PIH Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

On September 15, five nations in Latin America—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—celebrate the anniversary of their independence from Spain. Mexico and Chile commemorate their independence just days later.

In the United States, this historic day marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month—a national occasion to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic, Latino, and Afrolatino communities. The month runs from September 15 to October 15.

At PIH, we recognize the contributions of our colleagues at Compañeros En Salud in Mexico and Socios En Salud in Peru and our U.S.-based colleagues of Hispanic, Latino, and Afrolatino descent, especially as we continue our COVID-19 response in predominantly Hispanic communities, such as Immokalee, Fla.

And we reiterate our commitment to advocating for health equity in tandem with racial justice and immigrant justice, as we continue to see Latino communities in the U.S. and abroad disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 and other barriers to health access due to longstanding systemic injustices, from mass incarceration to the legacy of colonialism.

This year’s theme, “Esperanza: A Celebration of Hispanic Heritage and Hope,” allows us to contemplate the power of hope in the context of our present moment, as we fight to expand vaccine equity in communities of color and honor the history of independence and revolution that continues to resonate across Hispanic, Latino, and Afrolatino communities today.