WEST PALM BEACH, FLA (September 10, 2020)— The City of West Palm Beach will observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15, 2020 to October 15, 2020. National Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Latinos/Hispanics, who make up 24% of our City’s population of 111,955 and 18.5% of the U.S. population (according to Census.gov). At a meeting of the City Commission on September 21, 2020, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James will acknowledge National Hispanic Heritage Month by issuing a proclamation from the City of West Palm Beach.
Though the City’s Hispanic Heritage Month events and programming have been scaled back this year due to the impacts of COVID-19, there are still many ways the community can participate.
Mandel Public Library Reading Campaign | Ongoing
Celebrate the richness of our culture, the cultures of our neighbors, and Latino/Hispanic authors through the Mandel Public Library. Check out one of the top five most popular books from our Latino Interest collection:
- Next Year in Havana, by Chanel Cleeton
- Mexican Gothic, by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Loteria, by Mario Alberto Zambrano
- Che: A revolutionary life, by Jon Lee Anderson
- Tie between When We Left Cuba, by Chanel Cleeton
and American Dirt, by Jeanine Cummins
These books are available via contactless pickup or read them online. For information, please visit: wpbcitylibrary.org or call (561) 868-7701 (TTY: 800-955-8771).
Colombian Coffee Demo with Salento Coffee | Saturday, September 19, 2020, 9:00 a.m.
- Live on YouTube: @mycitylibrary
- In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, join our friends from Salento Coffee for a video demonstration of how to prepare their signature café tinto tradicional.
- For information, please visit: wpbcitylibrary.org or call (561) 868-7701 (TTY: 800-955-8771).
Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamation | Monday, September 21, 2020, 5:00 p.m.
- Live on WPB-TV (Channel 18) or Zoom (Please check City website for log-in/dial-in information, to be announced soon.)
- In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James will acknowledge the importance of National Hispanic Heritage Month by issuing a proclamation from the City of West Palm Beach.
Hispanic Heritage Month: Music of the Andes | Saturday, September 26, 2020, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Live on Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86578201028
- FREE
- In celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month, enjoy an educational and entertaining concert by Grupo Wayna. This traditional folkloric band will transport you to the Andes Mountains with their inspiring musical performance. For more information, visit wpbcitylibrary.org or call 561-868-7701 (TTY: 800-955-8771).
Shaping Our Future, Celebrating Our Past | September 15 – October 15, 2020 (ongoing)
During the 125th Anniversary year of the City of West Palm Beach, learn how the City’s Hispanic and Latino history helped shape our community, through social media channels, Facebook @CityofWPB and Twitter @westpalmbch.
“This month, the City of West Palm Beach pays tribute to the many Hispanic and Latino Americans who have positively influenced our great City and our nation,” said West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James. “It is a time to celebrate their contributions, their culture, and the many ways we are working together to promote prosperity and equality in our city—a community of opportunity for all.”
Early in his administration, West Palm Beach Mayor Keith A. James named Jose Tagle as the Mayor’s Liaison to the Hispanic and Latino community in the City of West Palm Beach to help inform City policy, ensure Hispanics and Latinos have a voice in City government, and to expand the City’s outreach into these communities. To contact Jose Tagle, please dial (561) 822-1250 (TTY: 800-955-8771).
Recently, Mayor James established the Mayor’s Racial and Ethnic Equality Task Force to identify and help address issues of racial/ethnic equity through education about racial and ethnic inequities, research of best practices, and issuance of policy/funding recommendations to address racial/ethnic inequity in the City of West Palm Beach. For information about the task force, please visit: https://www.wpb.org/our-city/mayor-s-office/mayor-s-task-force-on-racial-and-ethic-equality. The task force is in line with Mayor James’ vision of working to create a ‘community of opportunity for all,’ whereby any West Palm Beach residents can achieve their dream.
National Hispanic Heritage Month was originally established as Hispanic Heritage Week by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 and expanded as National Hispanic Heritage Month by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The September 15 date is significant, as it is also Independence Day for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Three other countries also celebrate their independence in this month: Mexico, Chile, and Belize. Columbus Day or Día de La Raza is on October 12.
To learn more about the City of West Palm Beach, please visit: https://www.wpb.org/. To contact the City of West Palm Beach, please dial: (561) 822-2222 (TTY: 800-955-8771).
