Hispanic Heritage Month recently took place, from September 15 to October 15. Originally started in 1968 by President Lyndon, it started as a week long celebration, and by 1988 it was a whole month celebration. This month of celebration has taken on a different meaning in today’s climate, with everything going on with ICE.
In previous years, there would be parades in Downtown Chicago, but this year, many events for Hispanic Heritage Month have been canceled. Many have fears of ICE being at these events, and others say it doesn’t feel right to celebrate when there are so many losses in our community.
Therefore, students throughout Chicago have started walking out in protest to show support for those who can not speak for themselves. News outlets such as CBS have shown students marching to Trump Tower holding up posters to uplift their community. This comes in addition to protests that happened earlier in the year when Trump was re-elected. Students didn’t go to school to signify a day without immigrants. Immigrants are an important staple to our country; our country is both historically and presently built on the backs of immigrants.
At Noble, we celebrate by participating in the Little Village Mexican Independence Day parade. In Speer Academy specifically, the vast majority of our student population is Hispanic, 87% to be exact. ITW Speer Academy has supported its Hispanic community, even providing students with a Latino class during their freshman year. In the class, students learn about the history of Latinos and Hispanics, and break down issues such as racism and the mistreatment of our communities.
It’s important to still celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to acknowledge the hard work and history of Hispanics. This month of celebration highlights the culture of many; it also inspires younger generations to stand up for their community, to embrace their culture and not be ashamed of who they are.