Latinx Heritage Month - KIPP Chicago Public Schools

Dear KIPP Chicago Team and Family,

Happy Latinx Heritage Month! KIPP Chicago is proud to celebrate the rich histories, cultures and contributions of Latinx staff, students, alumni and community partners with roots from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America who continuously fight for and work towards progress for Latinx communities. Latinx Heritage Month is a commemoration from September 15th to October 15th that is intrinsically linked to the independence anniversaries of several Latin American nations (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, Brazil, Mexico and Chile) and uplifts a cultural legacy deeply-rooted in rich traditions.

KIPP Chicago has adopted the term “Latinx” to represent the identities of non-binary, gender non-conforming and gender-expansive people. “Latinx” also centers the lives of indigenous, Brazilian and other non-Spanish speaking people in this celebration.

Today, with support from teams across our entire region, we will honor Latinx Heritage Month by launching our first cross-functional digital media campaign. See below for all of the ways we can celebrate in community together, on our social platforms as well as in our virtual classrooms.

What can you expect this month?

  • Celebration of various aspects of Latinx History and Culture
  • Education on current issues impacting Latinx communities
  • Spotlight features of our Latinx Alumni + Staff members
  • Information on community resources + partners
  • Recaps of school activities + celebrations

Here are some concrete examples of how you can join in on the celebration:

  • Follow KIPP Chicago on Facebook and Instagram today.
  • Tag @kippchicago in all posts & IG stories about Latinx heritage month. Hashtag all posts with #kippchicago, #lhm, and #hhm which will allow us to reshare your content and highlight your celebrations!
  • Encourage our students and families to like KIPP Chicago on facebook and instagram! Please post this reminder from your school social accounts.
  • Like, comment, share, and shout-out out students, teammates, families and partner organizations under posts! The more noise we make, the better!
  • Share in celebrating with your students! Integrate the posts as learning opportunities in classes as independent practice, PDN’s, ice breakers, brain breaks, during zest fests or other community spaces.
  • Several posts will include linked resources and community organizations that may be useful for families. When possible, include these resources in your newsletters, on your learning hubs and anywhere else families can access them.
  • Share feedback, ideas or suggestions – this is a collaborative effort!
  • Be on the lookout for our regional Loteria night in Early October!

Resources for virtual classroom engagement

  • Listen to a bilingual narrative of Mexican history in America and take students through a virtual exhibition of Hispanic artifacts on the National Museum of American History’s website.
  • Host an author study on Sandra Cisneros, Pat Mora, Pam Muñoz Ryan, or Gary Soto. See this list of Hispanic Heritage books for reference.
  • Host a virtual travel fair! Have students research Spanish-speaking countries with Scholastic’s Global Trek online activity and talk about them in class
  • Learn about Latinx cultural events such as Cinco de Mayo, La Posadas, and the Day of the Dead
  • Have students compose their own corridos, or Mexican ballads, about a person they admire. Corridos typically have four-line stanzas with eight syllables in each line, have no chorus or repeated lines, and tell a story. Learn more at Corridos Sin Fronteras.
  • Read Hispanic poetry. Try the poems of Fracisco X. Alarcón, such as “My Mother’s Hands” from Angels Ride Bikes and “Keys to the Universe” in From the Bellybutton of the Moon. Both poems underscore the importance of learning from other cultures.
  • Have kids make maracas, percussion instruments that are native to Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela. Decorate paper bags with paint, fill them with dried rice, and fasten with a rubber band. Finally, make some music!