The WCPS Office of Equity & Excellence is excited to invite you to recognize and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. We have provided for you resources to support your efforts in building stronger teacher-student relationships as well as fostering a positive classroom culture & climate. Building our awareness of the identity of families in our community will deepen our understanding of various cultures and how they impact our nation, our community and, of course, our students. Having a deeper understanding and appreciation of other cultures provides the foundation for creating inclusive environments that promote and accelerate learning. As educators, we are charged with developing students' ability to view the world from multiple perspectives. In order to support our students, we must simultaneously develop our own understanding of perspectives that differ from our own.
As I continue my own personal Equity Journey, I find myself struggling with the use of the word Hispanic over Latinx. It’s an emotionally charged topic and there are important usage variations related to language, geographic location, age, gender identity and others. Hispanic identity refers to language, or "people of Spanish-speaking origins," which on its face seems to exclude a number of people. Latinx identity, however, refers to people who are from or descended from Latin America and is gender neutral.
Language in the "equity world" is constantly changing so it is always important to know how you define a term and why you are using it. While I have had conversations with my Latin American friends about this topic before, I felt that perhaps it was time to revisit the conversation and do some reading on the topic. As a result, I have concluded (at least for now) that for the purposes of this writing, Latinx is the most inclusive term and will be used here. It is not my intent to marginalize or offend anyone. It is simply my considered attempt to be as inclusive as possible. I hope that if you have input on this identity label conversation that you will share your thinking with me. I look forward to hearing from you and engaging you as a thought partner in my journey.
Evolving demographics
Currently, Latinx people make up about 19% (63.7 million people) of the US population. This makes it the nation’s second largest racial or ethnic group. Within Maryland, Hispanic individuals make up more 11% of the state's total population. There are 13 states that have more than one million Hispanic residents as of the 2020 Census.
Latinx students represent more than 14% of WCPS students - most coming from Central America. 75% of students who are EL or former EL students speak Spanish. We hope you will take some time during the next 30 days to explore the information provided in order to increase your awareness and that of your students. In this newsletter you can expect to see:
WCPS Fact
• Top WCPS birth countries of ELs and former ELs
- USA=40%
- El Salvador=17%
- Honduras=11%
- Guatemala=6%
- Puerto Rico=4%
- Dominican Republic=3%
- Peru=2%
- Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico=1%
In this newsletter you an expect to find information on:
- A brief explanation of Hispanic Heritage month and its importance
- A section on the history of Latinx individuals in the United States
- A section on Latinx contributions to American culture
- A section on the challenges faced but like Hispanic/Latinx community
- A section on cultural norms within the Hispanic/Latinx community
- A section with suggestions for books, movies, TV programs and music that highlight the diverse cultural experiences of Latinx individuals and build your awareness.
- A section on current events
- A section with resources for teachers
National Hispanic Heritage Month is Sep. 15th to Oct. 15th. This month recognizes the contributions & celebrates the cultural history of Latinos in the United States and is a time to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens who they themselves or whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
It occurs during this 30 day period since many Latin American countries celebrate their national independence days on or near Sep. 15th. September 15 is the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Cuba celebrates its independence on October 10 and Spain on October 12.
Purpose: to celebrate the histories, cultures & contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health, are recognizing the 2023 Hispanic Heritage Month through the theme: “Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One.” The theme was chosen to reinforce the diversity inherent within the Hispanic/Latino population, as well as the power that comes from being a united community.
History
The American Hispanic/Latinx history is a rich, diverse and long one, with immigrants, refugees and Spanish-speaking or indigenous people living in the United States since long before the nation was established. And, bringing with them traditions and culture from Mexico, Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other Latin American and Iberian nations, America’s Latinx population continues to grow... Click the button below to read more fascinating information about the history of Latinos.
WCPS Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Contributions
Latinos have been an important part of the fabric of the US for more than 500 years. The influence of the Latino culture can be felt in many aspects of American society such as language, food, celebrations, entertainment, sports, government and so much more. Spanish words have been hiding in the English language for a long time. Because of the popularity of Mexican cuisine, many of us are familiar with words like taco and tortilla but, did you know many other words have Spanish origins such as: Colorado, Montana, agenda, canal, festival? Follow the link for more commonly used words with Spanish origins and experiment with using them in your classroom! https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/english-words-actually-spanish Watch the the videos below to learn more about this diverse population.
*Disclaimer: If a video doesn't work on the first click, please refresh this page and try again.*
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Challenges Faced by the Latinx Community
The Latinx community is the fastest growing demographic in the United States. This incredibly diverse population has made numerous contributions to American culture. Over the last few years, members of the Latinx community and their culture have experienced a sharp increase in recognition across the United States. A Mexican-American ran for president, 41 Latinx individuals were recently elected to the US Congress and Latin music has become more popular that country music. Mexican and Latin cuisine continues to grow in popularity. Did you know that more tacos are sold than hot dogs?
Despite individual and group achievements and contributions, there are also challenges. You should be aware of 5 challenges that top the list. They are:
- Employment (job quality and harassment)
- Identity (Personal representation)
- Education (under representation and performance gaps)
- Living in a bilingual world
- Criminal Justice (higher incarceration rates)
Knowing the challenges faced by the community is important, however, as educators, we must consider how these barriers impact our students. We must consider our students that live in one culture but go to school in another. As we focus on individual students, we must consider the educational challenges that may also be at play. As the school year begins, take some extra time to get to know your students and the challenges they and their families are facing.
Cultural Differences
It's essential to remember that Latinx students are a diverse group with a wide range of experiences, and cultural norms can differ significantly within the Latinx community. Therefore, it's crucial to approach each student as an individual and to work closely with them and their families to provide the support and resources they need to succeed in school. The US Department of Education published in May 2022 that as of 2019 the number of English language learners in public schools had increased from 9.2% in 2010 (4.5 million students) to 10.4% (5.1 million students). As school populations expand and change, it is important to be aware of cultural norms and differences within student groups and how they impact how a child "shows up" each day.
Cultural norms for Latinx students in school can vary depending on the specific community, region, and individual experiences. Latinx students, like any other group, are not a monolithic entity, and their cultural norms and expectations can differ widely. However, there are some common themes and considerations to keep in mind: (this is not an exhaustive list)
- Sense of community
- Multigenerational households
- Respect
- Dietary differences
Please explore the provided links below to begin or expand your awareness journey and understanding that impact a large number of our students daily.
Resources to Build Awareness
Deepen your cultural awareness by watching movies and television programs that are written by Latinx writers, include performances by Latinx actors or are focused on Latinx stories. Listen to Latin influenced music. Try some authentic food from the Latinx culture.
A quick internet search offered this list of local eateries: (not exhaustive or an endorsement of any establishment)
- Fajita Grande Mexican Restaurant
- Sardi's
- El Ranchero
- Los Amigos
- Mexicali Cantina
- Los Primos Mexican Restaurant
- El Eden Latin Restaurant
- Cacique Fine Spanish & Mexican Cuisine
- Taqueria Jalisco Authentic Mexican Grill
- El Ranchero
- La Bodega Market
- Tacos Carlitos
- Chipotle Mexican Grill
- California's Tex Mex
- Taco Bell
- Pollo Zone
- Salsa Mama on the go (food truck)
- Fiesta Tapatia (WV)
- Maria's Taqueria (WV)
- Habanero Mexican Grill (WV)
- Casa Agave Mexican Restaurant (PA)
- El Jalisco Authentic Mexican Food (PA)
No resource collection is complete without music!
Current Events
Teacher Resources for the classroom
Sora info: access the app through the google waffle. Log in with your wcps credentials and explore! At the end of home page are books for Hispanic Heritage month. All books can be translated to Spanish, or other needed languages, by clicking on the three lines in the upper right corner and changing the language. Happy Exploring!
Virtual Tours/Online Exhibits
As we continue working to "accelerate" learning for all of the students attending WCPS, build your awareness of each culture in your classroom in order to strengthen the teacher- student relationships that are foundational to student learning. It is through understanding and valuing the diversity of the community we serve that we will begin to close the opportunity and performance gaps which are preventing our students from realizing their full potential.
Final thoughts from US Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona
In an effort to find relevant, meaningful resources that can support our students and connect to the curriculum, we will continue to update this resource. As always, your photos of how your school is recognizing various cultures are welcome! Please share so that we might share with others. We hope that you find something of interest. Look for additional resources this year that celebrate cultures across our school system and the nation. Wishing you a successful school year!
All the best,
Allison Smith, Supervisor of Equity & Excellence