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Our Tallahassee, FL branch is closed today, May 9th. Please contact Member Services at (800) 966-7353 for assistance. 

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!


Celebrating Hispanic and Latino history, cultures, and contributions

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the many contributions, achievements, and diverse cultures of the Latino community—people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

 

Why Hispanic Heritage Month matters to Self-Help

 

At Self-Help, many of our branch communities are rich in various Hispanic cultures, from Mexican to Cuban to South American and beyond. Hispanic Heritage Month is a great reminder of how much stronger diversity makes us all: when we share our food, music, culture, traditions, and wisdom, we are all enriched.

We also recognize that many of our community members with Hispanic backgrounds have faced unjust barriers in accessing financial services and opportunities. Hispanic Heritage Month reminds us that our work of expanding opportunity to all—especially those who have been systematically excluded—is critical.

We all thrive when we work together to ensure everyone has access to ownership and economic opportunity.

Thank you for joining us in that work, and we invite you to join us in celebrating the achievements and cultures of our wonderful Hispanic members and communities!

 

Hispanic Heritage Month Facts

 

What’s the significance of celebrating from September 15 to October 13?

Hispanic Heritage Month coincides with the Independence Day celebrations for several Latin American nations. On September 15, 1821, beginning Independence Day celebrations for five nations that declared their independence from Spain: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

It also acknowledged that Mexico declared its independence from Spain on September 16, 1810, Chile from Spain during the week of September 18, 1810, and Belize from Great Britain on September 21, 1981.

Why is Hispanic Heritage celebrated for a month?

Hispanic Heritage Month began as a commemorative week, which was first introduced in June of 1968 by California Congressman George E. Brown. During the civil rights movement in the 1960s, there was a push to recognize contributions within the Hispanic communities and grow awareness of the United States’ multicultural identities.

It wasn’t until 1987 that U.S. Representative Esteban E. Torres of California proposed expanding the observance to over a month-long period. Two years later on September 14, 1989, President George H.W. Bush officially declared September 15 – October 15 as National Hispanic Heritage Month.

 

Want to learn more about Hispanic Heritage?

 

Visit https://www.history.com/topics/hispanic-history/hispanic-heritage-month or learn more about inspiring individuals who’ve made history: https://artsandculture.google.com/incognito/story/10-inspiring-latinas-who%E2%80%99ve-made-history/NQLCw0ak0_NsKg.