Hispanic Heritage Month: A Celebration of Hispanic Voices

Since 1988, Hispanic Heritage month in the United States has been a way to honor the achievements and contributions of Hispanic Americans, every year, from September 15th to October 15th. Today, Hispanic Americans make up more than 70 million people in the United States population. From entertainment to activism, Hispanic Americans, especially Hispanic women have broken barriers to achieve change in the world around them. For this year’s Hispanic Heritage month, we at Women Speak Up would like to take the time to recognize the impact of Hispanic women on their communities. 

The Journey For Recognition

 From 1968 to 1988 Hispanic Heritage month was originally celebrated as a commemorative week, falling on September 15th and 16th. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the achievements of Americans who are descended from Spanish-speaking countries, mainly in Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. The first day of this month, September 15th, also marks the independence days of five Central American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. But this recognition did not come easily. 

In the United States, both past and present, Hispanic Americans have faced discrimination. As the broader American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s emerged, the Chicano Civil Rights Movement stood its ground for Hispanic Americans. Organizers such as Dolores Huerta and Ginny Montes were at the forefront of the fight for labor rights and its intersectionality with female equality. Fast forward to today in the United States, Hispanic women continue to excel and be the face of progress.

Hispanic Women At The Forefront

Hispanic women have been breaking barriers in the entertainment industry. Upcoming actress, Inde Navarrette , became a prominent Hispanic face in the horror genre for her portrayal of Nikki Freeman in the hit movie “Obsession”(2025). Her portrayal of Nikki’s character opened up discourse about the fears Gen Z women face in the dating world. In the world of Broadway, actress Rachel Zegler, known for her role as Maria in Steven Spielberg's “West Side Story”, has won Best Actress in a Musical at the 2026 Laurence Olivier Awards. Through her unapologetic personality and charisma she has opened up conversations about what it means to be a Hispanic woman in the entertainment industry. Both of these actresses have shown us that Hispanic women can succeed and be multidimensional. 

 In the world of activism, Hispanic women are doing it all. Mary Hernandez, co-founder of the Minneapolis-based nonprofit organization, Mi Casa, has worked to promote racial equality and equity for the Hispanic community in Minneapolis through health-based initiatives. Through Mi Casa’s free services such as Cultural Navigation and Mi Casa Pantry, she aims to break barriers that make it difficult for members of her community to take charge of their health. In New Jersey, Gabily Gonzalez , an activist heavily inspired by her own upbringing as an immigrant from Guatemala, is dedicated to advocating for immigrants and migrants through her work for her nonprofit, Cerrando La Brecha. Located in Camden, New Jersey at the Mitchell H. Cohen United States Courthouse, Cerrando La Brecha helps immigrant families through giving them a platform to be heard and seen. These distinguished women have shown us what it means to show up for your community.

Why It Matters

Hispanic Heritage month is an opportunity to not only celebrate the contributions of Hispanic Americans in the past, but celebrate those who are still creating change currently. It is also a time of community and collective action. Here at Women Speak Up, we are actively working to be a part of this current wave of change through our various community-focused programs. As a Latina-owned nonprofit organization of almost ten years, we are always committed to representing and amplifying the voices of underrepresented demographics of women. Most importantly, we have had the honor of having many Hispanic women dedicating their time and energy to our work. Without the ideas of these insightful women, our organization would not be at the level it is today.

Through our social media, partnerships with other nonprofits and businesses, and resources we aim to put women at the forefront of our impact. A prime example of this impact is our Growth and Leadership Internship Program. Through this program we have partnered with over 20 schools to foster professional development in young women. Interns in the duration of this program develop professional skills such as content creation for social media channels, nonprofit communications, and collaboration. These professional skills allow them to ultimately understand the power of their words and ideas in a digitalized world. In the years the Growth and Leadership Internship Program has existed, we have had over 20 interns graduating from it. This success has allowed us to become one of the top programs of its kind in our state. At Women Speak Up, we will continue to grow and create the next generation of female leadership.

To learn more information, visit www.womenspeakupus.org for resources, events, and more.

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Written by Kayla Harris