We’re wrapping up Hispanic Heritage Month! This month is especially important to all Hispanics in Kansas City and across the United States. It represents the important history and contributions Hispanics have made to this country. It has been celebrated in the United States for more than 50 years, since 1968.
Although there have been many well-known people who have paved the way for Hispanics, such as Cesar Chavez (labor leader and civil rights activist) and Ellen Ochoa (an astronaut and engineer who was the first Hispanic woman to go to space), to me Hispanic Heritage Month is about celebrating the contributions, small and large, that the everyday, hard-working Hispanic men and women do for their communities. Hispanic Heritage Month represents family values, courage, strong work ethic, and bravery. It is about grit. I see these traits every day in the community and those qualities solidify what I think about my culture.
My parents, Griselda and Elias, came to the United States in 1981. My dad found work as a custodian at a bakery in downtown San Francisco. He learned every job in the bakery, because he knew that without certain skills, he could not advance. Fourteen years later in 1995, my dad bought the bakery that he once took care of as custodian. This showed me at a young age that if I want anything in my life in the United States, I must work for everything. Similarly, in my current role as the Executive Director of Student and Community Engagement for the Olathe Public Schools and as a Group Facilitator for the Thriving Communities program at KidsTLC, I see this same grit that my father exemplified portrayed by our Hispanic families on a daily basis. Seeing this every day inspires me and makes me want to keep advocating for our Hispanic families.
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important to highlight the “invisible worker.” The “invisible worker” is the worker who works behind the scenes whose contributions often go unnoticed but are extremely vital to make the country operate—workers like my dad. They truly embody the American Dream. These workers are showing their children what it takes to be successful. It is a blessing that their work ethic will create children who become teachers, lawyers, doctors, veterans, and so much more.
As the country takes time to recognize Hispanic Heritage month, I celebrate the Hispanics who have gone before me and made it possible for my family to come to this country. I celebrate my parents who came to here and show me that their contributions matter. I celebrate the Hispanics who are currently making this community operate on a daily basis so that we can enjoy our life in Johnson County. I celebrate future generations who will carry our stories and legacies forward. It is amazing to think about the opportunities that will come to these future generations because those who came before us cared enough to pave the way.
Erik Erazo
Executive Director of Student and Community Engagement, Olathe Public Schools Group Facilitator for Thriving Communities at KidsTLC