Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month

Celebrating the history, diverse cultures and contributions from Latinx and Hispanic communities.

History of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month

Hispanic American Heritage Month is from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 each year. It was first held in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week and expanded to a month-long observance in 1988. While other cultural observance months start on the first of the month, there is a reason this one doesn’t. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all gained independence on Sept. 15; plus, Mexico’s Independence Day is Sept. 16 and Chile’s is Sept. 18. Though the official name of the month does not include Latinx, making a distinction between Hispanic and Latinx communities is important because they are not the same. Hispanic refers to people who have ancestry in or are from a Spanish-speaking country, whereas Latinx refers to people who have ancestry in or are from a Latin American country.

Theme for 2024

This year’s theme is: “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future.” The theme recognizes the spirit of innovation, resilience and unity that define Hispanic and Latinx communities.

Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month at UW Medicine

UW Medicine’s Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month Flag Raising will take place on Sept. 16 at noon on all hospital campuses.

Each year during Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, employees share their cultural pride and experiences. Read the 2021, 2022, 2023 employee features, and look for a 2024 feature later this month.

UW Medicine continues to address policies and practices to focus on equity and social and health justice as we strive to become an anti-racist organization. UW Medicine’s Office of Healthcare Equity offers regular events, talks and training on the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion and justice. The office also sponsors affinity groups, including the Hispanic and Latinx Affinity Group.

Usage of the term Latinx

Even though we use “Latinx,” it is important to note that some people within the community do not identify with the term. In fact, a Pew Research Center survey from 2020 found that only 3% of people in the community use “Latinx” to describe themselves and that it is primarily accepted among young women. Despite this, UW Medicine chose to use “Latinx” to be inclusive of people who identify outside of the gender binary of male and female. There is currently not another widely recognized term that has this inclusivity; however, we recognize that this term may not resonate with for everyone.