UMHS celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with a look at the significance of the month, featuring a Latina UMHS professor and one of our amazing students. Each year from September 15 to October 15, the USA celebrates Latino Americans with a month full of Latin American history, heritage, culture, lifestyles and profiles of these proud people.
The UMHS Endeavour looks at key facts about National Hispanic Heritage Month and the many terms used and the differences between Hispanic and Latino, and more. We spoke to a current UMHS student about what it means to be Latino in today's world. Our social media channels will showcase UMHS students talking about their heritage throughout the remainder of the month. According to Pew Research, Hispanics/Latinos in the United States were among 62.1 million people in 2020, an increase of 50.5 million since 2010.
UMHS student Luis Enrique Morales-Jiménez. Photo courtesy of Mr. Morales-Jiménez.
UMHS student Luis Enrique Morales- Jiménez
UMHS student Luis Enrique Morales-Jiménez is a student from Puerto Rico. In 2022, he lead UMHS during Hispanic Heritage Month by highlighting the Hispanic culture and members of the Hispanic/Latin community here at UMHS. He spoke to other Hispanic UMHS students about their thoughts on being Hispanic in the medical field. He has also created informational graphics that were posted to UMHS social media stories.
“A few weeks ago, I finished my Maine semester and I am currently working on my prep for the STEP 1,” he said in an interview in October 2022. “Apart from that, I am a proud Boricua and a proud Hispanic. As you may know, from September 15 through October 15, we Hispanics celebrate our culture, our sazón [spice] and our orgullo [pride]. We also take this time to acknowledge the struggles our people have faced for a better way of living. We reflect on the disparities that still to this day we face in our daily lives, and most of all we honor those that have contributed to keeping our culture alive and radiant and have been pillars in our society and history.
“I feel honored to be a part of this beautiful group of people. In two different languages, we can provide care to the most in need. Que viva, que viva nuestra culture, que viva nuestro idioma que viva nuestra gente! [Long live, long live our culture, long live our language long live our people!]”
Stay tuned to the UMHS Instagram feed and other social media channels for more Hispanic Heritage Month content brought to you by Luis and other UMHS students.
Why & when was National Hispanic Heritage Month created?
National Hispanic Heritage Week was first observed in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, according to the US government website Hispanic HeritageMonth.gov President Ronald Reagan expanded the observation to a full 30-day period from September 15 to October 15 and it was enacted into law on August 17, 1988 “on the approval of Public Law 100-402.”
“The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua,” the government website says. “In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively. Also, Columbus Day or Día de la Raza, which is October 12, falls within this 30-day period.”
Many call themselves Hispanic, Latino, Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Mexican American, Boricua, Nuyorican, Chicano/a, or Indigenous. National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates all these cultures. Photo: Deposit Photos.
Latino/Latina or Hispanic?
Just like terms for African Americans and LGBTQ+ people, the terminology for members of the Latin American community is always evolving. USA Today notes the term “Hispanic” was first used on the US Census in 1970 by the Nixon administration. The term “Hispanic” has been controversial because some believed it was a name assigned by white Americans in the government. In the 1960s, Latin Americans were often called “Chicanos/Chicanas,” specifically those of Mexican ancestry.
Today, more common terms include “Latino” for men and “Latina.”
Importance of terminology for doctors
Most U.S. doctors’ offices have paperwork or digital portals that new patients must fill out that includes demographic information regarding race/ethnicity, and it can be a sensitive topic. “Latino/Hispanic” is one of the categories, but it is important to know the difference to avoid offending patients.
In the article “What is the difference between Hispanic and Latino?” on VeryWellMind.com, Arlin Cuncic discusses the differences between the two terms.
“You might think of Hispanic and Latino as terms used to describe racial categories, similar to the terms White, Black, or Asian,” Cuncic said. “However, the groups that comprise Hispanics and Latinos are actually diverse in terms of race.”
The terms "Hispanic" and "Latino" refer to ethnicity, culture, and identity. They are groups based on shared culture rather than skin color, race, or other physical features. However, the groups are also broader than ethnicity, which can make the terms confusing.
In the article for Hispanic Heritage Month on Ketchum.com, Giannina Seaman writes about the need to clarify how people are referred to because it can be confusing.
“What I call myself is meaningful to me, but there are different ways people in my community, my friends and my family choose to identify,” Seaman said. “Some call themselves Hispanic, Latino, Afro-Latino, Afro-Caribbean, Caribbean, Afro-Cuban, Mexican American, Boricua, Nuyorican, Chicano/a, or Indigenous. We are a diverse people, with a rich history and culture, and how we identify is more than a definition—it’s a combination of heritage, origin, country and culture.”
She outlines the following:
- “Hispanic refers to someone who speaks the Spanish language. Hispanics are people from or with ancestors from Spain, Mexico, Central America and South America” Brazilians are not considered Hispanic, however, because they speak Portuguese.”
- “Latino(a) refers to the geographic origin of someone. Latinos are from or have ancestors from Latin America which includes Mexico, Central America and South America. In this case, Brazilians are considered Latino, but people from Spain are not.”
- “Spanish refers to a language or someone from Spain.”
(Top image): National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 each year. Image by Deposit Photos.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at UMHS and editor of the UMHS Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about UMHS students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and UMHS research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
