Hispanic Heritage Month: Celebrating Our Students
October 1, 2024 —National Hispanic Heritage Month is every September 15 – October 15 to celebrate the contributions made by Hispanics and Latinos to our nation. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic/Latino population in the United States is over 60 million, nearly 20 percent of the overall population.
To honor this important month, we want to take a moment to get to know our students, faculty, and staff who identify as Hispanic/Latino. Mya Murchie (above, left), a pre-Sonography student at Kettering College, volunteered to tell us about her heritage.
Mya’s mother moved to the States from the Dominican Republic, and that culture is still deeply embedded in Mya. She says, “I love our culture. We’re historically loud and very open to helping others, and we have a deep, rich history as well.”
She points out that Hispanic Heritage Month is important because “it’s the one time a year where the world can celebrate Hispanic culture and heritage. I think the big celebrations that go on during this month make it feel like my home away from home. It makes me want to bring my mom here and do a big family party.”
Aside from celebrations, this month is a way to bring awareness to the Hispanic culture. Mya shares that she often finds people confusing the terms Hispanic and Latino. She says, “The Dominican Republic has people who are Afro-Latin like me, and others who are just Hispanic due to colonization.”
It is a distinction worthy of further explanation. In short, Hispanic refers to people who speak Spanish or who are descendants of Spanish-speaking populations. Latino refers to people who are from or descendants of Latin America (Mexico, Central, and South America), and the Caribbean. Latino ancestry can also include Indigenous populations, such as the Maya, Aztec, Taíno, and Inca civilizations.
Terminology encompassing Hispanic and Latino culture can include: Afro-Latino/a, Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Mexican American, Boricua, Nuyorican, Chicano/a, or Indigenous. National Hispanic Heritage Month encompasses all these terms and cultures and was created to honor contributions made to America by everyone who identifies under these categories. At Kettering College, we celebrate this rich diversity every month but especially so during Hispanic Heritage Month.
Photos Courtesy of Mya Murchie
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