Every year, between Sept. 15-Oct. 15, the United States celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, honoring the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society. This includes both citizens and residents of the U.S. whose ancestry is traced to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
In 2020, the U.S. Hispanic population reached 62.1 million, encompassing 19% of all Americans, according to the Pew Research Center. The 2020 Census showed that Hispanics and Latinos accounted for 12% of the Massachusetts population, or 627,654 residents of Hispanic or Latino ethnic origin.
In recognition, the Commonwealth Medicine Cultural Diversity Committee has planned an exciting Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration for everyone in the UMass Chan community. “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” is the theme of the 2022 celebration and includes experiences that celebrate the diversity and richness of the Hispanic culture.
The celebration kicked off with a virtual event, where participants shared several opportunities to learn more about Hispanic culture and history, including poetry readings, e-books, and movies. A local calendar also showcases events like film screenings, salsa dance lessons, kids’ events, cooking classes, and a list of Latinx-owned businesses and restaurants to visit. A culminating event will be held at the end of Hispanic Heritage Month and will feature a guest speaker.
“We are so excited to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month here at Commonwealth Medicine and honor the unique and important contributions of the Hispanic/Latinx community both here at CWM and in the community. Our Cultural Diversity Committee and the members of our Hispanic Heritage Month workgroup worked diligently to make this an informative and celebratory month for everyone in the institution and have shared opportunities to participate in interactive sessions and utilize the provided resource to learn more about the culture and our fellow colleagues,” said Thomas Pomfret, PharmD, MPH, BCPS, clinical consultant pharmacist team lead and the Residency Program director.
Pomfret encourages everyone at Commonwealth Medicine to come together to learn more about the significant influences made by the Hispanic/Latinx community.
“We invite everyone to ‘expand, explore, engage, and exchange’ experiences in their journey to learn more about the Hispanic culture and listen to unique thoughts and experiences…together! Our collective inclusivity does promote a more united workforce. “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” he said.