THE GORGE — Both Hood River County School District (HRCSD) and White Salmon Valley School District (WSVSD) directors approved resolutions declaring Hispanic Heritage Month at their August board meetings.
In the U.S., the observation began with National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson, and then in 1988, President Ronald Reagan exxpanded National Hispanic Heritage Month to cover a 30-day period between Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.
For HRCSD, the motion passed as Resolution No. 25-26/01 at its Aug. 27 board meeting. About 20% of staff and more than 43% of enrolled students identify as Hispanic and/or Latino. For WSVSD, the motion passed as Resolution No. 24/25-05 at its Aug. 28 board meeting. About 12% of staff and more than 33% of enrolled students identify as Hispanic and/or Latino.
Both resolutions read in part, “No matter the term one chooses to use, whether it be Hispanic, Latino/a, Latinx or Chicano/a, we speak of people who are civil rights leaders and community organizers, politicians, soldiers, educators, journalists, first responders, pioneers in art and science, healthcare professionals, athletes, inventors, entertainers and so much more; and whereas, Hispanic and Latino individuals continue their rich history of significant and diverse contributions to the cultural, educational, economic and political vitality of our community.”
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