This year, National Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15 and ended Oct. 15. Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates Hispanic and Latin American culture and the positive impact they have had on the development of the United States. 

But what is it like to be Hispanic in the United States during Heritage month?

As someone who is from Mexico, I thought I might take the liberty to make some comments concerning what it is to be Hispanic in general in the United States and how this month, in particular, affects my life here in Missouri. 

I moved to the United States when I was around four years old because my father received a job offer in Florida. I’ve since lived in Florida, Texas and, now, Missouri. I would say that I am probably slightly estranged from my mother culture, but I think that I nonetheless live in a way that is different from the average person in the US. 

Particularly around the months of October and November, I find myself often reminiscing about my memories of Mexico. This is because around this time is when the celebration of the Day of the Dead takes place (specifically, the Day of the Dead begins on Oct. 31-Nov. 2). Especially now that I am at William Jewell College and can see the preparations Mi Gente takes to celebrate this holiday, I find myself missing my house in San Luis Potosi and my family.  

It has been about six years since I last visited! I think I am long overdue for a trip back to my home. And this yearning within me manifests itself in my drawings of altars in preparation for the Day of the Dead, in my searching for vegetarian recipes for pan de muertos, in my constant stream of WhatsApp messages with my family back home. ¡México, te extraño! 

Here is an example of a sketch I was entertaining for an altar for my great-grandmother. She died a few years back, and I think about her often. She once crocheted me a cute little bear doll, which I have now sadly lost. She always had the wackiest stories to tell me about my grandfather’s childhood in Mexico. 

I really like National Hispanic Heritage Month. I get extraordinarily excited to see the events Mi Gente has planned. I am looking forward to perusing the virtual Day of the Dead event that the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art has on their website. Even though I am so far away from my culture, these little events serve to bring a piece of home back to me. 

I think that I especially appreciate having something like National Hispanic Heritage Month because things have been so crazy with COVID-19. The daily news about Mexico is disheartening, to say the least. 

In 2020 alone, 2,240 women were killed in Mexico. The rate of femicides (that is, the murder of a woman or girl, often by a man on account of her gender) in Mexico has increased by 3.1 percent. As a result, women have taken to protesting, particularly in Mexico City. 

I find myself constantly worried about my family in Mexico, particularly my grandmother, who works with the Supreme Court and deals directly with cases of femicide. I often have conversations with her concerning the difficulties surrounding her job because of COVID-19. 

I was planning on visiting my family in Mexico over the summer this year, but the uncertainty surrounding last year’s spring break and the switch to online classes really threw a wrench in my plans. 

Thus, I am glad that there is something like National Hispanic Heritage Month to remind me of the things I love most about my culture.  

Vendors set up along the sides of the Barney Allis Plaza, selling handmade goods.

Kansas City’s Fiesta Hispana was held Sept. 14 through 16 in the Barney Allis Plaza at the Kansas City Convention Center. The festival is the epicenter of Hispanic celebration in the Midwest, bringing in upwards of 40,000 people each year. Attendees of the festival enjoy Hispanic culture in the form of dance, song, crafts and food.

The foundations of Fiesta Hispana were built in 1972 after President Richard Nixon executed the Hispanic Employment Program. The program inspired a few Hispanic employees in the Kansas City area to partner with the Greater Kansas City Federal Executive Board to arrange an event to celebrate Hispanic culture in commemoration of National Hispanic Heritage Week.

The first incarnation of the event included several individual celebrations in federal job sectors and the event expanded to the broader community in the form of a parade beginning in downtown Kansas City and ending in Armourdale, Kansas.

In 1981 the parade was extended to include a fiesta, which was held in Kansas City’s Southwest Boulevard until the celebration eventually moved to the Barney Allis Plaza – a new area to Kansas City in 1983 – in order to provide space for the growing number of attendees.

The parade was discontinued due to federal funding cuts – still, the fiesta prospered, garnering 10,000 attendees in 1984. The festival grew over the years to regularly attract over 40,000 visitors of varying backgrounds to celebrate Hispanic culture during the mid-September weekend.

Fiesta Hispana appeals to people of all ages, offering a children’s play area along with various children’s activities and a rich assortment of nighttime activities like dancing, drinks and live music for adults.

A performer dances during the Fiesta Hispana.

A couple dances during a band’s performance.

Crowds lined up to see different bands play all weekend long.

The fiesta features various forms of Hispanic entertainment – including traditional Hispanic dance groups, Mariachi bands and solo singers who perform on a stage at the plaza’s center.

Some local vendors sold authentic Hispanic cuisine of many sorts – from flautas to margaritas. Others sold traditional Hispanic arts and crafts, such as jewelry and clothing.

A psychic advertises her services.

Restaurants offered tacos, carne asada and other food items.

Advocacy groups spoke to passers-by about several topical issues concerning Hispanic people in the nation. The Association of Latin American Students (ALAS) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) set up a booth for the purpose of representing DACA DREAMers.

ALAS unites students of Hispanic backgrounds at UMKC in solidarity to celebrate their culture.

Gabriel Calderon, vice president of ALAS and second-year student in UMKC’s six-year medical program, represented the group at Fiesta Hispana. He spoke about the purpose of the group on UMKC’s campus.

“What we do is we try to bring Latino students together at UMKC because a lot of times many Latinos feel disconnected and don’t feel like they’re at home with the familia and so we try to bring some family to them,” said Calderon.

UMKC students junior Maria Franco and second-year medical student Gabriel Calderon. Both are a part of UMKC’s ALAS.

According to a 2010 census, approximately 10 percent of Kansas City’s population is Hispanic. This demographic has continued to grow over the decade. As this community expands, Fiesta Hispana and the organizations that facilitate it are providing a means for congregation for and appreciation of Latinos and their culture in the Kansas City area.

Photos courtesy of Cassie Hayes.