SUBJECT:
Title
Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation
Body
DEPARTMENT: Human Resources
Department
PRESENTER: James Everett, DDEI Manager
Kat Hazel, DDEI Training Coordinator
Councilor Emily Baer, Sponsor
First Name, Last Name, Title
TIME ESTIMATE: 5 minutes
only required for non-consent items
End
SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND OF SUBJECT MATTER:
Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of U.S. Latino, Latina, Latinx, and Hispanic communities. The celebratory month spans from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 and commemorates the influence of Latino, Latina, Latinx, and Hispanic communities in American society. It began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Johnson and later evolved into Hispanic Heritage Month in 1988 under President Reagan. September 15 is the kickoff date because it coincides with the Independence Day celebrations of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua - all nations that declared their independence from Spain on Sept. 15, 1821. Similarly, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence on Sept. 16 and 18, respectively.
Last year, President Joe Biden issued an annual proclamation for National Hispanic Heritage Month, "saluting the vital contributions of these public servants and of the more than 62 million Latinos who help make our Nation stronger every day. Latino history is our history," Hispanic/Latinx people living in the United States are the second-largest population group in the country. Like other underserved communities in the U.S., Hispanic/Latinx people experience lower wealth, higher levels of poverty and incarceration, more negative life outcomes, and lower representation in government and high-ranking corporate positions compared to white populations. They are also more likely to face inhumane work conditions, discrimination, and mistreatment based on immigration status.
The theme for 2024 is "Empowerment, Equity, and Excellence." Although Latino, Latina, Latinx and Hispanic individuals make up 19% of the United States population, they occupy only 3.4% of executive and high-level leadership positions and 8% of private tech job sectors. Additionally, they are overrepresented in underpaid frontline labor sectors such as agriculture, construction, and domestic work.
COUNCIL PRIORITY(S) ADDRESSED:
ü Engaged and Diverse Community
ATTACHMENT:
1. Proclamation