by Samantha N., Latinx Services Librarian | Community Engagement Office, and Mary P., Community Engagement Manager of Latinx Services.
Mes de la Cultura is also known as Hispanic Heritage Month. Here at Pima County Public Library we use the term Mes de la Cultura to include all communities with ties to Latin America and the Caribbean. There are diverse cultural groups and different languages spoken throughout the continent (and surrounding islands), and some of these groups might not fit neatly within the label “Hispanic.” Did you know, for example, that over two hundred Indigenous languages are spoken in Mexico alone? You can learn more about it through Culture Grams.
We celebrate our cultura every month of the year, but from September 15th to October 15th, we make a special effort to connect with and honor Latin American and diaspora heritage.
Do you want to participate in Mes de la Cultura with PCPL? The Nuestras Raíces team is hosting an event for El Grito, Mexican Independence Day:
Wednesday, September 16 from 4:30 to 6:30
Richard Elías-Mission Library, 3770 S. Mission Rd.
El Consulado de México en Tucson will lead us in the El Grito ceremony and then we will be mesmerized by Mariachi Los Diablitos and Los Diablitos Azules Folklorico from Sunnyside High School. There will be treats courtesy of La Estrella Bakery as well.
Do you have any traditional Mexican clothing you want to show off? This is the time! Come dressed up to the event because there will be a photo opportunity! We’ll have a fun backdrop where you can take photos. In Mexico, people often wear china poblana skirts or dress up like heroes of the Mexican Independence (you can find some of them here) or Adelitas. You can also dress up in embroidered shirts, folklorico dresses, rebozos, trajes, or simply your favorite outfit. We hope to see you there!
A little about our team: Nuestras Raíces is one of eight library affinity teams. We are dedicated to serving Spanish-speaking and Latine/x communities in Pima County.
Aside from the library’s El Grito, you can also find our team at these events during Mes de la Cultura:
Tuesday, September 15
El Grito with El Consulado de México en Tucson
Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S Church Ave.
Saturday, September 26 starting at 4 pm
Pueblos del Maíz
Kennedy Park, 3357 S. La Cholla Blvd.
Saturday, October 17
Nuestras Raíces is partnering with the Pride Team to host a Latine Pride Talk featuring two authors: Jonny Garza Villa and Sonido Reyes. More information to come!
Ideas for how to celebrate all year long!
Please note, when you click on some of the links below you will be prompted to create an account if you don't already have one. Need help doing so? Check out Niche Academy, which features easy-to-understand tutorials!
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Read
Check out a book from our catalog. There are many lists of general recommendations for all ages and tastes from the Nuestras Raíces team.
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Watch
Check out a movie or show on DVD or stream something on Hoopla or Kanopy. In fact, Kanopy has an entire Hispanic Heritage Month collection to stream!
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Listen
Enjoy music by Latine/x and Latin American artists on Freegal through the library. Check out the ¡Viva México! and ¡Viva Latinoamérica! playlists curated by the Nuestras Raíces team.
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Taste
Cook something delicious. The library has a diverse array of cookbooks published just this year to browse, including some by Latinx authors like Veracruz All Natural and Cooking the Borderlands. You can also look for a recipe on Culture Grams.
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Experience
Check out a culture pass. One of the places you can visit through the culture pass program is the Tucson Museum of Art, where you can see La Casa Cordova and many exhibitions that celebrate la cultura.
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Explore
Learn more about Latin America and diaspora communities by exploring the resources in our e-library, like the countries and geography section, or read biographies.
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Speak
No Sabo Kid no more! Learn (or brush up on) Spanish or Portuguese.
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Armchair Travel
Experience the wonders of Latin America without leaving your home.
¡Viva!
