Why people should celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
Four Corpus Christi individuals talk about the importance of Hispanic Heritage Month.
- Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 to recognize the culture of Hispanic Americans.
- Four Mexican American community leaders in Corpus Christi, Texas, shared how their heritage influences their work in activism, arts, civics, and education.
- They believe celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is important for understanding the diverse history and contributions that shape the United States.
Hispanic Heritage Month is annually celebrated from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 in the United States to recognize the culture and heritage of Hispanic Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
According to the United States Census Bureau, more than 192,000 people in Corpus Christi — almost two-thirds of the population — identify as Hispanic or Latino.
Some of those people are involved in the city’s activism, arts, civics and education.
The Caller-Times interviewed four Mexican American community members — a woman using her voice for others unable to, a man who left the stage to get behind the camera, a former Nueces County judge and a school leader who started off as a teacher — and asked them when they first entered their respective fields, how their heritage plays into their roles and why they believe people should celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.
Activism — Isabel Araiza
First moment in activism: “In 2016 with the city’s water (boil notices). Those made me go to City Hall and keep up with everything happening in our community. Those series of water boils were a crisis. People would run out and buy water, but nobody was addressing the systemic issues — the boils were a burden to certain individuals, such as the disabled, elderly and poor. I felt if I didn’t try to be voice for those and others, I would be part of the problem.”
How has your heritage played into your current role? “One of the most beautiful things about the Hispanic culture is our familism. Our culture centers the family. Here in the United States, when Mexicans became Americans, the dominant culture didn’t want us. They wanted our land and our labor, but they didn’t want to provide resources or security for us. Our families and community did that. We still have those echoes, and that’s the source of our resilience. It compels us to keep opening doors and helping others go through by using our voices.”
Why should people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? “I think Hispanic Heritage Month is a really important occasion to learn more about different ethnicities, the people and how those groups came to be in the United States. It’s an opportunity to learn about ourselves because we’re often not centered in mainstream education. Like a regular ecosystem, you need to have a diversity of species that interact with one another while supporting each other. The more diverse an ecosystem is, the more resilient.”
Arts — Cristian-Marco Olvera
First moment in arts: “I got involved at a really young age. I thought my first path with arts would be comic book illustrating or writing novels. Over the years, those dreams got shredded down by my educational institutions and I was no longer interested in them. I moved into theater and was there for a long time until filmmaking and directing snuck up on me.”
How has your heritage played into your current role? “I enjoy being in control of a narrative, because I feel like Mexican voices aren’t always heard. I would watch a lot of popular films back in the day and enjoyed some created by Guillermo del Toro and Alfonso Cuarón, but their voices were always considered niche to people, or a subculture of film. If you were to watch something I created, whether that’s a documentary, short film or web series, you would probably say you don’t hear a Hispanic-dominated voice. You wouldn’t see something dealing with migrants or the Mexican American experience. My team’s main goal is to talk about a personal experience from our Hispanic heritage because a lot of it is Americanized. A lot of our culture has been assimilated to find something a lot more palatable, so our experience may be something unique, genuine, or full of guilt and shame.”
Why should people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? “It’s the world around us, currently. As of right now in this country, it’s harder to be Hispanic. Luckily, we live in a city that is predominantly Hispanic and the culture is a huge facet in day-to-day life. Hispanic people are leaders, artists and business owners here. We’re seeing the strife from a lot of people from across the country deal with ICE’s (U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement) influence. We need to be more steadfast in how we treat our Hispanic community.”
Civics — Barbara Canales
First moment in civics: “I started my civic experience at 16 years old for Mayor Betty Turner. She placed me on a council called the Human Relations Commission. It allowed me to have my first glimpse into government. I was also the president of the student council in junior high and high school.”
How has your heritage played into your current role? “My heritage showed me the way. Growing up in a region of Texas that experienced, from a historical perspective, tremendous discrimination against Mexican Americans, in particular, I was shaped by the stories and civil rights movement, even though I hadn’t been born yet when they were fighting those battles. At a young age, I was influenced by those change makers and my own family. I knew immediately it was important to speak up for others whose voices were not being heard.”
Why should people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? “I think we should celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month because we live in a region where that heritage is our living history. It’s our past, but is our living history today. It’s our art, culture, food, music, and the names of people and places in our area. If you love a margarita on a Friday night, that’s celebrating Hispanic heritage. If you love to attend the Día de los Muertos in downtown Corpus Christi, that’s celebrating Hispanic heritage. I cannot go anywhere in our community without seeing a tribute to Hispanic heritage. You shouldn’t celebrate it because we’re trying to elevate one group; you should celebrate it because it’s part of you because of where you live and the history of our city.”
Education — Robert Arredondo
First moment in education: “My earliest memory is when I was in Montana. My family was raised and born in the Rio Grande Valley, and my dad was the director of migrant education for Montana. We’d go work in the fields and work with migrant families to educate children in the 1980s. Because education has been ingrained in my earliest memories, I always think about how we can help others realize their potential by empowering them.”
How has your heritage played into your current role? “It’s important for aspiring students in a community to see a reflection of themselves in leadership. My heritage is very important because it’s an opportunity to open up doors for others through public education. It is my responsibility leading a campus and this swath of the community to open up doors, give opportunities and let our students see find passions and interests here that could lead them to a lifelong career and pathway in their future. I’m standing on the shoulders of my family and heritage. My heritage is for all those who made the sacrifice for others to push them forward.”
Why should people celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? “There’s strength in stories and there’s strength in heritage. Corpus Christi is a tapestry of heritage — that’s what makes us strong. Celebrating each heritage reminds us of the stories, struggles and sacrifices that have been made. When you’re reminded of your formation story, it keeps you grounded while honoring those that have come before you. Hispanic Heritage Month, Black History Month and other types of months are so important because it celebrates communities and reminds all to give back.”
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John Oliva covers entertainment and community news in South Texas. Have a story idea? Contact him at john.oliva@caller.com.
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