Co-sponsor Senate resolutions commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrating Hispanic-Serving Institutions

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) have co-sponsored a bipartisan resolution to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15-Oct. 15. The resolution celebrates the immense contributions that Hispanic and Latino Americans have made to the United States, honoring the many ways in which Hispanic and Latino heritage have shaped our country’s economy, culture and history.

Udall and Heinrich also co-sponsored a resolution designating the week of Sept. 16 “National Hispanic-Serving Institutions Week.” New Mexico is home to 23 Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), defined as degree-granting institutions where total Hispanic enrollment constitutes no less than 25 percent of the total enrollment. HSIs play a critical role in educating Hispanic youth and improving the communities in which they are located.

“Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the indelible mark that Hispanic and Latino Americans have made on the United States – and in particular, on New Mexico,” Udall said. “New Mexico’s heritage, our culture, our communities, and our very way of life are all inextricably linked to and defined by the traditions of generations of Hispanic families who have called our state home for centuries. You cannot tell the story of New Mexico without telling the stories of the Hispanic communities of our state - and of the community leaders, public servants, artists, scholars, teachers, doctors, neighbors, family members and friends who enrich our state in countless ways. As we honor the immeasurable contributions of Hispanics to our state and nation, so too must we rededicate ourselves to expanding opportunity for all communities, and to tackling systemic issues like the wage gap facing Latina women. And we must speak out against a resurgent hatred and racism that targets Hispanic and Latino people all across this country. We must work to defeat these forces of bigotry, and unite behind the values that link us all – patriotism, hard work, community, family, and perseverance.”

“For centuries, Hispanic and Latino Americans have helped write the economic, social, and cultural story of New Mexico,” said Heinrich. “Serving in the Armed Forces, as judges on our courts, as teachers in our classrooms, as leaders in labor movements, and as scientists at our national labs, generations of Hispanics have made remarkable contributions to New Mexico and the nation, and continue to inspire the next generation of leaders. I am proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and honor the achievements of Hispanics and Latinos in America.”

The full text of the resolution honoring Hispanic Heritage Month can be found here.