“Latinos: Driving Prosperity, Power and Progress in America” was the theme of 2023’s Hispanic Heritage Month. This annual celebration highlights the many contributions that Hispanic people have made to life in America and around the world. 

This Hispanic Heritage Month, the students and staff of Oak Park and River Forest High School took steps to celebrate Hispanic history, people and culture. “It’s an opportunity to remember groups of people and histories that have been in the United States for quite some time and are intrinsically tied to American history,” said Rex Ovalle, a Mexican-American English teacher at OPRF.

Hispanic Heritage month, which lasts from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, began in 1968. It was originally implemented as a week-long celebration by president Lyndon B. Johnson, and was extended to a month in 1988 by president Ronald Reagan. The month was intended to coincide with many independence days of Latin countries.  

ASPIRA, a club dedicated to helping Hispanic students connect with their peers and culture, has been setting up programming throughout the month,such as their spirit week, which started Oct. 10 and ended Oct. 13. 

Spirit week included a jersey day, a national flag day, an abuelito/abuelita (grandparents) day and a day themed around vaqueros, which are the Mexican equivalent of the American cowboy. In addition to planning spirit events, ASPIRA also asked Hispanic students what Spanish language music they would want to be played during the passing periods. 

Highlighting the diversity and beauty of cultures that exist under the umbrella of “Hispanic” was an important part of this month for many people. “It’s too easy to say that Hispanic people are just one group of people, when in fact, it’s groups of people–with common threads, maybe, but it’s groups of people and groups of histories,” said Ovalle. 

Kelly Diaz, a Spanish teacher at OPRF and a co-sponsor of ASPIRA, said, “There are so many nuances, so many layers, so many different cultures and traditions, and Hispanic Heritage Month is a way to embrace the cultures and reflect about their histories.”

Another important aspect of the month was unity and connection among Hispanic people. Junior Paola Campuzano, a Latina student and member of ASPIRA, said, “The Latino population is the fastest growing one here in Oak Park, and I feel like it would be very easy for us to just not acknowledge that. But I think it’d be more important, as the population continues to grow, to bring the Latino population together so that we have a space where people can feel more accepted.”