September 15 kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month. It marks independence for many Latin-American countries, making it a significant time. The celebration goes until October 15 to acknowledge the contributions of Hispanic figures, an excellent opportunity to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at work – honoring the diversity of your team.
Here, we’ve compiled 16 ideas to help you celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at work, whether you want to host a single fiesta or create a calendar of fun, worthwhile activities to honor your Hispanic employees, foster inclusivity, and promote diversity.
1. Team meal ?
Bring a meal into the office to liven up the atmosphere and nourish your team with Latin American Flavors. This option has something for everyone with a wide array of meal combinations – including vegan and gluten-free. Food is always an excellent way to bring your group together, bonding and sharing laughs over delicious cuisines.
2. Allyship workshop ?
For a more serious and highly impactful activity to honor Hispanic Heritage Month at work, Allyship in the Workplace is a virtual educational seminar that allows participants to grow their knowledge and understanding to work in solidarity with underrepresented cultures. This workshop seeks to develop empathy and a sense of connection between all team members, with the opportunity to ask questions in a judgment-free environment.
3. Trivia ?
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at your work in a festive way with the Latin American Heritage Trivia hosted by professional entertainers. Your team will have a blast as they play various fun, collaborative, and competitive games with questions that focus on Latinx cultures and traditions.
4. Get together for a movie night ??
To honor Hispanic Heritage Month, fire up the flat screen in the meeting room. Take a vote and pick a movie that marks or celebrates Hispanic cultures. Give your team a few options to vote on for films that feature a predominantly Latinx cast and authentically represent Hispanic cultures. Here are a few to consider:
- Like Water for Chocolate
- Coco
- West Side Story
- The Book of Life
- Selena
- Maria Full of Grace
- Under The Same Moon (La Misma Luna)
5. Latin dance classes ?
Throw some energy and pizzazz into your Hispanic Heritage Month celebration with a Salsa Class. Pick a partner and learn the footwork to execute a classical salsa dance. Experienced instructors teach and provide music and fun. Just bring your dancing shoes (any comfortable shoes will do) and a zest for life.
6. Learn Spanish together as a team ?
The U.S. contains the second largest population of Spanish speakers in the world – next to Mexico – and over half-a-billion people speak the language globally. It’s second only to Mandarin in the number of native language speakers.
Use Hispanic Heritage Month as an opportunity to offer Spanish language classes in your office. Sponsor an online language education that lets your team learn as a group or hire an instructor to teach weekly classes. Lessons in the language will foster an appreciation for the many Spanish-speaking cultures worldwide and introduce a highly useful skill.
7. Order treats for your team ?
The only things more enjoyable than cultural food at work are tasty treats and delectable desserts. Mini Churros are the perfect vehicle to represent Latin-American culture in food form. These bite-sized pastries, coated in cinnamon and sugar, will surely be a hit with everyone at your company.
8. Host a Hispanic-themed potluck ?
The term “Hispanic” covers a multitude of cultures – each with a tremendous variety of dishes and desserts that hold significant cultural pride. Invite staff to cook up their favorite cuisine with an origin in Hispanic cultures – like pupusas from El Salvadore or Bandera Dominicana from the Dominican Republic – or they can each opt to bring a dish passed down through their own heritage. You can find an endless supply of recipes from any culture online.
9. Have an after-work happy hour ?
Latin cultures offer delicious foods and desserts, but how about drinks? Throw a Hispanic-American-themed happy hour with classic Margaritas, mojitos, and Latin-American spirits that don’t have the same exposure, like Peru’s pisco sour or Brazil’s Caipirinha.
Take a look at Thriver’s catering and pantry options for ideas on hosting a happy hour at work, as well as trusted providers to bring food and dessert selections straight to your office.
10. Put together a painting class ?
Hispanic cultures have produced some of the greatest painters the world has ever known. As a Hispanic Heritage Month activity for your workplace, consider gathering your team to honor Latin masters like Pablo Picasso, Frida Kahlo, or Salvador Dali by recreating one of their beautiful works.
Here is a painting class idea that you can book on the Thriver marketplace.
11. Start a book club ?
A book club is a great way to bring your team together for lively discussions about a wide range of topics throughout the year. For Hispanic Heritage month, consider one or more of these titles by celebrated Hispanic authors:
- Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel
- One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez
- The House of the Spirits by Isabel Allende
- All the Odes by Pablo Neruda
- Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
- The Book of Unknown Americans by Cristina Henríquez
- Bless Me, Ultima, by Rudolfo A. Anaya
- How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents by Julia Alvarez
12. Put on a virtual tour ?
Wouldn’t traveling to a far-away place and immersing yourself in the culture be a fun Hispanic Heritage Month activity? It’s probably not feasible to hop on a plane to visit the Patagonian steppes of Argentina or visit an art museum in Manhattan or Chicago – a virtual tour is the next best thing. Many organizations offer online treks of intriguing Latin-American locations, and several museums offer virtual walk-throughs to view exhibits of work created by Hispanic artistic masters. Here are some ideas for online tours focusing on Latinx cultures that your crew can enjoy:
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum
- Wanderlust Virtual Tours
- Museum of Latin American Art
13. Cultural games ?
We often think about the food that people bring from their lands of origin, but how often do we think about the wide variety of games and sports unique to each culture. Every Latin-American country is home to their own pastimes that aren’t prevalent anywhere else. Get the crew together to explore the rich diversity of contests specific to the many Hispanic cultures.
An online search will reveal a multitude of fun games and their rules for you and your crew to learn together. Here are a few games to look into and try out.
- Sapo, from Peru
- Purrinha, from Brazil
- Trompo, from Ecuador
- Bolas Criollas, from Venezuela
Keep in mind that most of these games take place outdoors and require the use of balls and other equipment. It will take some planning and shopping ahead of time to prepare for the contest your crew decides to play.
14. Throw an ice cream social ?
Depending on your location, the weather might still be warm between the middle of September to mid-October. What better way to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at work than by beating the heat with some frozen sweets? Whatever your team likes – fro-yo, sherbet, or good, old-fashioned ice cream cones – you’re sure to find just the thing to give everyone a healthy brain freeze.
Need any ideas on where to look for ice cream options? Take a peek at Thriver’s marketplace for every kind of catering provider and more.
15. Give out swag bags
Put together bags or boxes filled with Latinx-created treats and trinkets. Create printouts that explain the history and significance of each item and confection. Tasty and informative, this idea is sure to bring a touch of joy to everyone.
16. Support Hispanic-owned businesses
Contact your local chamber of commerce, or look online to find Latinx-owned establishments in your area. Give your staff a list of these businesses and encourage them to support them with their patronage. Consider planning an outing where your crew visits one or more of these establishments together. You build a better, more diverse community by supporting small, minority-owned businesses.
With all these great ideas for enjoying Hispanic Heritage Month activities and cuisine, you don’t have to narrow yourself down to just one. Put together a Latinx game day, and combine it with a picnic – toss in some swag bags while you’re at it. You have numerous options for combinations and back-to-back ways of celebrating to make the month memorable and meaningful for everybody.
