Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month!
POSTED on August 15, 2019 IN Coopera
Many businesses find numerous ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Here are a few ideas that you can use.
Hispanic Heritage Month is right around the corner! This year, the 31 days of celebration begin on Sunday, September 15, and end on Tuesday, October 15. During this special month, we recognize the centuries of contributions made to United States growth and development by Hispanics.
For credit unions that serve large Hispanic communities, public recognition and celebration of the month can both honor the heritage of members and build stronger relations between them and the institution. But even credit unions that don’t serve large numbers of Hispanics should recognize the importance of what has become one of the country’s fastest-growing population groups.
Many businesses find numerous ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Here are a few ideas that you can use.
Host employee and member luncheons or receptions featuring food and beverages from Latin American countries. Nothing brings people together faster than food, and a buffet of authentic dishes would create real interest from your community to want to learn more about the Hispanic culture.
Hold a ‘lunch and learn’ event for staff that features a local Hispanic community leader. Find someone who can talk about the financial needs of the community and other topics that foster curiosity understanding and empathy. Too many people are reluctant to reach across the aisle and get to know people outside their social circle. This would be an excellent opportunity to break down a few barriers of cross-cultural communication.
Conduct a credit union-wide charity drive to raise funds for a Hispanic need or educational opportunity. In addition to helping a good cause, employee participation can help raise awareness and empathy among credit union members, board and staff, all of which are key to greater cultural awareness.
Aprende a hablar Español. (Learn to speak Spanish.) Whether it’s a new Spanish word each day for 31 days, impromptu dialogue lessons in the employee break room, or one-on-one tutorials between Spanish-speaking employees and those who want to learn, everyone benefits when everyone gets talking. Communication leads to understanding, and knowing the language is where it starts.
Take cultural field trips. Chances are there is more activity going on among local Hispanic community members than you might think. Seek it out and encourage employees to visit Hispanic cultural centers, art galleries, dances, concerts and even food carts. Task those employees to describe their impressions at weekly staff meetings. That way everyone learns from each other’s experiences.
¡Fiesta! Feeling ambitious? Host an outdoor concert and mini-fiesta one Saturday morning during Hispanic Heritage Month in the credit union’s parking lot, serving food and featuring a live local Latino entertainment. Such an event can attract members and nonmembers alike, perhaps even drawing local TV news coverage because of the music, colorful costumes and festive activities. It’s a very visible way to show support for the Hispanic community and maybe even gain new members in the process.
This blog post was written by Víctor Corro, CEO of Coopera. Find other blog posts at blog.cooperaconsulting.com.