Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated in the United States from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. According to the 2020 U.S. Census data, there are over 62 million Latinos in the U.S. This month is dedicated to celebrating all of those lives. Sept. 15 is an important date as it is Independence Day for many Latin American countries. Mexico celebrates on Sept. 16, Chile on Sept. 18 and Belize on Sept. 21..
To speak of Hispanic Heritage Month and not mention the reason we celebrate would be ignorant. This month-long celebration recognizes the contributions, resilience and determination of the Hispanic community in the US..
Hispanics are not all native to the U.S.; that is a fact. They hail from many lands, far and wide, and by one reason or another make their home in the U.S.. This process is usually through immigration. In recent times, immigration has been a topic of hot interest politically and culturally.
As a Honduran-American, the past few months have been hard to process and accept. The “immigrant problem” is a hard topic to explain to those who oppose the existence of immigrants.
My entire life, I have struggled with accepting that many people are against immigrants taking up space in the U.S.. I have been called an “invader,” an “anchor baby” and countless slurs throughout my life.
One of my most vivid memories that I have is from sixth grade, when this student was bullying me and hitting me and calling me an “illegal immigrant.” I told him through tears, “I’m American, I was born here.” He responded with, “Your parents are illegals, that’s all you’ll ever be.”
I cried and ran to my teacher, who looked at me with disgust and sent me to the bathroom. She did not report it to the office, I went back to my desk and sat there with my head down. That teacher continued to teach for many years, and that student recently became a law enforcement officer.
I do not blame that student for saying those things, we were both children. Hate is taught to children from an early age. Racism is a plague that we need to eradicate.
My story is one of millions, and sadly, it is not that bad compared to others. In these politically uncertain and hostile times, I find few comforts, however, I am proud to be a daughter of immigrants.
This past summer, amidst dodging random ICE raids in my hometown, aiding immigrants who were detained and gathering resources and aid for immigrants, I got really into music. Music is my escape from the world, and during the summer, my world was chaotic and scary.
My favorite band is Los Tigres Del Norte, a norteño band from Mexico that sings about real life struggles and touches on various subjects ranging from love, illegal immigration to narcotics. My father introduced me to them when I was very young.
They are extremely popular in the Hispanic community and are a staple at parties and events. I always thought they were “old people” music and never paid much attention to the lyrics. The songs were usually about getting cheated on, some storytelling about a random narco in Mexico or about love.
It wasn’t until I was in my first year of college, when I was depressed about being a first-generation Latina with no clue about the world of higher education, that my dad recommended that I listen to a few songs he thought would help me.
One of the songs was “Somos Más Americanos” by Los Tigres Del Norte. The song title roughly translates to “We Are More American,” and details the story of many Latinos.
The song speaks about how Latinos are not invaders, but the original people of America, since the land belonged to Mexico and Indigenous nations. It argues that borders were imposed, and Latinos are hardworking and rooted in the continent, hence being “More American” than Anglo descendants.
Another song that my father recommended is “La Jaula de Oro” by Los Tigres Del Norte, which translates to “The Golden Cage.” The song tells the story of an undocumented immigrant who has lived in the U.S. for years. He built a family and works hard, but feels trapped because he cannot return to Mexico and lives in fear of deportation. His children grow up identifying as American and forget their roots. The “golden cage” symbolizes having material stability but lacking true freedom.
Over the years, I have held these songs close to my heart. Whenever I feel discouraged or unable to do things, I play these songs and remember the sacrifice of everyone who came before me.
During this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month, I suggest taking a deeper look into the true struggles of immigrants. It is futile to celebrate achievements when many people do not accept immigrants. Without immigrants, Hispanic-Americans do not exist.
Hispanics contribute to the U.S. in many ways, especially immigrants. From culture to labor, immigrants get the job done.