¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana! For over 50 years, Hispanic Heritage Month has been celebrated in the United States from September 15 – October 15. The start date of September 15 marks the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September 18, respectively.
Here in San Diego, Latino influence and heritage is stitched into the fabric of our identity, and we celebrate this culture 365 days a year.
We encourage all Wave FC fans to join us in celebrating this month through activism, education, and lifting all voices. Below is a list of resources and events to consider supporting. If there are additional organizations and/or resources we should provide our platform to, please send your suggestions to [email protected].
And be sure to join us on September 28 when we host Latino Heritage Night, presented by McDonald’s, at Snapdragon Stadium when the Portland Thorns come to town to face the Wave. We’ll be hosting pre-match “El Remate de Noche Latina” featuring themed music, food, games and more, and the first 10,000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative Latino Heritage captain’s armband.
¡Viva la cultura!
Events:
September 14 – Mexican Independence Day Celebration; At The Old Globe’s outdoor Copley Plaza from 11am-1:30pm, enjoy an exciting lineup of binational artists and cultural offerings such as live music, folklórico dance performances, and arts and crafts. Plus, a special guest of the Mexican Consulate in San Diego will join us as we commemorate this historic event by reciting “El Grito”, followed by a sing-along of the National Anthem.
September 14 – Join the annual festivities at the Old Town San Diego Fiestas Patrias from 11am-4pm. This vibrant event commemorates the beginning of Mexico’s fight for independence and offers a wonderful opportunity to honor, learn about, and celebrate Mexican heritage, tradition, and history. Event highlights include traditional crafts, adobe walking tours, folklorico dance performances, and the Old Town Guac’ Off.
September 14 – Their Wall Our Canvas Closing Reception at the Chicano Park Museum from 1pm-4pm; honor the end of this exhibition at the closing reception while we enjoy live music performance by VeraCruz Blues and food by Irene Castruita. Meet the Guest Curators of this exhibit, engage in thought-provoking conversations that aim to lead to action, and take one last chance to experience the powerful stories and artwork before the exhibit concludes.
September 15 – Oceanside Dia de Independencia Noche Mexicana at the City of Oceanside Civic Center from 1pm-7pm; a night filled with traditional Mexican music, free entry, car show, mercado, dancing, food, and fun. Wear your best Mexican attire and get ready to immerse yourself in the rich culture and history of Mexico.
September 15 – El Grito in Chula Vista: Ambassador Alicia Kerber-Palma, Consul General of Mexico in San Diego, and Mayor John McCann, of the City of Chula Vista, invite you and your family to be a part of San Diego County’s official celebration of Mexican Independence Day – El Grito! This family-friendly event will take place at the Memorial Bowl in Downtown Chula Vista and is open to the public to enjoy traditional Mexican live entertainment and performances, food and beverages, and the official Grito conducted by San Diego’s new Consul General, Ambassador Kerber-Palma. El Grito ceremony will take place at 7:30pm and will also be aired live on XEWT Canal 12
September 15 – ¡Encuentra las Fiestas Patrias en Escondido! Taking place at Grape Day Park in Escondido, this event celebrating Mexican Independence will feature music, folk ballets, fair games, food, and a great show by some of the best folk ballet groups from all around San Diego County.
September 17 – Hispanic Heritage Mixer at Kalaveras in Chula Vista from 5:30pm-7:30pm; celebrate the vibrant culture and traditions of the Hispanic community with music, dancing, and delicious food. This event is a great opportunity to connect with others who share a love for Hispanic heritage.
September 17 – Otay Ranch Town Center Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration from 4pm-7pm; each September this popular retail and dining destination in eastern Chula Vista hosts a community celebration filled with live music, food, cultural performances and fun for the whole family celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month.
September 18 – Mexicans: Hispanic, Chicanos, or Native? A Journey of Self-Identification at California State University San Marcos at 6pm; this lecture dives into the complex identities of Mexicans, exploring the terms Hispanic, Latino, Chicano, and Native with Grace Sesma, and will reflect on the profound impacts of colonization, including the loss of culture, tribal identity, land, and community.
September 23 – Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Latino Owned Businesses Journey; located at Chase Bank in Imperial Beach from 5:30pm-7:30pm, this event includes a panel discussion and a mixer for networking.
September 25 – North County Hispanic Heritage Awards; The 3rd Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards joins the North County Business Expo to celebrate small businesses and community leaders serving San Diego North County.
October 5 – Encinitas Latino Heritage Celebration; located at Thread Spun, the event features a vibrant celebration of Latino culture, art, music, and food. This free, in-person event will highlight the richness and diversity of Latino heritage through workshops and demonstrations led by local members of our San Diego Latino community.
Businesses:
One of the easiest ways to celebrate is to eat, shop, or buy from a Latino-owned business.
Artelexia – A cozy Mexican gift shop delivering handmade jewelry, art & more, plus weekly craft classes.
Barrio Donas – Located in Clairemont, San Diego, Barrio Donas represents the multilayered cultural experience that comes with living in San Diego while emphasizing the radiante beauty of Mexican-American culture – in the form of a donut. Wave FC will be visiting this stop in our next Community Pop-In in Clairemont Mesa this Thursday.
Casa XoVi – You can find unique gifts including hand-painted hats, embroidered tabletops, jewelry, home décor, and apparel. Owner Xochitl Villareal personally handpicks all pieces from Mexico and South America.
Cuscatlán Salvadorean Cuisine – Small family restaurant serving up some delicious Salvadorean and Central American food.
Combine and Create – Vanessa Alcaraz hand forges her jewelry in Barrio Logan. Her pieces incorporate gemstones like pink quartz and tiger’s eyes, as well as antique beads and coins.
Dia Del Café – Mexican inspired hot and iced drinks along with all teas and coffees are served here. All ingredients are organic and fair-trade sourced.
Frida’s Taqueria – From Tijuana to the world! Their story is born from having a dream as a family and starting an authentic Tijuana taqueria to show their culture and the seasoning that identifies them. Located in Escondido and Oceanside.
Havana Grill – A tasty, authentic Cuban Cuisine and is 100% Wave FC player approved!
Hola Swim – Two lifelong friends, Aida Soria and Syncletica Maestas, founded this swimsuit company on a whim. Their collections are entirely designed and produced in San Diego. Each piece is inspired by their Hispanic roots and named after a friend.
MMM…Cakes – Enjoy these homemade and delicious cakes made by Chula Vista native himself, Jose Barajas.
Panaderia La Buena – An old school, traditional, family owned bakery showcasing authentic pan dulce, cookies, cakes and other sweet treats from the heart of Mexico.
Panchita’s Bakery – A traditional panadería with over 160 varieties of breads, pastries, cookies and desserts as well as cakes.
Sew Loka – This amazing artist made Jaedyn Shaw’s custom jacket for the recent San Diego Magazine cover, and offers sewing classes to the community while making handmade custom items for purchase.
Check out some of these lists highlighting a number of businesses across San Diego County:
Tacos El Gallo,
Taquería Los Chuchys
El Cacho Fish Taco Stand
Mujeres Brewhouse
Tuetano Taqueria,
El Salvador Pupuseria Y Restaurante
Los Panchos Taco Shop
Los Taquitos Taco Shop
Por Vida
Plantology
Additionally, here are links to pages that have compiled large lists of business to explore and consider visiting:
Education and Organizations:
The Chicano Federation – One of our original community partners, Chicano Federation is a local organization whose mission is to invest in under-resourced communities in San Diego. When you shop our 2023 Wave FC Latino Heritage merch, a portion of net proceeds will benefit The Chicano Federation in helping them continue to provide opportunities for all San Diegans in need.
Barrio Logan College Institute – Barrio Logan College Institute’s main priority is to positively impact the lives of San Diego youth and the trajectory of their futures.
Border Philanthropy Partnership – The Border Philanthropy Partnership serves as the leading binational organization focused on building prosperity along the U.S.-Mexico Border region through leadership, collaboration, and philanthropy.
Casa de Amistad – Casa de Amistad is a grassroots non-profit organization grounded in the heart of the North County San Diego community. Their welcoming neighborhood campus offers a safe and inclusive place for learning, where we meet academic and mentoring needs for our community’s families. They help students by providing ongoing educational support, opportunities and experiences that place them on a path to a bright and positive future.
Casa Familiar – The leading service and community development organization in the community of San Ysidro, providing over 40 bilingual programs and services at six different sites in the community. Programs range from Civic Engagement to Health & Social Services, Arts & Culture to Education.
Centro Cultural De La Raza – This cultural art center is dedicated to creating, promoting, preserving and educating about Chicano, Mexican, Indigenous and Latino art and culture. The nonprofit organization is housed in a former Balboa Park water tower draped with bright murals. The Centro Cultural de la Raza provides classes, arts and crafts, and artistic presentations that support and encourage the creative expression of indigenous cultures. Special outdoor vendor exhibits can be enjoyed on selected weekends.
Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center – The CPMCC has served as an educational and cultural hub by providing resources, programming, and care to the community since its inception in 2015. Right outside is Chicano Park, home to the largest concentration of Chicano murals in the world, with more than 100 paintings on seven acres dotted with sculpture, gardens, picnic tables and playgrounds.
Hispanic Wealth Project – HWP is committed to fostering an ecosystem for Hispanic household wealth creation by empowering Latinos to fully participate and prosper in the U.S. economy through actionable initiatives in sustainable homeownership, small business development and financial education.
MANA de San Diego – MANA de San Diego transforms communities by empowering Latinas to achieve upward mobility and a better quality of life.
National Latina Business Women’s Association – NLBWA aims to empower Latinas to grow their business and achieve their professional goals through research, education, collaboration, and strategic alliances.
San Diego Public Library – San Diego Public Library presents Nuestra Cultura, a series celebrating and recognizing the rich heritage, history, contributions and culture of our Latin American and Indigenous communities. They recognize that there is deeply rooted pride in heritage and that self-identities are important, unique and may change over time. They will celebrate with an array of programs for all ages and recommended reading and listening lists from our English and Spanish collections.
SDSU Voces de Resistencia: Celebrating Unity, Wellness and the Power of Immigration – This year, the theme highlights the collective strength found in our shared stories of resilience and the pursuit of well-being. They will celebrate the power of immigration, which has deeply influenced and enriched the fabric of our society. The theme calls on our comunidad to recognize the unity that binds us, the wellness we strive for and the enduring strength of our immigrant roots.
UCSD Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together – Check out their calendar of events including drag loteria, exploring latinx activism, and the student organization fair.
