SSFS Celebrates Latine Heritage Month 2025

For our first Heritage Month celebration of the school year, Sandy Spring Friends School is proud to honor the many contributions of the Latine community both here on campus and across the world. Our school is enriched every day by Latine students, families, and colleagues, and U.S. history is deeply shaped by Latine leaders who have strengthened our nation as business owners, artists, activists, public servants, educators, and more. From military service to civil rights leadership, Latinas and Latinos continue to serve as powerful changemakers.

Each year from September 15 through October 15, Latine Heritage Month—also known as Hispanic Heritage Month—celebrates the vibrant histories, cultures, languages, traditions, values, and contributions of people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.

This yearly observance began in 1968 during the Civil Rights Movement as Hispanic Heritage Week and was expanded in 1988 to a month-long celebration. September 15 was chosen as the start date because it marks the independence anniversaries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua (all in 1821). Independence days for Mexico (September 16), Chile (September 18), and Belize (September 21) follow shortly after.

Latine vs. Hispanic
The term Latine is a more recent, gender-inclusive word derived from “Latino/Latina,” used to describe people with Latin American and Caribbean heritage, including those from Portuguese- and French-speaking countries such as Brazil and Haiti.

The term Hispanic was created by the U.S. federal government in the 1970s to categorize Americans from the Spanish-speaking diaspora. This narrower definition excludes non–Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, such as Brazil and Belize.

At SSFS, while we honor both terms, we also acknowledge that neither fully captures the diversity of Latin America, including Indigenous cultures and Afro-Latinidad identities.

Latine Heritage Month at SSFS
Our community continues to engage with Latine culture through academic work in the Global Languages Department, service trips, and Intersession programming. This year, our community is celebrating Latinx Heritage Month with the theme “Cultural Identity Through Food.” The celebration was announced at All-School Assembly, with an upcoming assembly on October 9 dedicated to honoring Latinx culture and traditions.

Throughout the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools, students and faculty will see bulletin boards, slideshows, and decorations highlighting Latinx heritage. The Latinx Affinity Group is creating a special video collage featuring students and faculty sharing their favorite Latin foods, which will be showcased during the assembly.

In addition to on-campus activities, we will also be sharing information about local and regional opportunities for families to participate in Latinx Heritage Month celebrations off-campus.