UnidosNow Hosts Hispanic Heritage Month Virtual Event

October 4, 2021 – Sarasota

As part of national Hispanic Heritage Month, local nonprofit UnidosNow is hosting a one-hour virtual celebration of Hispanic cultures on Friday, October 15 at 5:30 pm via Facebook Live. The event will include students and parent speakers from its elementary to high school Future Leaders and College Completion programs, entertainment by CreArte Latino Cultural Center, and special scholarships announcements from corporate sponsor Geckos Hospitality Group.

During the live telecast, the UnidosNow families will share what it means to be Latino; how they feel they are creating opportunities for themselves and others; and the impact that UnidosNow has had in their lives. The celebration will be emceed by UnidosNow alumnus Óscar Portillo, a current USF and Harvard Law School-bound college student who serves as a role model for other Hispanic first-generation students aspiring to pursue a post-secondary pathway.

No registration is required for the free event. Participants can join by going to UnidosNow’s Facebook page in this link facebook.com/unidosnow or by registering in this Zoom meeting: ly.unidosnow.org/HHM-Celebration-2021.

The event will take place at 5:30 pm on October 15th where attendees will learn about the rich Hispanic culture in our community, as well as ways to get involved in supporting UnidosNow’s mission, which is to elevate the quality of life of the growing Hispanic/Latino community in our region through education, integration, and civic engagement.

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of U.S. citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. This observance began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Johnson and was expanded by President Reagan in 1988 to cover a 30-day period from September 15 to October 15. These dates are significant given that many Latin American countries celebrate independence days that fall within this 30-day period. This year’s national theme is Hispanics: Be Proud of Your Past, Embrace the Future, which invites Hispanics to embrace their backgrounds and be proud of who they are and where they came from.

According to Pew Research, the U.S. Hispanic population reached 62.1 million in 2020, making those of Hispanic origin the nation’s largest ethnic or racial minority at 19% (or nearly one in five) of the total U.S. population. Additionally, the United States has the second largest population of Hispanic people in the world, second only Mexico. Twelve states, including Florida, have over 1 million Hispanic residents. And over one million Hispanics are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces. As of 2019, 80% of Latinos living in the country are U.S. citizens, up from 74% in 2010.

The UnidosNow one-hour celebration will highlight the role the Hispanic population plays in our community, and it will give all residents a chance to commemorate this special month together. For more information about this Hispanic Heritage Month event, please go to: ly.unidosnow.org/facebook-hhm-2021.

To learn more about UnidosNow, please go to unidosnow.org.