Each year, the United States celebrates Latine Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. Latine Heritage Month honors the histories, cultures and contributions that Hispanic, Latine and Indigenous people in our country.
September 15 marks the independence days of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile also observe their independence days on neighboring dates — September 16 and September 18. As we commemorate this month with joy-filled festivities, we remind our community to center the experiences and challenges that Hispanic and Latine people continue to face while maintaining hope that we can create a world where our communities are free from violence and injustice.
Poverty is a root cause of hunger — and systemic racism and xenophobia drive poverty across the nation and right here in Oregon. One in 5 Oregonians born outside of the U.S. live in poverty. Almost 80 percent of Latine immigrant parents surveyed in Oregon in 2020 reported being worried whether food would run out before they received enough money to buy more. And Latine individuals who hold intersecting identities — those who are women and/or disabled — experience food insecurity at even higher rates.
One in 2 single Latine moms lives below the poverty line. In 2022, Latinas working full-time year-round were paid just 57.5 cents for every dollar paid to White, non-Hispanic men nationally (a wage gap of 42.5 percent). And almost half of Latine transgender adults are living in poverty.
Latine communities have also been disproportionately impacted through the COVID-19 crisis, often working in essential, front-line positions, and facing health and economic impacts as a result.
These disparities are no accident. They’re policy choices. Policy failures. The laws our elected officials make — about wages, food assistance, housing, childcare and healthcare — decide who can afford basic needs and who can’t. We can work together to change the policies that are preventing people from having enough food and making it difficult for us all to pay our bills.
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In honor of Latine Heritage Month, we celebrate the unique, diverse lived experience and dedication of Latine community leaders working to end hunger and its root causes here in Oregon and Southwest Washington. See some story highlights from our Latine communities and click the links below to read their full stories.
“We are proud to say that we are a culturally-empowered, women of color-led community-based organization. We’re grounded in fierce love for Latina communities here in the Rogue Valley. And we are reimagining new solutions for our people, Mother Earth and our future generations. Our vision is to see our Latinx, Indigenous communities of the Rogue Valley thrive, where our community has the agency to shape their destiny and create solutions for themselves.”
“From my experience — being the child of immigrants who were not documented for some time — a lot of it is rooted in fear. My mom has been an American citizen for almost a decade. She was a legal permanent resident for over 20 years prior to that. And she still is fearful of utilizing any kind of resources, that she is going to get her citizenship revoked. For my family and a lot of other immigrant families, there is fear of deportation, being found, being separated from your family. As I became older and started utilizing food pantries, I realized, this is my right. I shouldn't be afraid to utilize a benefit or any kind of program that is meant to help me. There's so much stigma around poverty, but it's something that's created by our own country. And it’s something that can be solved.”
“The ideal world for me is where no one is hungry. We start by educating children. We make them plant a tree and make it work until it reaches the sky. I imagine children at school planting their little plants. Where we teach them how to sow because that way kids will invite their parents to sow their own plants, their own seeds and have their own crops at home. That is my dream, and it starts with education, both for children and later for parents. This is how I imagine a world, everyone in their garden harvesting their essential things.”
“We come from countries where these things are not relevant. Sometimes when we get to this country, even if we are adults, we can't vote. Many of those who vote are young people. They are the future. It is important that parents educate their children and let them know the importance of registering, because the future depends on it.”
“I come from a family and a community where the only way we were able to get by was when we worked together, when we worked collaboratively towards common goals. The only way that we could advance was together. That has always been my main motivator. I have opportunities afforded to me because of the sacrifices my parents make, the sacrifices that millions of others make every single day.”
"It’s really important to grow and to share culturally specific produce for me because I view it as a way of healing. It's healing for me to be able to grow foods that are culturally significant for me, my grandparents and my family. It’s great to be able to grow the things that my family grew and to build that relationship with those plants. It’s also healing for a lot of folks who are also immigrants, who have left Mexico and other places, for me to be able to grow this food and to share it with them, to bring them a little piece of their home and to give them some joy.”
“I realized that there were barriers, so a solution must be found. I can't just sit down and pity myself and say well, it is whatever, right? On the contrary — our legacy comes from warriors. We are Guerreras Latinas not because we are strong or invincible, but because we have been forced to become warriors. We are forced to cross the border. We are forced to work two or three jobs. And we are forced to decide whether to grow professionally or work to keep bringing food to our families' tables, having a roof over our heads and covering all of our basic needs. We, the Latina women are strong and I recognize that any woman is strong and can achieve a lot by herself, but I’m convinced that together with other womens, we are invincibles. I mean nobody can stop us.” – Yoana Molina Marcial
“I think that we leaders come to the places where they (Oregon Food Bank) can't go, to those communities they can't reach. We need them, but they also need us because they might not be able to come to those most marginalized communities. So that is important. That we reciprocally need help from them and they need help from us. We have the hands, they have the resources. We have the heart, they have the resources. So everything is connected.” – Leticia Chávez
“I do it because there's a need in our community. Because I see that green card holders and citizens have more help than undocumented people, and most of the community I know is undocumented, and I know that they need help. That's why I do it." – Reyna Reyes
“When we started this, it was an idea to cover a need at that time. But there was a lot of need and a lot of fear in the community. There were people who practically wouldn't dare ask for food anywhere because there had been mention of the public charge rule. So, since we had that relationship with the community, we decided to do it [start food distributions]. And so we did one, and then we did another and then another until we made it happen and decided to continue and keep going." – Estela Bautista
El Grito (Portland)
El Tigre Fest (Tigard)
Latino Cultural Festival (Hillsboro)
Explore Latine Food and Culture (Portland)
Some Multnomah County libraries hold special events during National Hispanic Heritage Month
Founded in 2007, the Portland Latin American Film Festival (PDXLAFF) showcases Latin American culture through feature films, documentaries and short films. The festival is held each October at the historic Hollywood Theatre.
What's the difference between Hispanic, Latino and Latinx? (UC Berkeley)
Why Indigenous People Want You to Stop Labeling Them as Latino | Odilia Romero (Ted Talk)
Learn About Latine History at the National Museum of the American Latino
Latine vs Latinx? What Young People of Latin American Descent Think of These Terms (Teen Vogue)
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