Hispanic Heritage Month

Published on September 15, 2023

Hispanic Heritage Month

During National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the histories and cultures of American citizens whose ancestors hail from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Spain are celebrated, with the starting date coinciding with several Latin American nations recognizing their independence on Sept 15.

It is undeniable: Hispanic culture had deeply enriched American culture—be it through food, art, music or the substantial contributions of millions of people who are of Hispanic descent. 

A key element of Lakewood's Community Dialogue on Race, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion is celebrating the diversity of cultures that Lakewood is proud to have as part of its community. While the Hispanic population in the United States is our nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority at nearly 19% of the total population, 34% of Lakewood residents are Hispanic. The City of Lakewood proudly joins the federal government, state government and hundreds of public and private organizations in paying tribute to National Hispanic Heritage Month.

On behalf of the Lakewood City Council, Mayor Ariel Pe has issued a proclamation(PDF, 586KB) in recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Resources to learn more

HispanicHeritageMonth.gov, a collaborative web portal project between multiple agencies including the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian and National Archives, offers a trove of information related to the commemoration, including special exhibits and collections, audio, videos and images.

Staff in the Library of Congress’s Hispanic Reading Room help researchers find materials on and from the Caribbean, Latin America, Spain and Portugal; the indigenous cultures of those areas; and persons with Portuguese or Spanish heritage in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas—including within the United States. Luckily, you don’t have to be in Washington D.C. to enjoy access-- the library’s comprehensive research guides are readily available online. 

Los Angeles County Library

The Los Angeles County Library has compiled a variety of resources to learn, watch, read and get crafty during National Hispanic Heritage Month

Explore the L.A. County Library's Hispanic Heritage Month webpage.

Lakewood's Libraries

Locally, both Iacoboni Library and Nye Library in Lakewood will have a book display in honor of the commemoration and are offering a take-home activity kit for adults inspired by Mesoamerican masks.

Adult participants can pick up a kit from the library, watch the video on YouTube from a provided link, learn about the significance of these works of art to the ancient cultures of Mexico and Central America and complete the activity on their own "self-paced" time. Available while supplies last.

Iacoboni Library will also have a special Baby Band practice featuring Latin artists! Baby Band is held on Thursdays at 10 a.m. for ages 0 - 24 months and their caregivers.

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