The end of September into October is more than a beautiful time of year to pick pumpkins and wear warm sweaters. It’s Hispanic Heritage Month—a time to highlight the importance of friends and teammates with Hispanic roots! If you’re looking for unique ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, you’re in the right place.
What Is Hispanic Heritage Month?
Before you explore ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, you have to understand its significance! It begins with anniversaries of Latin American independence and ends with Columbus Day—between September 15th and October 15th.
Americans with ancestry from (or any ties to) El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Chile, or Mexico shine brightly during Hispanic Heritage Month! People from South and Central America, Spain, or the Caribbean Islands play a part, too. Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize, discuss, and celebrate all Hispanic cultures and their uniquely wonderful contributions to our country at large.
Members of Hispanic culture may be recognizable by their impeccable taste in food, fashion, family tradition, and music. Not to mention their contributions to business, medicine, education, and beyond.
7 Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With Your Team
Whether or not you know someone personally with Hispanic heritage, it’s important to acknowledge the value in all cultural groups when the opportunity arises. Here is a list of ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to get you started.
Start With Education
Among the best ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is to spread knowledge. Challenge yourself to learn new things about Hispanic culture—then pay it forward by teaching your team.
Some good research questions include:
- Who are important Hispanic historical figures?
- What important steps did various Hispanic populations take in order to achieve their independence?
- What obstacles do Hispanic people face today?
It also helps to invite appropriate dialogue and clear up misunderstandings on preferred speech or phrases with regard to Hispanic culture. Many non-Hispanic people fall silent during Hispanic Heritage Month because they’re not sure what to say! Help folks participate and progress by teaching them.
Cook a Team Lunch With Traditional Hispanic Flavors
Go a step further than ordering Latino food from a local restaurant by hosting an interactive virtual cooking event that wows. Delicious Experiences offers unique culinary and mixology classes to suit any occasion. “Salsa and Spice,” our hot sauce tasting class, is one that would fit the bill for a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration!
Food is a surefire way to emphasize and educate. Not only will your team enjoy a bit of relaxation and bonding time, they’ll get to learn about Hispanic flavors and traditions through cooking.
Play Latin Music in the Office
Whether your team is virtual, in-office, or a mixture of the two, sharing music is a beautiful way to recognize Hispanic culture. You can use music to set the tone during your next team meeting or arrange some Hispanic musical trivia!
Of course, simply compiling and sending around Hispanic music options for teammates to enjoy in their own time is wonderful, too. The point is simply to break people out of their usual music box (get it?) and embrace Hispanic Heritage.
Host a Mixology Class Featuring Latin American Spirits
What’s a fiesta without the taste and aromas associated with delicious Latin American cocktails? Delicious Experiences offers a variety of Latin American drink-making online or hybrid events, like their Latin Mixology class. We’ll send ingredients directly to everyone taking part, so all that’s left to do is kick back, follow the instructions, and enjoy a beverage or two. And, of course, have a great time!
Each cocktail brings out unique features and flavors of Latin culture. You and your team are sure to learn a thing or two about Hispanic Heritage just by participating!
Related: How to Host a Fun Company Event That Promotes DEI Initiatives
Teach Your Team Spanish Throughout the Month
Language doesn’t have to be a barrier, but something that brings people together to learn about one another. One of the ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month is to encourage your team to learn Spanish (provide them with opportunities) and practice together as a team.
Incorporate Spanish phrases into your team meetings or emails. You may be surprised how quickly your team learns Español and embraces the challenge to speak it.
Make a Donation
Donations are a meaningful way to celebrate the lives of minority friends, family, and team members. Nonprofit organizations like the Hispanic Heritage Foundation, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Safe Passage Project, or local Hispanic businesses will feel seen and appreciated when such a gesture comes their way.
You can vote company-wide on which Hispanic organization you’d most like to support. Then, encourage your team members to collect money throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. A united, focused goal is the perfect way to celebrate.
Learn Latin Dances Together
Think Flamenco! Salsa! Maybe even Merengue! Make Shakira proud when corporate goes casual at dance class. But don’t feel like you need to send your teammates away from home to learn about this piece of Hispanic culture—you can share YouTube links or invite your Hispanic friends or team members to host a virtual class.
Who cares if you get the moves right? Simply putting forth the effort to celebrate and understand a different culture is the right move. The end goal is to get people thinking about the beauty and wonder of Hispanic traditions so they can help preserve and defend it for future generations.
Diversity makes our country great! Use these ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month this September and October. And don’t forget to contact the pros at Delicious Experiences who can help make your fiesta more memorable with Latin American cooking and mixology classes!
