everyone on the team for a fun and educational celebration.
1. Create employee resource groups
Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) are a type of affinity group created for the purpose of supporting members with a shared identity or experience. ERGs are an important part of diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace. They help promote acceptance among employees and provide support to those who need it. National Hispanic Heritage Month is a fantastic time to launch a Latinx employee resource group if you do not already have one. For small startup teams that may not have the number to form such groups, you can introduce employees to similar groups in your city or industry.
2. Make a playlist of your team’s favorite songs by Latinx artists
Throughout the months of September and October, your team can come up with a playlist of Latinx songs to play. Whether you’re trekking through a to-do list or working on that design, there's nothing quite like listening to a playlist of Latinx tunes as a form of motivation. And as they say, music is a language on its own, so your team doesn’t need to understand Spanish to jam to this playlist. With performers like J Balvin, Bad Bunny, Ozuna, Karol G, Natti Natasha, Becky G, and others, the options are unlimited - and maybe you’ll discover something new!
3. Cooking sessions or classes
One of the most enjoyable Hispanic Heritage Month ideas is taking cooking classes. Ask your employees what they'd like to make. These cooking workshops at work are especially beneficial when they feature cuisine from different Latin countries. You can do this together as an office team or over Zoom if you’re a remote team - and they’re especially great as team building activities.
4. Trivia about National Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month Trivia is a fun, educational, and engaging way to celebrate the rich history of Latinx culture. Create a quiz with lots of questions related to National Hispanic Heritage Month. Or, have a contest or game show-style event where teams compete in answering questions related to Hispanic Heritage Month. You make it even more exciting by having prizes for the winning team or for the person who answers all the questions correctly.
5. Read about famous Latinx Americans
The Latinx population in the United States is one of the fastest-growing demographics, and this means that more people are becoming educated and immersed in Latin American culture. Many famous Latinx Americans are known for their contributions to the arts, science, sports or other endeavors. This month is an important time to share their stories and their contributions.
6. Form a Hispanic Heritage Month Book Club
A Hispanic Heritage Month Book Club is a great way to learn about Latin culture and share the knowledge with your team. This is also a great opportunity for your team to learn about Latinx culture and explore different perspectives from different authors. The books can be assigned by the team or voted on by the group, but it’s important that everyone gets their chance to choose a book they like.
7. Online tours
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a great opportunity to explore history and heritage through online tours, especially when remote work is the new normal. A self-guided digital tour of a museum, park or other attraction can be viewed while sharing the screen, or you can reserve a hosted Zoom tour. Some virtual tours to consider:
8. Donate to a Latinx-focused nonprofit
Latinx-focused nonprofits are important for many reasons. They help the Latinx community by providing services such as education, health, and other services. They also help the community by giving them a voice in society. One of the best ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is by donating to a Latinx-focused nonprofit organization in order to help them continue their work. Some organizations to consider include:
The Heritage Society at Sam Houston Park
9. Support Hispanic and Latinx-owned business
You and your team should make an effort to support Latinx-owned businesses during this month. You can do this by shopping at Latinx-owned stores, eating at their restaurants, booking our travel with them, or buying from their websites.
10. Movie nights featuring Latinx stories
One way you can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is by watching a movie with your remote team that features a Latinx story or artist. Depending on the type of movie, you can use this time to discuss some of the themes and topics that are addressed in the movie, such as immigration, family, love, or cultural differences. Choose a movie, reserve a screen and projector, then invite your colleagues to view the movie together. The group can also sync video using an app like Teleparty or Watch2Gether if some or all guests are remote.
How to make your Hispanic Heritage Month stand out
Lots of people and organizations celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month every year. However, you’ll need to adapt yours to your team’s size, nature, and budget. Here’s how to drive diversity and inclusion at work with your Hispanic Heritage Month events.
1. Plan multiple activities
Hispanic Heritage Month covers a full month, so you should plan multiple activities for the entire period. You should get rid of the idea that there is one way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. There are many ways to celebrate it, so you should find what works for you. For example, if your team loves a big party, then plan a big party infused with Latinx culture and trivia. If the team would enjoy a day of service, then plan a day of service to help a Latinx nonprofit in your area.
2. Brainstorm ideas for celebrating NHTM
Introduce the topic of Hispanic Heritage Month and brainstorm ideas for celebrations with your team.
What are some ways you could celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
What are some traditions or customs that come to mind when you think about Hispanic Heritage Month?
How do you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?
Where do you think the best place to celebrate is?
Who would be in charge of planning the event?
3. Use the Hispanic Heritage Month colors intelligently
Don't forget about the colors that represent Hispanic Heritage Month: Red and green. You can respectfully use these colors in decorations,food, or anything else that is part of the celebration. It’s also great to use it on your social media handles, Slack channels, or as background for your Zoom meetings.
4. Have a month-long event calendar ready
Create an event calendar for the month with events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with your team. You and your team will also need to decide on the type of events you want to do and how you plan to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
5. Feedback and learnings
Have team members share what they learned about Latinx culture during the month in a company-wide meeting or presentation. You can also have them present on a topic they found interesting or inspiring related to Hispanic Heritage Month.
6. Use themed trivia to drum up excitement
The best way to create excitement while learning something new is by playing trivia. At Bar None Games, we offer special Hispanic Heritage Month-themed trivia to celebrate Hispanic celebrities, musicians, history and more! Bring out your team’s competitive spirit and join us for a live-hosted event.