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For Immediate Release September 19, 2023

Fabricio Gamboa

At SIH, we celebrate diversity to foster belonging, awareness and education. It provides a lens that we may otherwise not have considered as we interact with patients and coworkers. In September, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage month by sharing the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors hail from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, Central and South America.

The observation of National Hispanic Heritage Week began in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson. President Ronald Reagan expanded it in 1988 to cover a 30-day period. The significance of a mid-month celebration has deep roots.

  • September 15th marks the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.
  • Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16th and September 18th respectively.
  • Día de la Raza or “Day of the Race” also falls within this 30-day period on October 12. It honors the many countries and people conquered by Spain and other European explorers.


Hispanic Heritage Month serves as a reminder to all people in all countries through the Americas about not only the history, but also the current challenges and conditions Indigenous people face to this day.

Hispanic Latinos are the fastest growing population in the United States accounting for roughly 19.1% - 62.1 million of our nations’ total current population. We contribute to American culture as musicians, small business owners, veterans, artis, politicians, fashion designers and innovators just to name a few professions. In our own SIH community, Hispanics represent our workforce in a variety of positions from physicians to nurses, IT professionals, patient care techs and more.

Our roots run deep and go far, not just in our local community but nationally and internationally as well. Here are some of the trailblazers who’ve made a difference and those who continue to do so in extraordinary ways:

 

  1. Lin-Manuel Miranda: playwright, composer
  2. Sonia Sotomayor: Supreme Court Justice
  3. Sylvia Rivera: American activist
  4. Rita Moreno: actor
  5. Dolores Huerta: labor leader, civil rights activist, organizer
  6. Celica Cruz: singer
  7. Cesar Chaves: American activist
  8. Jovita Idá: activist
  9. Gwen Ifill: Panamanian-and Barbadian-American journalist/author
  10. Linda Ronstadt: Mexican American singer, songwriter, producer and activist
  11. José André: critically acclaimed chef formed World Central Kitchen
  12. Carolina Herrera: Fashion icon

 

About the Author:
Fabricio Gamboa has been part of the SIH family for 24 years. A valued member of the ITS team, Fabricio is the cybersecurity engineer lead and Epic user security coordinator.