Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month, which is celebrated from September 15 through October 15, is about honoring and uplifting the voices of our Hispanic/Latinx community on campus and beyond. This month we explored the complexity, joy and love of the Hispanic & Latinx experience. We found unique ways to honor this month across each division.

Lower School–Early Childhood: Our LS-EC division enjoyed a virtual assembly led by divisional DEI representatives Erika Brinzac and Latoya Greene. The assembly began with a land acknowledgment, followed by students singing and dancing with world music teacher Mariana Iranzi. They learned about important Hispanic/Latinx public figures and continued their lessons throughout the month in their classrooms––from reading about librarian and storyteller Pura Belprè, to making puppets and Taino petroglyphs.

Lower School–Elementary: LS-E students joined a virtual assembly where one of their divisional DEI representatives, Daniel Ercilla, spoke about the importance of Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month and showed a video explaining how the celebration came to be. During Students of Color Society and Little Students of Color Society, they talked further about how they can use this month to honor and appreciate the contributions of Hispanic/Latinx people. 

Middle School/Upper School: Middle School and Upper School students were joined by Noel Quiñones, a Puerto Rican poet, actor, organizer and performance artist born and raised in the Bronx. During the virtual assembly, Quiñones, a regular Calhoun guest, performed several poems about his own Latinidad identity and experience. In between readings, he talked to students and teachers about the themes of identity and ethnicity. 

Please see below for resources:

Latino Center, Smithsonian Institute Resources

National Hispanic Heritage Month Events and Resources

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, Scholastic Resources (3-8 Grades)

Hispanic Heritage Month, National Education Association Resources (K-12)

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and Afro-Latinx Ties, NYPL

Are You Ready to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month?

11 influential Hispanic activists you need to know

What Does "Latinx" Mean, Exactly?