5 Fun Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Fall season has officially arrived! And you know what that means: it’s time for colorful leaves, sweater weather, pumpkin-spiced everything, and… Hispanic Heritage Month!

At Happied, we believe every day is a great day to celebrate diverse cultures, thoughts, and perspectives. With the arrival of Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th, your company has an added opportunity to celebrate and learn about Hispanic and LatinX cultures

So, what can your company do to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month? Here are a few great ideas to help inspire you.

What is Hispanic Heritage Month?

Before we get into how to celebrate, it’s important to know what Hispanic Heritage Month is and why it exists. 

On September 15th, 1821, the five Latin American countries Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras gained independence from Spain. By 1988, President Ronald Reagan established Hispanic Heritage Month: a month-long celebration to recognize the many contributions the Hispanic and Latinx communities have made in the United States. 

Since then, Hispanic Heritage Month has been a time to celebrate the culture and history of those from Latin America, Spain, and Portugal. And better yet, more and more businesses have started to embrace this special time by celebrating it with their employees. 

5 Fun Ways to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month With Your Team

1. Volunteer

A team that volunteers together, stays together. And what’s a better way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month than helping the community with local nonprofits and charities?

Volunteering is fun because it’s fulfilling. You are contributing to something that is bigger than yourself. It’s especially powerful as an organization because you can gather a large group of people to lend their support. 

Not only will this enrich your local Hispanic and Latinx community, but it’ll also enrich the bond between your team members. When your team actually feels like a team, they will naturally be more engaged and motivated in the workplace.  

2. Watch a Movie or Documentary

Watching a movie or documentary is an excellent way to educate yourself and your team on Hispanic/Latinx-American experiences. It also provides a space of inclusion and connectedness. 

Everyone loves a captivating story! It’s an easy way to get your team engaged, create an open discussion about the film, and share their own stories to get to know each other better.

To decide on what to watch, have your team vote or make suggestions on certain movies and documentaries that they’re interested in seeing. Then, you can host a watch party (virtual or in-person) with popcorn or discussion prompts at the end.

Some goodies are:

• Under The Same Moon by Patricia Riggen

• Which Way Home by Rebecca Cammisa

• The Beast by Pedro Ulteras 

Heroés Cotidianos (Everyday Heroes) by Alex Balassa, Antonio Cervantes-Guerrero, Ernesto Contreras

3. Throw a Fiesta

Make your Hispanic Heritage Month event a real celebration by throwing a fiesta! Whether your team is in-office, hybrid, or exclusively remote, there are so many fun ways to make it special.

For instance, you could do a cooking class where you learn how to make Tajadas, Black Bean and Cheese Pupusas, Mexican Tacos, or Empanadas. You could also have everyone bring in their favorite dish for a potluck or order takeout/a caterer from a local Hispanic-owned restaurant.

These activities are perfect for igniting your team’s festive spirit while also teaching the traditions of Hispanic and Latinx culture.

4. Arts and Crafts

Hispanic and Latinx culture has influenced the art world for centuries. So why not seize the opportunity and have a bit of creative fun with your team? 

Together, you can take part in making something beautiful while also learning about the traditional art forms of Hispanic and Latinx countries. Do anything from an Ojo de Dios crafting class to a paint and sip recreating a classic Latin painting, or a follow-along tutorial on making Papel Picado.

Ultimately what matters most is that your employees come out of the experience appreciating the culture’s history and artistic practice while also being able to connect with each other on a deeper level.

5. Dance Lessons

What would dance even be without the contributions of Latinx culture? 

With so many lively and exciting dances such as salsa, mambo, merengue, rumba, and bachata, holding dance lessons would be such a fun way to celebrate the festivities with your team. 

Whether you take your team out to a local dance studio, have an instructor teach some moves at the office, or follow an online dance tutorial online, there’s an option for every type of workforce.

To make it even more of a blast, leave extra time at the end for social dancing! You could even host a little dance competition and award the winners with the best moves. 

Start Planning Your Meaningful Event Today!

There is something truly special about people coming together to embrace and celebrate a culture that has made such a positive impact on the world. 

On this Hispanic Heritage Month, show your employees that you value diversity and inclusion by planning a fun and engaging corporate event.

 At Happied, our dedicated event planners empower your employee communities by creating authentic events that resonate with each group. In other words, we do all the work so that you don’t have to!

Ready to save time, money, and stress all while lowering employee and client turnover