From September 15 to October 15, National Hispanic Heritage Month is a nationwide celebration that honors the cultural contributions, achievements, and identities of Hispanic and Latino people in the United States. Rather than starting at the beginning of September, Hispanic Heritage Month takes place over 30 days starting on the 15th -- a nod to the anniversaries of national independence for a number of Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all recognize September 15th as the date of their independence, while Mexico's independence is celebrated September 16th and Chile celebrates its independence September 18th.
In this month, we shed light on the multitude of mental health experiences within the Hispanic and Latino communities, including those who identify as Afro-Latino, Black, Indigenous, and more, as well as the disproportionate inequities they face due to systemic barriers and historical adversity. We celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month to recognize the achievements and contributions of Hispanic American champions who have inspired others to achieve success, and to honor the history, culture and influence of past generations who came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
Be a voice for your community
To continue the celebration, we invite you to participate in Tri-City's ¡Adelante! Latino and Hispanic Wellness Collaborative. As a member, you can help provide guidance, share resources and advocate for change where needed so Tri-City Mental Health can further develop ways to recruit, support and amplify diverse voicdes and priortize the mental health needs of communities in Pomona, Claremont and La Verne.
- Connect with others, collaborate and celebrate wellness by planning social and cultural events
- Support and seek to understand the experience of individuals with identities similar and different from your own
- Educate your community about available resources, trainings and programs to support wellness
- Advocate for the mental health needs of your community
For more information, visit our Diversity, Equity and Inclusion page and contact Andrea Espinosa, DEI Coordinator, at dei@tricitymhs.org.
Additional Resources
- Latinx/Hispanic Communities and Mental Health (Mental Health America)
- Mental Health Challenges and Support: Latinx Communities (NAMI California)
- NAMI Pomona Valley
- Movimiento De Salud Mental de California (SanaMente)
- Therapy for Latinx
- Hispanic Heritage Month: Shedding Light on Mental Health in the Latinx Community (VeryWell Mind)
- Hispanic Heritage Month 2023 (Office of Minority Health)
- Hispanic and Latino American Mental Health (SAMHSA)
¡Adelante! Wellness Collaborative Recommendations
- Book: When "Hanging in There" is not Enough /Cuando "echarle ganas" no es suficiente (Spanish Edition)
- Book: Yo no soy tu perfecta hija mexicana / I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter (Spanish Edition)
- Children’s Book: Great way to learn more about diverse identities, cultures, customs, and traditions!
- Blog: De Nuestras Abuelas/ From our Abuelas
- Podcast: The National Hispanic and Latino Addiction Technology Transfer Center Latinos Con Voz Podcast