From September 15th-October 15th, it is Hispanic Heritage Month. You might be thinking, why does it start halfway through September? Well, September 15th is Mexican Independence Day. During this time span, many people celebrate Hispanic and Latino culture. In Southern California, there is a large population of Hispanics. Hispanic culture is very important to this area because of this. Since this, many assume that everyone around the United States knows about Latino Culture. However, lots of places around the United States don’t have a high Latino population, so this month is helpful in spreading awareness about the Latino culture. Here is a little introduction to Hispanic Heritage Month and how Canyon is involved. 

Hispanic Heritage Month aims to recognize the impact of Latinos on the United States. It highlights important people, such as Cesar Chavez. Cesar Chavez was a labor rights activist. He fought to give farmers and others working in fields fair wages and safe conditions. He found that the pesticides used by some farmers were harming the people working in the fields. He found that it was leading to birth defects and lung issues. Another important Latino American is Dolores Huerta. Huerta was a civil rights activist along with Cesar Chavez.  She co-founded the United Farm Workers Association. Selena Quintanilla-Perez was a Mexican-American singer. She had a big impact on the music world because she drew a bridge between Latin music and pop music. She was also the first Tejano singer to win a Grammy. 

People celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in different ways. In some cities, there are parades and fiestas. In some schools, children are taught about important Hispanic people in history. Many smaller celebrations revolve around cultural food and traditions. Also, many families play games and have small parties with their families and close friends. Music and dance is a very important aspect of Latino culture and it has a big influence on Latino culture. 

Here at Canyon High School, we have a club called LatinaXCHS. Its main purpose is to spread awareness about Latino culture and provide a community for all Latinos at Canyon. This club also teaches students about Latino culture, if they don’t already know.