Dear Community,
I want to begin by saying Chag Sameach to our Jewish neighbors and wish the community a joyous Sukkot, which began earlier this week. I hope that everyone observing has a festive and blessed week.
Last week, we also recognized the start of Hispanic and Latinx Heritage Month, spanning September 15th through October 15th. September 15th was chosen as the start because it marks the Independence Day anniversaries of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
This is an important time to celebrate and honor the cultures, intersectional identities, resilience, and contributions of the Latinx diaspora – past and present. There are roughly 62 million Latinx people living in the United States, and the Latinx population accounted for 51% of the country’s population growth. Here in New York State, the Latinx community makes up roughly 19% of our statewide population and 29% of New York City’s population.
Throughout this month, it is especially critical we uplift the movements and voices of Latinx New Yorkers, and fight with and for our communities that are often ignored or left behind – particularly Afro-Latinx, Queer-Latinx, and Indigenous peoples. I ask you to join me in elevating their experiences by sharing their stories and supporting their work – visibility and representation matters. I am incredibly proud to represent a district with such vibrant Hispanic and Latinx communities, and look forward to fighting for them each and everyday.
Below is a list of educational resources on Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month as well as personal essays from members of the Latinx diaspora.
- Refinery 29 - Latinx Somos
- Teen Vogue - 10 Mixed Heritage People on What Being Latinx Means to Them
- Learning for Justice - Latinx History Month is Black History Month
- For National Hispanic Heritage Month, 11 Recent Books on Latino Life
With Gratitude,
State Senator Alessandra Biaggi
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