If you’ve been paying attention to the display screens visible around BSM, you may have noticed a theme in what they’re presenting. For the past couple of weeks, they have been displaying information about notable Hispanic American accomplishments. This is one of the many ways BSM is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month this year.
September 15th marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a 30-day period dedicated to the celebration of Hispanic American culture, history, and contributions. Hispanic Heritage Month starts on September 15th because it is the day many Latin American countries, such as Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala, gained their independence. The celebration was started in 1968 by Congress as Hispanic Heritage Week, and it was expanded to a month in 1988.
I don’t want an entire culture, heritage, to be limited to 30 days…, I want it to be thoroughly immersed throughout the entire school year if that makes sense
— Dennis Draughn
BSM is observing Hispanic Heritage Month in various ways. Dennis Draughn, head of diversity and inclusion, spoke about the different opportunities for students to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. “It’s typically [a] speaker, field trip, [and] some type of internal event…I think it’s evolved in that aspect, allowing more opportunities outside of the school for us to explore,” Draughn said.
Hispanic Heritage Month is important because it places a spotlight on Hispanic culture and the accomplishments of Hispanic Americans, giving us an opportunity to celebrate Hispanic Americans’ significance in American history and culture. “The importance… of it [Hispanic Heritage Month] was to highlight and celebrate the progress and efforts of [Hispanic Americans],” Draughn said.
However, Hispanic Heritage Month is not without its flaws. First, “Hispanic American” is a very broad group, consisting of over 60 million people who belong to different cultural and ethnic groups. The use of such general language can be problematic, as it lumps together various cultures with little regard for the differences that make them unique. Another issue with Hispanic Heritage Month is the way it limits the celebration of Hispanic Americans to only 30 days. “I don’t want an entire culture, heritage, to be limited to 30 days…, I want it to be thoroughly immersed throughout the entire school year if that makes sense,” Draughn said.