National Hispanic Heritage Month
By Taylor Kenck
Introduction:
Visitors to my office may notice an overly-decorated shelf in my bookshelf. This shelf represents just a portion of my collections from my time as an immigration lawyer. It has a number of books, trinkets, and other decorative items representing many cultures and countries. Some were gifts from clients or friends. Hispanic and Latino cultures are clearly the main theme, which tracks well with my own work history in immigration law.The shelf is overflowing, and I probably need some organizational help soon. But the shelf also means so much to me, so I doubt that changes are in store.
The “messy” shelf full of books, gifts, and trinkets from my time working with people from all over the world (especially Latin America)
This overflowing shelf does an excellent job representing my feelings towards Hispanic cultures. Colorful, larger-than-life, and happy – even if it is a bit messy.
September 15 to October 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month in the US. I am incredibly grateful for the impact these cultures have had on my own life. My life has been incredibly blessed because of the influence of Hispanic cultures, and I love living in a Hispanic home, even as a “gringo.”
What Hispanic Heritage represents to me:
As a non-Hispanic person in the US, my own relationship to Hispanic cultures has changed dramatically over the years. During this process, there were occasional growing pains and choques culturales (“culture shocks”). But, I would not trade the experience for the world.
When I think of Latin America and Hispanic cultures, I think about its rich diversity. Many Latin American countries share a clear origin where two or more distinct cultures came together and formed a mixed majority culture. These cultural combinations have led to beautiful arts, traditions, and most importantly, people.
We often hear how the US was the world’s “melting pot”-- meaning a place where many cultures came together to make one melted or combined culture. It is true that our nation is full of many different cultures, but it is also that those cultures have largely remained separate. To be frank, multi-racial marriages were legally banned in some parts of the US as late as 1967. From a majority-culture perspective, blending cultures has been taboo until only recently. For this reason, the US is more of a “salad bar” than a melting pot.
Latin America is the melting pot that the US should have been. While that does not mean Latin America’s history has been perfectly peaceful and loving, it nonetheless is a characteristic worth celebrating.
How my family will celebrate:
This month, my family has a number of traditions reserved to celebrate Hispanic heritage. They range from the informal to the formal, and all of them bring us pride and joy in their own way. Also, because my wife’s heritage is Mexican-American, our celebrations will look very different from folks of other Hispanic backgrounds.
On the informal side, my daughter loves watching Disney’s “Coco” all of October. It provides a fictional representation of a very real holiday called “Dia de Muertos” or “Day of the Dead.” For us, it helps us remember our relationship with loved ones that have passed, and it prepares us for our own “Dia de Muertos” celebration at the end of the month.
Our family also selects bilingual bedtime stories to read. We especially love “Ana Cultiva Manzanas” and “One is Piñata.” Bilingual stories allow us to introduce Spanish in a friendly way to our daughter.
Our family’s “ofrenda” table decorated for Día de Muertos.
Finally, every November 1st, my family celebrates Day of the Dead or “Dia de Muertos.” We started this tradition a few years ago, and it has been a highlight of our year ever since. A day or two before November 1st, we set up a table with special decorations and pictures of loved ones that have passed on. Then on November 1st, we have a special dinner, often made up of the favorite dishes of some of our loved ones that have passed on. We finish the evening by talking about memories and experiences with these loved ones.
Conclusion:
Crestview Law wishes everyone a happy Hispanic Heritage Month! I am grateful to have married into this culture, and I am grateful that many Hispanic traditions have become my own over the years. Cultural diversity is a major strength that deserves to be celebrated.
