Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor once said, “It is important for all of us to appreciate where we come from and how that history has really shaped us.” This statement speaks to embracing your heritage and claiming the value your perspective brings. When I came to Connecticut 16 years ago, I had no idea that this toney little state had a growing Hispanic and Latino population. I associated it with Yale and yachting, seafood and a financial corridor near New York. Yet, demographic data shows that Hispanics and Latinos comprise several of our urban areas. Several reports from the CT Data Collaborative to The CT Mirror have documented the growing influx of the Hispanic/Latino population. Most are Puerto Rican, Mexican, Ecuadoran, and Guatemalan. Little did I realize that I would learn even more about my Hispanic heritage by moving to New England and working with Hispanics and Latinos in healthcare.
Hispanic Heritage Month, as explained through the lens of history: “Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history, cultures and contributions of the U.S. Latino and Hispanic communities. Hispanic Heritage Month 2026 is observed from Tuesday, September 15, through Thursday, October 15. The event, first celebrated in 1968, commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society.”
The terms Hispanic and Latino (or Latinx as used by the younger generation) is a broad term for anyone with South American or Spanish roots who may speak Spanish. This also includes people from Brazil and Portugal who speak Portuguese, and people from Central and South America who are Indigenous and speak with a native dialect. Hispanic and Latino people are very diverse racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally. They tend to identify by their country of origin. They all have a proud heritage which gets to be celebrated starting September 15th through October 15th. The reason those dates were chosen was because several of those countries have their independence days in the fall.
Connecticut has several notable Hispanics. US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor earned her Yale Law degree in 1979. Sotomayor is a proud Puerto Rican. Before her graduation from the Yale School of Drama in 2012, Lupita Nyong’o landed the role of a lifetime in the critically acclaimed movie “12 Years A Slave.” Nyong’o is Kenyan and Mexican. Rebecca Lobo is a former UCONN basketball player and a sports analyst. She was inducted to the Connecticut Women’s Hall of Fame. Lobo’s father is of Cuban heritage, and her mother is German and Irish. Javier Colon was the first winner of the reality competition show, “The Voice.” His velvety tenor voice was featured in albums and local commercials. He was born in Stratford, CT, and his parents are Dominican and Puerto Rican. Fashion designer, Oscar De la Renta, was born to a well-established family in the Dominican Republic. He studied painting at the University of Madrid and then began drawing clothes for fashion houses. He moved to the States and soon became the designer for celebrities and first ladies like Jackie Kennedy and Barbara Bush. After many good years filled with recognition and awards, De la Renta died of cancer in 2014. He lived in Kent, CT. Former Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona was born in Meriden, CT, and was one of the youngest principals at Hanover School in Meriden. His family came from Puerto Rico and Cardona grew up speaking Spanish first, which impacted his view on education for English language learners.
Hispanic and Latino people clearly contribute to the well-being of our state and our society through their experiences, their education, their talent on stage or in their various occupations. They work in fashion, law and politics as well as healthcare, hospitality and the building trades. We can recognize and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by attending concerts, movies and educational events. We can celebrate by attending festive parades, sampling rich and delicious food and reading some of the works of authors, journalists and commentators. And we can celebrate how Hispanic heritage is woven into the fabric of our American tapestry.
