Declaration of Celebration
Naturally, indebted to their heroes, each country parties in gratitude. Some celebrations last three days while others an entire month. Communities from Mexico to Chile decorate their towns in flags, flowers and fireworks in their respective country’s colors, children of all ages sing their national anthems, play traditional music, dance in day-long parades and hear the legends of their forefathers.
At the tail end of the month is the all-inclusive “El Día de la Raza,” better known stateside as Columbus Day. On this day, all the ethnic and cultural influences that make Latinos so unique are celebrated. Some folks don’t acknowledge the day believing that it commemorates Christopher Columbus the man who sailed the ocean blue in 1492. Except that Dia de la Raza, like the rest of Hispanic Heritage Month, is a celebration of a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic society rich in pride and passion.