Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Honoring Culture, Identity, and Belonging for Minnesota Children
Every year from September 15 through October 15, communities across the United States celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, recognizing the histories, cultures, traditions, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans.
For CASA Minnesota, this month also provides an important opportunity to talk about something every child deserves: a strong sense of identity, connection, and belonging.
Children and youth involved in the child welfare system can experience significant changes in their lives. They may move away from familiar neighborhoods, schools, friends, relatives, traditions, and communities. For Hispanic and Latino children, maintaining meaningful connections to culture and family can be an important part of helping them feel supported and understood.
Culture Is Part of a Child’s Identity
Culture can be expressed in many ways: language, music, food, celebrations, faith, family traditions, stories, relationships, and connections to community.
These experiences can help children understand where they come from and develop confidence in who they are.
Hispanic Heritage Month reminds us that Hispanic and Latino communities themselves are incredibly diverse. Families may trace their heritage to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central America, South America, Spain, the Caribbean, or many other places and cultures.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 through October 15 and provides resources for organizations and communities interested in participating in the observance.
External Resource:
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Hispanic Heritage Month
For adults supporting children, cultural awareness starts with listening rather than assuming.
Ask children about the traditions that are important to them. Learn how they describe their own identity. When appropriate, help them maintain connections with relatives, community members, cultural events, foods, music, language, and other traditions that are meaningful to them.
Supporting the Whole Child
Cultural understanding also matters when supporting a child’s emotional well-being.
Families can sometimes encounter barriers when seeking mental health services, including language differences, cultural stigma, limited access to culturally responsive providers, or uncertainty about where to turn for help.
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides information specifically for Hispanic and Latino communities and offers Spanish-language crisis support. Spanish-speaking callers can call 988 and press 2, and people can also text AYUDA to 988.
External Resource:
988 Lifeline – Hispanic and Latino Mental Health
Resources like these are important because supporting a child means recognizing all the factors that contribute to their well-being.
Helping Minnesota Children Move, Connect, and Learn
CASA Minnesota believes children in foster and kinship care deserve opportunities not simply to get through difficult circumstances, but to grow, develop interests, form relationships, and experience the joy of childhood.
Through CASA Cares, eligible children in foster and kinship care can receive enrichment opportunities designed around three important goals: MOVE, CONNECT, and LEARN.
These opportunities can include activities such as camps, classes, bicycles, swimming lessons, dance, sports, and other experiences that help children develop confidence and explore their interests.
Learn more:
CASA Minnesota – CASA Cares
During Hispanic Heritage Month, we can also think creatively about how enrichment opportunities can strengthen cultural connections. Music, dance, art, sports, community programs, and other activities can provide opportunities for children to connect with people and experiences that reflect their heritage.
A Month of Celebration—and a Year-Round Commitment
Hispanic Heritage Month gives us a reason to celebrate, but supporting cultural identity should never be limited to one month.
Children deserve adults who are curious about their experiences, listen to their voices, respect their backgrounds, and recognize that culture can be an important source of strength.
For volunteers, caregivers, educators, social workers, and community members, that can begin with simple questions:
What traditions are important to this child?
Who helps this child feel connected to their family and community?
Are there activities, mentors, or experiences that could strengthen that connection?
And most importantly: Are we listening to what the child tells us matters to them?
When children feel heard, valued, connected, and proud of who they are, we help create stronger foundations for their future.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, CASA Minnesota celebrates the cultures and communities that enrich our state—and the children whose identities, stories, and voices deserve to be honored every day.
