National Hispanic Heritage Month occurs from September 15 through October 15. This month celebrates the histories and cultures of Americans whose ancestors are from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and central and South America. Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated nationwide through festivals, art shows, conferences, and dinners.    

    Many Hispanic Americans in the Tampa Bay community celebrate National Hispanic Heritage month by cooking many traditional foods. 

    “My family often celebrates by having our extended family come over and my dad grills traditional Argentinian food like asado and morcillas,” said senior Ashley Basile.

    Not only is cooking an important element during Hispanic Heritage Month, music is also an important element for many Hispanic families. 

    “When my dad brings out the grill, my mom will bring out the speaker and play a lot of native songs by Fito Pàez, an Argentinian pianist. One of the best things about HHM is how, regardless of how busy we are during the year, Hispanic Heritage Month really allows for us to come together and celebrate our culture with lots of food and traditional music,” Basile said.

    Just as traditional music is used to celebrate, many Hispanics attend local various festivals and art galleries that celebrate key figures in the Hispanic community.

    “My family is a huge fan of baseball and often makes it a tradition to visit Tropicana Field during Hispanic Heritage Night in honor of Roberto Clemente. “My dad has been an avid Clemente fan ever since he was young and it’s always nice to have this bond with my dad that celebrates our culture and our love of baseball,” said sophomore Benjamin Maldonado.

    By celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, this allows many Hispanics to take pride in their culture by spending time with family, cooking traditional meals, and playing traditional music. This allows many to reconnect with their identity and gain more knowledge of where they are ethnically from.