The Hispanic Heritage Month theme for 2023 is “Latinos, Driving Prosperity, Power, and Progress in America.” I look forward to Hispanic Heritage Month every year, because it gives us the opportunity to recognize the enormous contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the History, culture, and achievements of the United States. But this year it feels different to me. With the Supreme Court ruling to eliminate Affirmative Action, all the racial justice backlash, the banning of diversity books, and DEI work, we have been under attack and under a lot of scrutiny for the excellent work and success made by our communities. We are proud of our origins, yet we are often shy to share our true identity, especially at school and at work for being afraid of discrimination, stereotypes, and biases. I feel we are moving backward rather than forward. Although it has been exhausting to always have to justify your existence, we must continue the fight to be heard, seen, valued, and respected for what we bring to driving America forward.

Many people think of Hispanics as new arrivals to this country, but the truth is that Hispanics pre-dates the founding of the United States in 1776 by over 300 years. Millions of us are already U.S. born, but proudly carry our roots, our cultural family values, our respect for others, our gratefulness for those who paved the way, and for those who sacrificed everything so we could grow in the land of the free. Although much of our history has been ignored, the fact remains that Hispanics have been an invaluable part of the creation and growth of the United States of America.

Today, we must be proud of our progress and contributions to this country. There are over 62 million Latinos driving the U.S. economy. We are the largest minority in the country, the 7th largest economy in the world and have a total economic output (GDP) of $2.8 trillion, which is 12% of the country’s total GDP (U.S. Census Bureau & Latino Donor Collaborative, 2022). Nearly one in four new businesses in the U.S. is Hispanic-owned, and Hispanic-owned businesses contribute over $800 billion to the U.S. economy annually (U.S. Small Business Administration). Latinas are the fastest-growing group of women entrepreneurs in the U.S., starting businesses at a rate six times higher than the national average (National Women’s Business Council).

Latinos are elected officials; Supreme Court Justices; Doctors; Teachers; Corporate Executives; Artists and Entrepreneurs; Filmmaking icons; Athletes; and Leaders in science, business, labor, government, the military and across grassroots movements, Farmers, Landscapers, Construction Workers, Taxpayers and Voters, and We are Proud.

As I reflect this Hispanic Heritage Month, I am reminded of the powerful poem “An Ode We Owe” written by Amanda Gorman, poet, and activist when she addressed the UN General assembly as they discussed poverty, hunger, and inequality in the world- and she dare to ask us to DO GOOD- Part of her poem says:

“How can I ask you to do good, When we’ve barely withstood Our greatest threats yet: The depths of death, despair and disparity, Atrocities across cities, towns & countries, Lives lost, climactic costs.

Exhausted, angered, we are endangered, Not because of our numbers, But because of our numbness. We’re strangers To one another’s perils and pain, Unaware that the welfare of the public And the planet share a name––Equality”

I challenge us to DO Good, embrace each other, uplift each other, mentor each other, and do not allow numbness to be part of our daily lives. We must understand that we are all interconnected, and the growth and prosperity of all of us benefits All of America. Even if they ban our history from textbooks, our presence, our impact, our work ethics, and our desire to succeed in this country will be a testament to our LONG-tied history with the United States. Latino History IS American History, African American history is American History – Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in BIG!