National Hispanic Heritage Month spans from September 15 to October 15, 2023. This month allows for a time of appreciation and recognition of Hispanic Americans and their contribution to our country. A vital way to respect a culture is appreciation of their cuisine, and many Hispanic Americans at Steinbrenner observe this.
“I like to eat bandeja paisa which is a Columbian dish, made of white rice, chicken, or meat with chorizo,” said senior Nicholas De Castro.
Many Hispanic Americans eat certain foods because they grew up with them.
“It’s basically what I grew up eating with my family. My mom and my grandma made [empanadas] for me all the time, so it’s like comfort food,” sophomore Isabella Barfield.
Food is the focal point of many cultures since it brings comfort and belonging to those who appreciate it, especially during the holidays.
“Around Christmas time we do the Novena, which is where we light candles on the ninth day before Christmas, and read a Bible story every day before Christmas Eve,” said senior Madelyn Valenzuela.
Hispanic Heritage Month brings the celebration of culture throughout America and touches the heart of millions of Hispanic Americans.
“This month means a lot because I’m Hispanic and my parents are from Columbia. It just means that people recognize us as a culture, and a lot of people don’t recognize us as a culture in the United States, and it’s an issue because there’s a lot of Hispanics especially in the Tampa area,” said De Castro.
Clearly, the celebration of such a monumental culture is important to the area and it’s vital to recognize the contributions that Hispanic Americans made to the country.
