ALDINE – Schools across the district will celebrate the diversity, culture, traditions, and contributions of Hispanics during September and October. AISD recognizes the diversity in our schools and workplaces.
National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates a diverse group of people. They trace their roots to Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries in North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.
Of the district’s student population, nearly 75 percent are Hispanic. They represent many Spanish-speaking countries.
BY THE NUMBERS
Depending on how you count, there are 22 Spanish-speaking countries in the world.
More than 450 million native speakers of Spanish, making it second only to Chinese in terms of the most spoken languages in the world. English is just behind Spanish, with approximately 360 million native speakers.
Spanish is the third most studied language in the world, after English and French.
In addition to the more than 450 million native speakers, just shy of 75 million people worldwide speak Spanish as a second language.
Around 754 million people are expected to speak the Spanish language globally by 2050, report shows.
According to the official US census, the United States will have the highest number of Spanish speakers in the world after Mexico by 2060, and around 28.6% of the population will be Hispanic.
Houston’s Hispanic population is increasing rapidly as more Latin American immigrants move to the area to work. Houston now has the 3rd largest Hispanic population in the United States after New York and Los Angeles.
Texas’ Hispanic population is on pace to be the largest share of the state by 2021.
National Hispanic Heritage Month falls during the anniversaries of independence for several Latin American countries — Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico’s Independence is September 16.
MORE ALIKE THAN DIFFERENT
Hispanic and LatinoAmericans can have European, Jewish, African, Asian, and indigenous ancestry. The district encourages everyone to learn about Hispanics’ various cultures, customs, traditions, and history.
DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIVITIES
District leaders will be celebrating the rich, diverse cultures and traditions of Hispanics. Special events and activities will be held at the Donaldson Administration Building (DAB) and the Bamberg Professional Development and Resource Center (BAM) on Friday, May 7. This will include a book lotería, craft stations, and a cultural artifact showcase. Cindy Nguyen, a Vietnamese bilingual teacher at Carmichael Elementary, is leading these two planned events. Nguyen welcomes staff to wear Asian and/or Pacific attire on this date.
September 15-17: Staff can take part in a Book Lotería that focuses on Hispanic literature. The goal is to complete as many boxes. Winners will be announced on October 15.
September 20-September 24: Culture is the customs of people who live together. Aldine ISD art students will create cultural art walls representative of Hispanic community members in literature, visual arts, and science. The displayed culture walls will be at the DAB and BAM buildings until October 15. On September 24, everyone is encouraged to wear their Hispanic/Latino Heritage pride attire.
September 27-October 1: Stories are a way for humans to engage with others. Stories help draw people together because we see ourselves reflected in them and understand ourselves better. On September 29, at 12 p.m., staff can join a virtual lunch keynote and listen to Dr. José Luis Zelaya, the first in his family, who immigrated to the U.S. from Honduras to graduate from high school, tell his story.
October 4-October 8: The Hispanic Heritage Month Book Club will have participants reading Latinitas: Celebrating 40 Big Dreamers by Juliet Menéndez. The collection of short biographies includes influential Latinas from all over Latin America and across the United States. This book inspires everyone to follow their dreams.
October 11-October 15: Several Hispanic cultural art gems exist across the city that everyone can see. Food is also an important aspect of the Hispanic culture and has greatly impacted the U.S. diet, with many recipes now common staples and favorites in the American diet. Hispanic foods will be served during the district’s October Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) meeting. Additionally, the Aldine ISD’s Mariachi Acero will perform for ILT participants. Contact your child’s school for information about how they will celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.