Hispanic and Latinx communities are celebrated annually from September 15th to October 15th to recognize their historical, cultural, and artistic contributions. This month provides an opportunity to explore the various impacts the Latinx communities have had on the United States. Representation is important to those who identify as Hispanic and Latinx, so much history is left unheard of, or forgotten. It is crucial to highlight the numerous contributions that have given Latinx a chance to be seen and heard.

College of the Sequoias is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, with a student population of 73%.

“My cultural identity is formed by my immigrant parents who sacrificed everything to give my siblings and me a better life,” says a former COS student who is now attending UC Santa Barbara and is Mexican from the Central Valley. This student also notes that a significant portion of her personal etiquette stems from her parents’ teachings on the importance of hard work to achieve more in life.

Another COS student, also Mexican and who grew up in the Central Valley, says that her cultural identity was formed by the many traditions and lessons passed down from generations before her. This student concludes by saying that she stays connected to her roots through the amazing dishes and lively, beautiful music that her culture is known for.

As this month-long celebration nears its end, it is noteworthy to consider the real change that Hispanics and Latinx people have made in a variety of ways. The East LA walkouts of 1968 represent a call to action for civil rights and access to proper education for young Latinos in the city. The Third World Liberation Front, a multiracial student coalition formed in 1968-1969 in San Francisco State College and UC Berkeley to stand against racism, leading to the creation of ethnic studies programs. The Chicanx Movement (El Movimentio), a social and political movement in the US that worked to embrace the Chicanx Identity and combated institutional racism.

These movements and many other significant events have given Hispanic and Latinx generations today a chance to become successful in whatever they aspire to become. Older and younger generations have continued to leave their legacy in the United States, keeping Hispanic Heritage Month alive.