Connect with Hispanic members and staff during National Hispanic Heritage Month

by Miriam De Dios Woodward, Coopera

National Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM), a celebration of Hispanic and Latino culture, heritage and contributions, begins September 15 and continues through October 15 each year.

The celebration starts on September 15 because on that day in 1821, five Latin American countries declared their independence: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico, Chile and Belize celebrate their independence days on September 16, September 18 and September 21, respectively.

HHM presents a great opportunity for credit unions to connect with and support their Hispanic members and staff. Here are a few examples:

  • Altura Credit Union in Riverside, Calif., recognizes HHM by promoting a variety of community festivals, contest and events on its website. The credit union also made a $600,000 pledge to the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art, Culture & Industry at the Riverside Art Museum earlier this year.
  • Idaho Central Credit Union in Chubbuck, Idaho, sponsors several activities during HHM, including Fiestas Patrias (Mexico’s Independence Day celebration), an All About the Dress Expo and a Latino Expo.
  • 1st Bergen Federal Credit Union in Hackensack, N.J., hosted a HHM celebration where the credit union shared its commitment to serve and empower members of the Hispanic community. The event included music and dancing, refreshments and special promotions, including low-interest loans, savings accounts and checking accounts.

Another way to celebrate HHM is to create a way for your Hispanic staff and members to share stories about their favorite traditions from their countries of origin. Along those lines, we thought it would be fun to share a bit about where the Coopera team came from and our favorite traditions from those countries.

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