Happy Hispanic Heritage Month Begins September 15th!

“Engage, find voice, expand your community” – Gloria Casarez, Philadelphia Civil Rights Leader

Hispanic Heritage Month is a small but necessary step in acknowledging the many contributions that Hispanic and Latinx communities give to our communities and especially our district. About 20% of students in the district identify at Hispanic and Latinx

In our latest podcast episode, coming out September 12th two of our Equity Training Specialists; Ryan Villanueva and Dr. Sia Beckwith offer some actionable steps people can take in educating themselves more about Hispanic and Latinx Communities:

• Do the Work: It’s important to better understand the history of Latin American communities in the US – that includes not only the oppression that we’ve been talking about today but also the advocacy and contributions of those who have been instrumental in shaping this country and countries worldwide.
• Get Involved: Many narratives surrounding Latin American communities in the US are around immigration. There are dozens of agencies fighting for reformed immigration policies that will protect and value the rights and dignity of each person matriculating through these systems
• Ask people how they identify: Labels such as Hispanic, Latinx, Latine, Latin@, Afro-Latino, must be understood in their historical context. One approach to ensure you’re being inclusive when speaking to someone from the Latin American community is to ask how they identify. There are many countries and cultures that fall within the categories that we group people in. To recognize and appreciate the diversity of identities and experiences, we can ask what country, culture, or community someone identifies with.
• Look into local figures: There are many impactful local artists, scientists, writers, athletes, and advocates that identify as members of Latin American communities in the US. For instance; Quiara Alegría Hudes an American playwright, producer, lyricist and essayist who went to Central High, Gloria Casarez, an American civil rights leader and LGBT activist in Philadelphia who served as Philadelphia’s first director of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender affairs and Will Gonzalez who runs a coalition of Latino community-based organizations in Philadelphia.

Further, there are a lot of resources online. Be curious. Seek out and be intentional about wanting to learn. Opening our eyes to different people also opens our eyes to different ways of seeing the world. The internet is a really great place to start, and there are a plethora of books/Podcasts/documentaries and other resources available to be explored.

September 21st is International Peace Day!

2022 Theme: End racism. Build peace.

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms.  It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race.

Peace Day Philly has always emphasized its founding mission: Empowering all people to collaboratively build a more peaceful and just world.

Check out the Philly Peace Day Website to learn more about events and ways to get involved. Additionally they have created this toolkit for educators who would like to celebrate and create programming around the day.