September 15th to October 15th is designated as National Hispanic Heritage Month. The month-long designation is a time to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Hispanic Americans.
There are currently about 896,000 Hispanic Americans living in Pennsylvania, contributing to what makes this commonwealth thrive. Businesses, schools and communities all benefit from a diverse makeup of Pennsylvanians, including those with roots from Mexico, Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other Latin American and Iberian nations. The PA Senate Democrats are committed to recognizing the specific needs and issues facing the Latino community. As community members, we are honored to learn more about the stories, successes and struggles that have shaped the Hispanic experience in the United States and beyond.
From now through October 15th, events will be happening throughout the Commonwealth to recognize and celebrate Hispanic heritage. We encourage you to participate in your local area and recognize the dynamic ways Hispanic leaders and traditions have contributed to the melting pot that is our country.
Hispanic Heritage Month 2022 Kickoff
Thursday, September 15, 2022
Pennsylvania Commission on Latino Affairs
The Governor’s Advisory Commission on Latino Affairs (GACLA) is dedicated to advising the governor on policies and legislation that impact Latino American communities. GACLA and its commissioners have proficiently served Pennsylvania’s growing Latino community since 1971.
GACLA aims to contribute to the governor’s goal of government that works, schools that teach, and jobs that pay, for everyone.
Pennsylvania Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month
Reading
Hispanic Heritage Month Opening Celebration
Date – September 15, 2022
7:00 pm
To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, actor, singer, philanthropist, and actor known for his role as Detective Carlos Alvarez on the hit TV show Gotham, JW Cortes will deliver a riveting, awe-inspiring, and highly impactful keynote describing the personal journey he took from his Brooklyn stoop to the sands of the Middle East to screens worldwide. This event will be held in the Perkins Auditorium at Penn State Berks.
Pittsburgh
Hispanic Heritage Night
Date – September 24, 2022
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Join us to watch a soccer match between the Riverhounds vs. Orange County SC while we celebrate Hispanic Heritage. There will be a live concert from Gavas Beat before the match.
Philadelphia
Hispanic Heritage Month: A Conversation with Author Carmen Maria Machado
Date – October 15, 2022
12:30 pm – 2:00 pm
Join us for a moderated conversation with Carmen Maria Machado, Philadelphia-based author of the best-selling memoir In the Dream House, the graphic novel The Low, Low Woods, and the award-winning short story collection Her Body and Other Parties. She has been a finalist for the National Book Award and the winner of the Bard Fiction Prize, the Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction, the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ Nonfiction, the Brooklyn Public Library Literature Prize, the Shirley Jackson Award, and the National Book Critics Circle’s John Leonard Prize. In 2018, the New York Times listed Her Body and Other Parties as a member of “The New Vanguard,” one of “15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century.”
University of Pittsburgh
Arte y Cultura: A grand opening celebration of the Latin American Cultural Center
Date – September 15, 2022
7:00 pm
The LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES ASSOCIATION is proud to present the new LATIN AMERICAN CULTURAL CENTER housed in its new international headquarters in Pittsburgh. The mission of the Latin American Cultural Center is to celebrate Latin America through compelling programs dedicated to fostering a heightened understanding and appreciation for Latin American arts, history, and culture. LACC will offer dynamic programming that includes permanent and temporary exhibits; lectures, programs, and performances in its 700-seat auditorium; and meeting spaces to host small conferences and gatherings. Through school tours, in-person visitation, and on line presentations,
Penn State
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Date – September 25, 2022
2:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Join Penn State students to celebrate with games, arts and crafts, and fun facts about the Hispanic/Latino culture. Enjoy music from a variety of countries and taste some traditional snacks. No previous knowledge of Spanish needed! Registration is Required.
Philadelphia
LatinX Fest: In Appreciation of Spanish Heritage Month
Date – September 17, 2022
(Rain Date – Sept 18)
12:00 pm – 4:00 pm
This is an free event for the public to celebrate spanish cultures that has inspired and transformed Philadelphia. This event was crafted by Community Umbrella Agencies (CUA): Catholic Community Services (CUA 4), Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha (CUA 2), and Turning Points 4 Children (CUA ). There is a limit and it’s; First Come, First Served. There is only one entrance via Cheltenham Ave. Must RSVP and if you do not have a wrist band you will be escoted out. Safety is primary and this will be a Covid friendly event. There will be bag searches and absolutely no weapons of any kind. Thank you and we look forward to serving and celebrating with you!
Lancaster
Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration
Date – October 15, 2022
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Hispanic Heritage Month, held September 15 to October 15, is a national celebration of Hispanic Americans and their contributions to the United State’s society and culture. The month recognizes those with heritage to Mexico, Central America, Spain, South America, and the Caribbean’s Spanish-speaking nations.
Here in Lancaster City, we know that our large Hispanic population deeply enriches our culture, whether through artistic ability, the hard work of Hispanic business owners, fantastic cuisine, teaching in our schools, or simply through the bond of friendship.
Philadelphia
Where to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month in Philadelphia in 2022
Philadelphia goes big to honor Hispanic Heritage Month. Did you expect anything less?
The national celebration, officially running from September 15 through October 15, 2022, kicks off a little early in Philly with outdoor celebrations like Arte en las Calles at Esperanza Arts Center and Centro de Oro’s neighborhood-centric Feria del Barrio.
Among the other stand-out events taking place during the month: a Mexican Independence Day celebration at Penn’s Landing, the Puerto Rican Day Parade on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and the premiere of La Guagua 47 — a short film (and corresponding community art project) that celebrates the SEPTA 47 bus route and its critical ties to Philly’s Latino population.