National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a period from September 15 to October 15 in the United States that recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic and Latinx Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the US. September 15th was chosen as the starting point for the commemoration because it is the anniversary of the independence of five Hispanic countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, who all declared independence in 1821. TRI community members and teachers share the importance of this month and some of their cultural resources.
Elaine Miller-Karas, LCSW
In this video, the Trauma Resource Institute’s Co-Founder and current Director of Innovation, Elaine Miller-Karas, shares her family history and the importance of this month. In addition, she discusses the impact her family, heritage, and background had on the development of the Community Resiliency Model (CRM)®.
Martha Parra, LCSW
Martha Parra is a bicultural and bilingual Licensed Clinical Social Worker, CRM Teacher, and Senior Staff for TRM. She works at the Department of Behavioral Health with the County of San Bernardino in the Juvenile Justice System. She shares the importance of this month and some of her cultural resources.
“Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is with a connection to family, culture, and Hispanic and Latinx roots. It’s also about honoring our indigenous roots as well as our rich cultural backgrounds. This month celebrates the independence of many Latin American countries such as Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Belize, and Chile. But, many things unite us such as our Spanish language, food, art, and love for life.
“I love to combine two of my CRM Resources together: cooking and baking while listening to Spanish music. Making Mexican food fills me with joy and pride as it helps me connect to my roots. I enjoy making flour tortillas, churros, tres leches cake, chilaquiles, chile rellenos, enchiladas, salsa, pozole, and tamales. I also enjoy making pupusas and trying other Latin dishes.
“I may roast poblano chiles to prepare for chile rellenos or roast tomatoes, onions, garlic, jalapeño peppers, and serrano chiles for a roasted salsa. The different aromas remind me of growing up in Mexico and being surrounded by family. It also reminds me of waking up in the morning to the smell of wonderful food my mom or dad were preparing for breakfast.
“As I gather my ingredients, I enjoy listening to music. While I prepare for things to cook, roast, or bake I may listen to Rancheras by Vincent Fernández or Norteñas by Los Tigres del Norte. I may listen to Salsa by Marc Anthony or Celia Cruz or Tejana music by Selena. I may listen to Luis Miguel or Juanes or Maná. Latin music has been influenced by so many different cultures, so you may hear an accordion, jazz influence, or African drums.
“My culture encompasses so much and so many. I celebrate every day of the year.”
Sylvia Rodriguez
Sylvia Rodrigues is a Bilingual Certified CRM Teacher and Facilitator and the Founder of Grace Legacy Coaching and Consulting. Her career is centered on bridging the gap between disenfranchised people and access to needed services. Sylvia seeks to uplift all communities.
When asked about a cultural resource of hers, Sylvia had this to share:
“My resource is all the things that makeup who I am as a whole. The three most important are my faith in Jehova God, being a mother of two, and the collective worldview I was born into. Coming from a blended culture, Mexican and American, I have a passion for life and an appreciation for the gifts of nature. My spiritual and communal values have inspired me to share lessons of grace and legacy.
“I am grateful for being from a collectivistic family and community. This is where I get my identification as a Californio. What's a Californio you ask? The term Californio was originally applied to the Spanish-speaking residents of Las Californias during the periods of Spanish California and Mexican California, between 1683 and 1848. I am a native to what was once known as Alta California, Mexico. As a Californio, I have a passion for community and utilize all the wonderful natural resources here in this part of Latin America to help myself and others remain in our Resilient Zone and access the optimal parts of ourselves.
“For me, celebrating my heritage is honoring the collective ethical, historical, and geographical legacies left behind from those who have walked here before me.”
Adrian Acosta
Adrian Acosta is a Certified CRM Teacher and the Founder and Executive Director of The Ed Agency, an organization focused on providing access to quality education and wellness resources in communities with low-performing schools. He shared the following about this month:
“As I reflect on Hispanic Heritage Month, I find it important for myself to reflect on our African ancestors who helped created the Latinx culture. For me, it’s about remembering that the three roots of my Mexican culture are the indigenous people who lived on the land, the African slaves who were brought to build on the land, and the Spanish who colonized the land. This not only helps me better understand the strength and beauty, but also the complexity of my culture and how it is celebrated.
“Hispanics come in all colors and it is important we see all the colors of our culture as beautiful.”
Gamaliel Polanco, LCSW
Mr. Polanco (or G as most know him) is a certified CRM Teacher. G works at Pulse Clinical Alliance providing leadership for the behavioral health unit servicing the unaccompanied minors program under DHS at the Pomona Fairplex's Hope Team. When asked about a resource of his, he shared this story:
“In 2016, I was trained in TRM and CRM. It was like water to a fish. Between my childhood and the experience of crossing San Ysidro in 1986, it started making sense why I might be out of my Resilient Zone. No level of catharsis or insight about attachment from my LCSW education had been able to widen my zone. My favorite resource, however, began my journey towards well-being. In my backyard is a gazebo with a hammock underneath. Swaying back and forth soothes my nervous system. I make room for my children to jump in so we can rock back and forth, gazing together at the San Bernardino mountains. That resource burst a memory capsule that took me right back to when my dad would sway in our hammock in El Salvador.”
“Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate each of our journeys to well-being. This month actually coincides with my arrival in the states on September 8th, 1986. In that way, I have come full circle as I will be working with unaccompanied minors in relation to the current border issues. I will be using the CRM skills to help those who have been bumped out of their Resilient Zones”.