How are you celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month?

David Plazas, Nashville Tennessean
·5 min read

Good morning, amigos:

We are about to start Week 2 of Hispanic Heritage Month, and Latinos across Tennessee have been celebrating with family, friends and colleagues, and with the community.

Among the events I have attended in Nashville since Sept. 15 — the start of the monthlong observance — were:

Nashville Mayor John Cooper and several elected city officials attended each of these events, showing the growing importance and influence of the community.

Remember, the Latino community grew in Tennessee by 65% from 2010 to 2020. Nashville now has nearly 100,000 Latinos, about 14% of the city's population.

Yes, celebrating Latino/a/x achievement should happen year-round, but this is a special, federally-sanctioned time to raise awareness, reflect on the contributions of Latinos and also call for greater representation across society.

How have you been celebrating? Share some of your memories, photos and food traditions with me. Email me at dplazas@tennessean.com. I'll share them on different social platforms — make sure to share your Instagram, Twitter or TikTok handles.

One of my favorite meals this past week was tacos de carnitas, jugo de sandia and a paleta de mamey. I wish I could have shared that meal with my parents, but I hope to see them very soon.

Not all is festive; remember P.R.

This past week, we also witnessed tragic moments including the devastation by Hurricane Fiona of Puerto Rico. Five years after Hurricane Maria battered the island, the U.S. commonwealth is once again suffering. The storm took out the power, but as of Tuesday, 80% of the electricity was back. Find images and links to USA TODAY stories here.

If you haven't watched Bad Bunny's 23-minute video "El Apagón - Aquí Vive Gente," it's a powerful indictment of the inaction that has left Puerto Ricans, who are U.S. citizens, suffering. The video came out before Fiona, but this latest disaster makes Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio's, aka Bad Bunny's, message even more relevant. You can also read how the superstar artist purchased a home for the family of a 10-year-old survivor of the Uvalde, Texas, massacre.

What else you'll find in this week's newsletter

  • Smyrna High mother Yesenia Cruz is fighting for her son, who she said was bullied by a safety resource officer when he was defending a friend during a fight. She shared her story with Scott Broden, reporter of the Murfreesboro Daily News Journal.

  • Country music duo Kat & Alex, a married couple who are Cuban and Puerto Rican, talked about their music, their Latino roots and their Miami upbringing with Tennessean reporter Marcus K. Dowling.

  • A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck the west coast of Mexico on Monday. It was the third time in recent decades that such a powerful tremor impacted that area on the same day. Carli Pierson, an opinion writer based in Mexico City, shared a column recounting her experience and the fears residents are feeling.

  • You may recall that I interviewed Jennifer Novo of FUTURO Inc. for the newsletter last week about college retention and success. I recently wrote a column about student debt relief and college affordability, and how while loan forgiveness is not unreasonable, it does not fix the overarching problem of rising costs.

Latino Tennessee Voices Live

This is a reminder that Latino Tennessee Voices Live Storytellers is happening Oct. 13 at 7 p.m. at Plaza Mariachi. Five members of the Latino community are sharing an intimate story with the public about how they gained agency and found empowerment. Don't miss out. Click here to purchase tickets for $10 each.

Our storytellers:

  • Fabián Bedne, the first Latino immigrant Metro Council member

  • Judge Ana Escobar, the first Latina jurist in Nashville

  • Yenín Miralda EcheverrÍa, a DACA activist

  • Diana Pérez, a nonprofit leader

  • Miguel Vega, a real estate professional

Learn more about the program and the storytellers by clicking here.

Upcoming events

Other tidbits

  • If you are a subscriber to a USA TODAY Network publication (i.e., The Tennessean, The Commercial Appeal or The Knoxville News Sentinel), check out your e-edition and find a new Hispanic Living magazine focused on cultural news, entertainment and lifestyles. On the cover now: Award-winning composer, actor and musician Lin-Manuel Miranda.

  • Congratulations to Axios Latino and Telemundo Noticias for partnering on presenting the inaugural Visionarios newsmakers conversation program on Sept. 29. They will be interviewing an impressive list of political, business and civic leaders both in-person and for a virtual audience. Special thanks to Astrid Galván for giving me a shoutout in last Thursday's Axios Latino newsletter. Yes to more pachangas!

¡Muchas gracias a todos!

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network - Tennessee. He is of Colombian and Cuban descent, has studied or worked in several Spanish-speaking countries, and was the founding editor of Gaceta Tropical in Southwest Florida. He has lived in Tennessee since 2014. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Latinos: How are you celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month?