Latinx and Hispanic Heritage Month

Fernanda Ponce's 2017 TED talk examines how identity-based stereotypes hinder the potential for a deeper understanding of the unique depth, diversity, and long-running history of Latinx/e/a/o and Hispanic communities in America.

The films suggested here explore the critical contributions Hispanic and Latin American communities have made to the history and multicultural fabric of the United States. 

Voces de Fillmore. Directed by Regina Eaton. Third World Newsreel, 2015. 19 minutes

Brief Abstract: This documentary traces the memories and experiences of families living on one block located in South Williamsburg, a Brooklyn neighborhood that is affectionately known by long time residents as Southside or Los Sures. In the past decade, Southside’ Latinx and working class population has steadily decreased from seventy to forty-five percent, in part due to gentrification in New York City. In this film, Puerto Rican families who have lived and raised children in Los Sures for several decades talk about their quest to preserve a sense of community in a rapidly gentrifying neighborhood.

Additional Resources:

Further Readings: https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/how-does-new-york-citys-latinx-community-see-itself

Further Research:  "Latinos in Brooklyn: Demographic and Socioeconomic Transformations in Sunset Park/Windsor Terrace and Bushwick, 1990-2017" (CLACLS report)

Latino Wisconsin. Directed by Ralph Pabst. Latino WI Films, 2020. 57 minutes

Brief Abstract: In five chapters, the documentary demonstrates how Wisconsin’s booming Latino population is reviving rural communities and aging urban centers. Latino children are filling empty classrooms, and a new generation of Latino leaders and professionals are bringing energy and diversity to the Badger State.

Related Resources:

Demographic Statistics: https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/race-ethnicity/racial-ethnic-groups/hispanics-latinos/hispanic-latino-demographics/ (Pew Research Center)

From Mexico to Vietnam: My Father's Story. Directed by Andres Gallegos. El Dorado Films, 2021. 14 minutes

Brief Abstract: After losing her father at an early age, Tina Duran explores the rich history of her father, the story of her ancestors who migrated from Mexico to the United States, and the implications the Vietnam War had on her community.

Related Resources:

Guided Research: 1970: National Chicano Moratorium (Library of Congress)