This year, Latinx Heritage Month felt especially close to home. Recent earthquakes have devastated communities across Latin America, impacting families, neighborhoods and places that hold deep meaning for so many of us. As communities abroad begin the long process of healing and rebuilding, we’ve been thinking even more about the strength, resilience and sense of connection that define the Latinx community.
That made this year’s celebration at Orchestra feel particularly meaningful. Over the past month, we’ve had the chance to celebrate our cultures, traditions and stories while recognizing the many ways our community shows up for one another. Across borders, generations and experiences, the Latinx community remains vibrant and resilient.
We were grateful to highlight that spirit alongside colleagues here at Orchestra. Our theme for this year’s programming was Celebrating Nuestra Comunidad, or Celebrating our Community. We wanted it to feel joyful, personal and rooted in the traditions that bring us together, while creating space for people to connect.
That came to life in different ways across our offices, with colleagues gathering for local celebrations and lunches. Our New York team held a Salsa Night featuring live music from Son Con Tres, dancing and Venezuelan food. In Washington, D.C., colleagues celebrated at the Nationals’ Latinx Heritage Day game. Remote team members were also encouraged to join in by supporting a Latinx-owned or Latin American restaurant in their own communities.
We also celebrated in smaller ways throughout the month, putting together a Latin music playlist and creating a Latinx/Latine ERG cookbook filled with recipes, memories and stories from our colleagues. Food has a way of carrying family history and tradition with it, and the cookbook gave us a chance to learn more about one another through the dishes that mean something to us.
As Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, we’re grateful to everyone who joined us, shared a recipe, came to lunch, hit the dance floor or found another way to celebrate. Nuestra comunidad is something we carry with us well beyond one month, and we’re glad we had the chance to celebrate it together.
