It’s Mes da la Cultura!

This blog is by Samantha N., Latinx Services Librarian

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? Check out one of these events at a library branch:

• Crafts & Laughs for Tweens and Teens: Make Papel Picado
  Wednesday, September 17 from 3 to 4:30 pm
  Martha Cooper Library, 1377 N. Catalina Ave.
• Mes de la Cultura: Family Storytime
  Friday, September 19 from 10 to 11 am
  Salazar-Ajo Library, 15 Plaza 179
• Paint a Folklórico Dancer
  Wednesday, September 24 from 2:30 to 4 pm (registration is required)
  Kirk-Bear Canyon Library, 8959 E. Tanque Verde Rd.

Nuestras Raíces is one of eight library affinity teams. We are dedicated to serving Spanish-speaking and Latine/x communities in Pima County. You can catch us at this event:

Nuestras Raíces and Biblio Lotus will present in the Culture Kitchen tent at Tucson Meet Yourself, October 18th and 19th, in collaboration with Chinese Chorizo Project. The festival takes place outside Joel D. Valdez Main Library in the Jácome Plaza. Stay tuned for more details!

Many libraries are creating beautiful displays in honor of Mes de la Cultura, too! 

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!

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.

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! 

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.

Taste: Cook something delicious. The library has many cookbooks that celebrate our cultura, including the ones on this list. You can also look for a recipe on Culture Grams.

Experience: Check out a Culture Pass and visit some of the exhibits at the Tucson Museum of Art, like Condición Humana/ Human Condition: Modern and Contemporary Latin American Art / Arte Latinoamericano Moderno y Contemporáneo.

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.

Speak: No Sabo Kid no more! Learn (or brush up on) Spanish or Portuguese.

Armchair Travel: Experience the wonders of Latin America without leaving your home.

¡Viva!