Celebrating Diversity of LatinX Communities and Understanding the Barriers to their Health

LatinX and Hispanic Heritage Month, observed from September 15 to October 15, is a time to celebrate the diverse histories, cultures, and successes of people who identify as Latinx and Hispanic. Decades of inequitable social, economic, and political systems, paired with a deep history of colonization and imperialism, have hindered the health and social outcomes of LatinX and Hispanic communities across the U.S.

This year, we celebrated LatinX and Hispanic Heritage Month by engaging with community thought leaders and activists on a range of topics. Check out the event recordings:

Climate Change and Migration with Marcela Garcia

Marcela García is a columnist for the Globe’s op-ed page. She also serves on the Globe editorial board and writes editorials, the daily unsigned essays representing the view of the Boston Globe as a community institution. Before joining the op-ed and editorial pages in 2014, García was a correspondent for Telemundo Boston, a special contributor to the Boston Business Journal, and the editor of El Planeta, Boston’s largest Spanish-language publication.

LatinX Vote

Héctor Sánchez Barba is the executive director and CEO of Mi Familia Vota, a senior fellow at GW Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute, and the chair emeritus of the National Hispanic Leadership Agenda. In these roles, he advances policy priorities, civic participation, and fights systemic injustices against Latinos, immigrants, and other people who are under-resourced and oppressed.

Juvenile and Restorative Justice

Verónica Vargas is the principal of VV Strategic Consulting, LLC. She is a focused leader with over 20years of experience developing and executing crime prevention and intervention, re-entry, and therapeutic programming. Ms. Vargas has led work for national and international delegations, foundations, agencies, and individuals, as well as in domestic and international settings, including with USAID.

Needs Assessment of Elderly LGBT in Puerto Rico

Waves Ahead, established by Wilfred Labiosa, is an island-wide organization that helps marginalized and vulnerable sectors of Puerto Rican society re-establish and strengthen their community. In particular, Waves Ahead supports LGBTQ+ elders, who face an array of challenges, from housing and food insecurity to discrimination and lack of access to mental health resources.

Let’s continue to celebrate the diversity and intersections of race, ethnicity, language, and geography of the LatinX and Hispanic communities and work to dismantle barriers to their health and social equity throughout this month and beyond.