Lots of things don’t translate well from Spanish to English. For example, “Saca tu bandera” literally means “take out your flag,” but that isn’t what people really mean when they say it. The more heartfelt meaning is to express pride in your culture and show that you are proud of where you come from. That’s what the spirit of Hispanic Heritage Month is all about: celebrating our vibrant culture and identity. Though the celebrations kicked off on Sept. 15, this mid-month start date marks the day Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica earned their independence from Spain in 1821. 

What began as only a week-long celebration implemented by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1968, was extended to a month by President Ronald Reagan 20 years later. Today, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 is devoted to the commemoration of these countries, as well as the other rich cultures that make up Latin America. This month gives the Latine community the representation we deserve and acknowledges the influences we have had on American culture. This is our time to shine, and here is how we celebrate.

Music

As great as he is, there is more to Latin American music than Bad Bunny. We listen to classics like Celia Cruz, Luis Miguel, Selena, Los Panchos or the more current Daddy Yankee. Growing up, my abuela would play Mauricio Penagos Villegas, who would sing beautiful Costa Rican folk songs that always put me in a good mood. There are also local bands throughout New York City who capture the essence of Latine music. Some music to dance to or a romantic ballad is all we need to get the party started. If we don’t listen to music, we make it. We’ll shake that maraca, strum our guitar or grab a tambor and literally live by the beat of our own drum. Music is the best way to express ourselves, and there is so much great Latin music out there — and so much great music to be made.

Cooking 

Whether it’s cooking a captivating Cuban ropa vieja, an enticing El Salvadoran pupusa or a charming Chilean cazuela, there is no better way to honor your country’s independence than whipping up a national dish. It might take dozens of ingredients, hours in the kitchen and lots of dishes to clean later, but our food is representative of who we are and where we come from. We’ll make our favorite dishes from our culture, like ceviche or empanadas, but cooking anything Latine honors our month. I’m lucky to have Costa Rica’s simple gallo pinto. It doesn’t take too long to make with a combination of leftover white rice, a can of black beans, some peppers and onions, an assortment of spices and my personal favorite — salsa Lizano.

Telenovelas

Though the Latine community has been historically underrepresented in American film and television, we’ve been keeping ourselves entertained for quite some time. Many Latine children like myself have grown up watching telenovelas with their abuelas, enjoying everything from “El Chavo del Ocho” and “Pasión de Gavilanes” to other reality game shows like “Sábado Gigante” and “Enamorándonos.” I’ve spent plenty of nights up late with my abuela watching telenovelas with exaggerated acting and wild plots. They are fun and silly — and maybe a tad bit predictable and cheesy, but even if the main character has an evil twin sister she never knew about or the love interest has amnesia, they show off Latine creativity and talent. It doesn’t matter what part of Latin America you identify with; we all have a telenovela that has graced our screens at one time or another.

Dance

Shakira said it best — our hips don’t lie. When it comes to dancing, we embrace the sounds of our cultures and move to the beat. Sometimes we need a partner, since it does take two to tango — and to salsa, merengue and rumba. Other times, it’s just us dancing to what feels right without knowing what our next move is going to be. As someone who danced ballet folklórico for three years, I know the pain of tight shoes and even tighter dresses, but when you are dancing, neither really seems to matter. Despite having practice, it feels natural to wield your skirt as part of the dance or stomp your feet at the exact right moments. It truly doesn’t take much, so we can dance anywhere as long as we have a beat and a good attitude. 

Support

Most importantly, we support each other because Hispanic Heritage Month is not for any one Latin country, but all of us. We might argue about who has the better coffee or which tamal is the right one, but in the end, we show up for each other. This can be marching in the Mexican Independence Day Parade despite being Costa Rican or learning to dance la bachata when you aren’t Dominican. We are all so different and unique in our own ways, but we also face the same fears for our futures and share the same hopes for better lives. 

There are so many more ways we celebrate our heritage; these are only a handful that anyone can do to recognize the Latine community. So no matter what you do to celebrate this Hispanic Heritage Month and admire all our wonderful cultures, these are some of the ways the Latine community embraces our month and how we hope you do too.

Contact Alessa Alluin at [email protected]