Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15 each year, is a time to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.  

According to the Joint Economic Committee Hispanic Entrepreneurship and Business Brief, nearly one in four new businesses is Hispanic-owned. There are more than 300,000 Hispanic-owned, employer businesses located across all 50 states and the District of Columbia. According to the Small Business Association, Hispanic owned businesses employ about 1 million workers, with more than $100 billion in annual payroll.  

Challenges of Hispanic Employees  
Hispanic employees face various challenges in the workplace. According to a survey conducted by LinkedIn, Latino professionals aged 18-34: 

• 60% feel they have been overlooked or intentionally passed by for career advancement opportunities (e.g., promotion/pay raise) because of their race 
• Nearly 1 in 2 (44%) of professionals have faced blatant discrimination and/or microaggressions at work 
• 73% believe that a person’s skin tone impacts their career progression and 65% with darker skin complexions feel like they have been overlooked for career progression  

​Of the participants surveyed, 66% of professionals say they would be more interested in working for an organization that makes a public commitment to equity and racial justice. Yet, 50% still reported feeling that their workplace lacks a nurturing environment for those who look like them. 

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