Editor’s note: In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we welcome this guest blog by Josh Dunn, executive director of Voces and a member of the Battle Creek Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Committee.

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs September 15 through October 15 every year. It began life as just a week, timed to correspond with many of the declarations of independence of modern Latin American nations.

Like most holidays, the month holds great weight for some in our community, less for others. Some may not even know about it – even if they identify as Hispanic. Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month allows us to honor the stories of those Hispanic individuals who have made our country and community great and to create space for the stories yet to come of the immigrants still arriving and the children growing up “Latino” who have never known a home other than the United States.

The Battle Creek Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration Committee formed from a partnership in 2016 between Voces, Nueva/New Opinion Newspaper, the Center for Diversity and Innovation at Kellogg Community College, and Willard Library. We seek to create opportunities for meaningful engagement and interaction between the Latino/Hispanic community and Battle Creek at large. By celebrating the rich history and contributions of Latino/Hispanic community members and allies to the economy, culture and vitality of Battle Creek, we hope to educate the community on the diversity of Latino/Hispanic voices and local origins while dispelling common myths. So far, things have gone well!

Recent Successes

• National Hispanic Heritage Month Festival: In September, 800 people gathered at Friendship Park to enjoy a variety of Latin foods and listen to many types of Latin music, including cumbia, tango and mariachi.
• “Movie at the Park”: A screening of a Spanish-language film “La Leyenda de La Llorona” (“The Legend of the Wailing Woman”) took place in downtown Battle Creek. (See the trailer here.) For many Hispanic/Latino youth, it was the first time they had watched a movie in their heritage language in public. The character of “La Llorona” is famous throughout Latin America, so through this movie, parents and their children engaged in a shared cultural experience.

You’re Invited!

• Storytelling Concert:  Titled “Recorridos,” or “Journeys” in English, we’ve invited speakers from Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Colombia to share a personal journey they’ve gone through, whether it’s funny, insightful, or just emotional. These stories help humanize our community. The concert takes place on October 5 at 6 p.m. at New Harvest Christian Center in Battle Creek. You can find out more by liking Battle Creek Hispanic Heritage Month on Facebook.
• “Sabor Latino”: We invite you and your friends to join us for Voces’ annual fundraiser from 6-9 p.m. Oct. 13. Your ticket gets you a night of amazing food and music, and the money raised goes directly to supportive services for Spanish-speaking families in Battle Creek. You can buy tickets online here. You can also donate the cost of a ticket to a family who might not otherwise get to attend – simply address the ticket to “Community Member.”

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is crucial to creating a welcoming community where cultures are brought together and shared. Equally important is that Hispanic families are supported throughout the year.

Learn more at hispanicheritagemonth.gov.