Celebrate and Connect During Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off on Sept. 15 and runs through Oct. 15, a unique time to reflect on the history, culture and contributions of more than 62 million Americans with ancestors from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

What started as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon B. Johnson was expanded to a monthlong observance by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Today, there are so many ways to celebrate Hispanic Americans, and AARP makes it easy to observe Hispanic Heritage Month while having fun and making connections in your community – both in-person and virtually.

For example, AARP Los Angeles is hosting a virtual cooking series featuring chef and culinary historian Maite Gomez-Rejon. Participants can join online from anywhere in the country to learn how to make Salsa Macha, Vanilla Gelatin, and Pastel de elote.

There will be dancing in New York as AARP hosts IndoRican Dance, a weekly virtual creative movement series. Attendees can work individually and in teams on a full-body warm-up followed by a variety of movements with an emphasis on improvisation and exploration.

And there are plenty of events in communities around the nation, where you can join the celebrations in person, like a block party in Chicago, a series of historic wellness walks in Houston and free screenings of movies like Clemente in Miami and The Long Game in Los Angeles. Check out virtual events or activities near you and celebrando con AARP.