By Brian Montano

We’re about halfway through Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15), which makes this the perfect time to look on the achievements of Hispanic Americans in our country, and celebrate the rich histories and cultures of Latin America. In the first week of Hispanic Heritage Month alone, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Mexico, and Chile all celebrated their independence days. On the major roads of Chicago, you can still spot proud Latin Americans waving large banners and flags celebrating Mexico, Puerto Rico, and more.

Story Jam takes great pride in its support for cultures and stories of people around the globe, and this month is a perfect time to learn more about the outstanding achievements of Latin Americans throughout this nation’s history. Many will be familiar with the legendary reina de Tejano, Selena Quintanilla, the Texas-born Mexican-American who blessed us with numerous classics from Baila Esta Cumbia to Amor Prohibido. Even years after her tragic death, Selena has stood the test of time as a dominant figure in Hispanic pop culture, and her career has gone down as one of the largest strides made in bringing a Latin sound into the American mainstream.

If you’re looking for something new to read, I’d like to personally recommend one of the great modern Hispanic writers, the Dominican-American author Julia Alvarez. In particular, her 1991 coming-of-age novel How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents is an often-harrowing masterpiece that represents Latin American struggles relating to immigration, acculturation, and the confusion of identity in ways that remain relevant even 30 years later.

This is also a time to look at the political achievements of Hispanic Americans. Of course, the most famous example would be Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, colloquially known as AOC, who at age 29 made history back in 2019 as the youngest woman to ever serve in the United States Congress. AOC has since become known as one of the most outspoken and progressive representatives of the American left, and her wide social media presence from Twitter to Twitch has worked to great effect in politically engaging younger generations. She’s the voice that young liberals have needed for years, focusing her efforts towards issues ranging from immigration reform to a Green New Deal that would address climate change.

Self-identified Hispanic people in the United States now make up over 18% of the population, with diverse heritages coming from Mexico and throughout Central and South America, all with their own unique traditions, vernacular, histories, and, of course, rich dishes. So go ahead, have a Taco Tuesday at your favorite Mexican-owned restaurant (or better yet, try a Salvadoran pupusas if you haven’t already—I promise you that they’re amazing), and put on some Selena until your own heart starts singing Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.