{Disclosure: This is part of a compensated campaign with Latina Mom Bloggers and Ford. However, all opinions expressed are my own.}
I have always celebrated my heritage, for as long as I can remember. It's interesting though that growing up I never even knew there was such a thing as Hispanic Heritage Month, which takes place from September 15th through October 15th.
Weekly family gatherings and countless family traditions ensured that Hispanic heritage was a way of life, not just something we celebrated one month out of the year. I do have to say though, that never have I been more proud of my heritage than when I became a mother. Growing up, I always took my heritage for granted and just went through the motions of things that my family celebrated without any real appreciation for it all. And now, I see it.
My 4 boys are very much aware of their Hispanic heritage {as well as their Asian heritage}, and I love sharing all of the rich stories and traditions that I've grown to feel so enamored with over the years. Many times those stories and traditions are passed down and experienced through los abuelos - my kids' grandparents. I know that's how it was for me. I would spend countless hours with my own grandparents watching and learning about different things that made me proud to be Hispanic. Even though my kids don't live near my own parents - their own grandparents - when we are together, our rich Hispanic heritage plays a huge part in all of the fun things my kids experience with their abuelitos.
Lots of our traditions are built around food. Yes, oh yes, yummy, traditional Mexican food. Tex-Mex, to be exact! And I love that my kids know their great aunts {MY aunts, their great aunts} so well that we talk about them regularly at home. I love that they are as in love with my family as I am!
As you can imagine, I was thrilled to learn that Ford Motor Company is hosting LATINO AMERICANS, a three-part, six-hour series that documents the history and experiences of Latinos. The series will tell the stories that Hispanics have faced to achieve a better life for themselves and their families. The series features interviews with well-known Puerto Rican star of West Side Story, Rita Moreno; Mexican-American author and commentator Linda Chavez, who also became the highest ranking woman in the Reagan White House; and Cuban singer and entrepreneur Gloria Estefan.
The great people at Ford obviously take great pride in the impact that Latinos have made in our communities, and as a result remains one of the most respected brands among Latinos because of this commitment to support and bring attention to such contributions. The LATINO AMERICANS series will air on PBS on September 17th, September 24th, and October 1st from 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. (EST). I, for one, am looking forward to tuning in and watching with my boys. I hope to foster the love of celebrating who they are so that my future grandchildren will look back fondly on their Hispanic heritate like I do.
To learn more, you can connect with Ford en Español on Facebook or Twitter.
What beautiful pictures Candy! I bet those enchiladas were delish!
Posted by: Candypo | September 23, 2013 at 11:48 PM