Hispanic & Latinx/e Heritage Month
Last Updated January 2023
About Hispanic and Latinx/e Heritage Month
Email Draft: Hispanic and Latinx/e Heritage Month
Related Blog Posts, Lunch & Learns, Workshops, and Coaching
Hispanic & Latinx/e Heritage Month is observed annually in the United States from September 15th to October 15th. This time raises awareness for the profound contributions Hispanic and Latinx/e communities have made in our communities and celebrates the many different cultures and groups that continue to influence the development of the country. The heritage month also serves as an important reminder that cultural diversity should be welcomed and represented on both local and national levels.
This is a communication guide for HR to connect and share resources with their organization to facilitate positive workplace culture and change by celebrating and acknowledging holidays, cultures, and current event observances.
NOTE: This copy was drafted in the context and voice of The Rise Journey, and therefore, we suggest that you revise the text, particularly the purple italicized text, to best fit the mission, values, and language of your own company or organization. |
We recommend reviewing your message draft, at minimum, with one another team member who is informed on the topic. If you have a DEI committee or ERG that relates directly to the topic of the email, they should also be brought into the creation of any related communications.
EMAIL SUBJECT LINE: September 15th marks the beginning of Hispanic and Latinx/e Heritage Month!
BODY: Hello [ORGANIZATION NAME] team,
September 15th marks the beginning of Hispanic & Latinx/e Heritage Month, which ends on October 15th. While it was once a week-long celebration, it has expanded into an entire month-long observance that focuses on the inclusion and representation of the many Hispanic and Latinx/e communities in the United States.
This heritage month is an opportunity to recognize the many contributions of these communities, some of which are not often taught. Despite making up almost 20% of U.S. residents - only 4% of senior executives from large U.S. companies are Hispanic individuals, according to a study in 2021. The lack of representation of Hispanic and Latinx/e leadership carries significant implications of the exclusive reality these people face in workplaces across the country.
Furthermore, while Hispanic and Latine/x communities continue to grow and the U.S. government, organizations, and society begin to acknowledge the deep ties between the heritage groups and the development and history of the country, there are still many present barriers and evasive tactics used to prevent the teaching of Hispanic and Latine/x studies in the U.S.
Awareness and education are essential to empowering communities and identities marginalized in any space, and these layers of inequities in education, employment, and opportunities are preventing our communities from advancing in inclusion, representation, and innovation.
At, [ORGANIZATION NAME] we believe we can all strive for more inclusion and representation within the workplace by embracing education and showing support for those of a Hispanic and/or Latinx/e background. Why is your workplace acknowledging this observance? What values of your organization does the observance reinforce?
We encourage all of our team members, from employees to managers to staff workers, to take time this Heritage Month to explore and share the resources below so we can, together, make spaces safe for conversations filled with learning, respect, and appreciation for everyone's heritage.
How will celebrating/ participating in this observance bring future change to your workplace?