Hispanic Heritage Month ~ Quotes to Inspire Celebration

In Celebration of Our Roots: Hispanic Heritage Month

Every year from September 15 to October 15, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. This four-week observance is a time to honor and recognize the profound influence and contributions of Hispanic Americans—whose roots extend to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It is a time for celebrating their histories, cultures, and the vibrant legacies they have passed down.

We remember those who came before us, crossing over into this land in search of freedom, better opportunities, and a better life for their families. They were driven by a powerful hope for a future free from violence, military dictatorships, or religious persecution.

I feel a strong personal connection to Hispanic Heritage Month because of my own roots. My father and his family immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic in the early 1970s, also in search of freedom and opportunity. And today, the Baez family is a growing, vibrant, and successful Hispanic family of business owners, entrepreneurs, tailors, models, writers, pilots, fashion designers, officers, and more.

The Origin of Hispanic Heritage Month

HISTORICAL FACT: Hispanic Heritage Month began as Hispanic Heritage Week, which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan expanded the commemoration to a full month.

September 15 was chosen as the starting date to honor the anniversary of the Cry of Dolores (September 16, 1810), which marked the start of the Mexican War of Independence. This war ultimately led to independence for the New Spain Colony in 1821, a region that included what we now know as Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Words of Wisdom and Empowerment

Today, perhaps more than ever, we need words of wisdom, inspiration, and empowerment. In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, I've handpicked a collection of quotes to share with you. Feel free to use them for social media, journaling, or simply to remind yourself of the strength that lives within us.

For those of you who share a Hispanic or any minority background, I urge you to recognize your unique place within the beautiful fabric of our country. Be bold and confident in your aspirations. Look to the future. Write down your vision and follow your dreams. Live your best life now, because today is all you have.

Be proud of your heritage. I know I am! Happy Hispanic Heritage Month!

“The Latino population has become such a presence. We are part of the American tapestry in a very profound way, in every area you can think of and are very significant in popular culture.” ~ Jimmy Smith

“We are a multicultural country – always have been, and to our credit, always will be. It is something that we should be very proud of and embrace.” ~Cheech Mari

“The most valuable possession you can own is an open heart. The most powerful weapon you can be is an instrument of peace.” ~ Carlos Santana

“One of the greatest things you have in life is that no one has the authority to tell you what you want to be. You’re the one who’ll decide what you want to be. Respect yourself and respect the integrity of others as well. The greatest thing you have is your self-image, a positive opinion of yourself. You must never let anyone take it from you.” – Jaime Escalante

"It is a necessity for us to raise our children with our roots so that they can communicate with their grandparents, but also so that they can create some kind of empathy for human beings that do not look like them, and do not sound like them and do not smell like them.” ~Zoe Saldaña

“You only have what you give. It’s by spending yourself that you become rich.” –Isabel Allende

“Success is a matter of one’s own feelings about oneself.”-Edward James Olmos

“Everything good that’s ever happened to me came out of helping others”. ~Danny Trejo

“The point is not to pay back kindness, but to pass it on.” ~ Julia Alvarez

“In the end, the American dream is not a sprint, or even a marathon, but a relay. Our families don’t always cross the finish line in the span of one generation. But each generation passes on to the next the fruits of their labor.” ~Julian Castro

"One of the hardest parts of life is deciding whether to walk away or try harder."

- Hispanic saying

"The Latina in me is an ember that blazes forever."

- Sonia Sotomayor

"Virtue is the truest nobility."

- Miguel de Cervantes

"But we must feel the pain before the pleasure... Only then can we tell them apart."

- Gloria Estefan

"The number one issue in the Hispanic American community is "How do I leave my children better off than myself?""

- Marco Rubio

"Don't be told something is impossible. There's always a way."

- Robert Rodriguez

"We are human beings. And no matter how bad things are and no matter how limiting things are. We can always be creative."

- Luis J. Rodriguez

"My mother gave me one piece of advice that stuck with me. She said don't forget where you came from." - Eva Longoria

"I am trying to teach my children to feel a responsibility for their fellow human beings and a sense of connection with...the world around them."

- Gloria Estefan

"We must be impatient for change. Let us remember that our voice is a precious gift and we must use it."

- Claudia Flores

"Don't leave for tomorrow what you can do today." ~ Vidal Lopez (my Puerto Rican grandfather)

For More Information & Resources

• https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/

• Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/texasmilitaryforces/8077757025

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