Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15. Many folks think of Mexico during Hispanic Heritage Month, but the Port’s Latinx + Friends Employee Resource seeks to highlight all the diverse cultures that make up our Latinx community – including Spain, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. Throughout this month, we uplift and embrace what makes each of our cultures unique.

This year, we enjoyed a full month of in-person and virtual festivities – a welcome shift from two years of online-only celebrations due to the pandemic. We were thrilled to begin Hispanic Heritage Month by welcoming Mayra Arreola (who comes from the Latinx community) to the Port as our new Chief Diversity and Social Impact Officer.

Events included community guest speakers, a performance from local mariachi band Nietos de Beni, and a guided discussion of the film “Niños de Papel” (Paper Children), which follows a Honduran family fleeing violence and seeking asylum in Miami, Florida. We also shared some things to eat and drink: Cuban cafecito con pan dulce; chicken, pork and cheese tamales from Mexico; and corn and chicken tamales from El Salvador. Finally, even though it falls outside of Hispanic Heritage Month dates, we’ll close out October with a small celebration for Dia de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

We’re so happy to celebrate in person and online with our fellow Port employees, and honored to share the diversity that is Hispanic Heritage Month.