In being asked to speak at a CHA management meeting on how my Latine heritage has factored into my experience and life as a whole, I found myself pondering how my identity has factored into the work I align with most. My career as a whole has consisted of direct interaction with community members—oftentimes fellow black and brown communities. My family immigrated from the Dominican Republic and similar to other Caribbean and Central American countries, I don’t see many mentions of our contributions within the sphere of research. In a way to uphold those within the community, I dedicate this blog to the contributions we’ve made within the realms of public health and research.
September 15th marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, a dedicated time to celebrate and honor the significant contributions our communities1 have made in the United States. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated annually from September 15 through October 15. Unlike other months dedicated to a specific collective or cause, ours begins mid month. This is because many Central American countries celebrate their independence days beginning September 15th.
In this blog post, I wanted to answer a few frequently asked questions about the significance of this month and the language that’s used to describe it, before describing just a few of the Hispanic/Latine leaders in the field of public health.
Why is it referred to as Hispanic Heritage Month and not Latino Heritage Month?
As it often goes and is observed in communities seen as “other” or minorities, we are all combined. The term “Hispanic” was chosen by the US government in the 1960s and 1970s as a means to refer to Spanish-speaking countries and their corresponding civilians. The US Census Bureau settled on “Hispanic” officially in 1989 to categorize immigrants from Latin American countries.
And what are we specifically celebrating?
The contributions our community has provided across disciplines. From art, music, and dance to activism, research, wellbeing, and connecting/honoring the land.
Who are some of the leaders in the field of public health from these communities?
- Dr. Helen Rodríguez Trías
- Advocacy work emphasized the connection between poverty, inequity, and poor health
- First Latina president of the American Public Health Association
- Founding member of the Women’s Caucus of the APHA
- Dr. Ildaura Murillo-Rohde
- Founded the National Association of Hispanic Nurses in 1975
- Dr. Nora Volkow
- Present Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Provided critical insights into addiction
I hope these brief insights encourage you to research more into the contributions our community has made. Reflecting back on my intention of this blog post, it’s validating to learn more about some of my community’s leaders within the space of public health and research. It’s validating in the sense of the importance of doing the work that I do; but also, in the sense of being in a state of gratitude for all that came before me, and all that will follow.
Before leaving you, here is a list of organizations and Institutes I wish to share for I adore them and nearly inhale each and every one of their publications:
- National Museum of the American Latino
- UCLA’s Latino Policy and Politics Institute
- UMass Boston’s Mauricio Gastón Institute for Latino Community Development and Public Policy
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
1 Hispanic Heritage Month encapsulates all of us who are Hispanic, Latine, or Latino American.