从9月15日到10月15日是全美拉美裔传统月(National Hispanic Heritage Month)，旨在彰显美国拉美裔的文化、传统和非凡贡献。拉美裔的祖先来自于西班牙、墨西哥，以及中美洲、南美洲和加勒比地区的西班牙语系国家。

拉美裔是美国最大的少数族裔——目前人口超过5,400万，并预计在2060年将达到1.288亿——这将占美国人口的三分之一【请参见英文统计数据】。今天有超过三分之二的拉美裔美国人来自墨西哥。还有相当比例的人来自波多黎各，萨尔瓦多，古巴和多米尼加。

他们在各行各业的贡献不断丰富着美国的文化、社会、政府和生活：

• 目前有37名拉美裔国会议员（34名在众议院，3名在参议院），四名内阁成员，一名最高法院(Supreme Court)法官，即索尼亚·索托马约尔法官(Sonya Sotomayor)。
• 胡安·菲利佩·埃雷拉（Juan Felipe Herrera）是美国的桂冠诗人，许多美国最受欢迎的演艺界名人也是拉美裔。【请参见英文资料】
• 宇航员艾伦·奥乔亚(Ellen Ochoa)于1993年参加了“发现号”(Discovery)航天飞机的飞行任务，是到达太空的第一位拉美裔女性。现在她是美国航空航天局(NASA)约翰逊航天中心(Johnson Space Center)的负责人。
• 劳工领袖塞萨尔·查韦斯(Cesar Chavez)通过他在20世纪60和70年代改善农场工人权利的努力，激励了民权和基层活动家。查韦斯倡导非暴力抵抗，通过抵制运动、游行和绝食抗议来推进争取劳工权利的事业。
• 被歌迷昵称为JLo的珍妮弗·洛佩兹(Jennifer Lopez)刚出道时只是一个喜剧秀上的背景舞蹈演员。她后来成为国际知名的演员、作家、时装设计师、舞蹈家、制片人和歌手。在2001年，她成为第一位在一周内同时在电影和专辑排行榜上名列榜首的女性演艺人士。

有好几个美国政府机构都专门安排了拉美裔传统月的活动和项目：

• 美国国会图书馆(U.S. Library of Congress)发起了“故事团史记”(StoryCorps Historias)项目，来记录美国拉美裔多种多样的故事和生活经历，作为美国口述历史的一部分。它的退伍军人历史项目(Veterans History Project)网站专设了纪念参加过战争的拉美裔军人的网页。【请参加英文网页】
• 史密森尼学会(Smithsonian Institution)的拉美裔中心(Latino Center)为美国和国际观众组织了以拉美裔为主题的活动和展览。该中心还在整理记录史密森尼学会的大量拉丁美洲收藏品。

奥巴马总统在2014年一语中的地指出：“拉美裔代表了我们这个多元化国家充满活力和蓬勃发展的一部分。他们的历史和文化跨越了几个世纪，那些今天来到我们的国土寻找自己梦想的人们继续为我们国家的历史增添新的篇章。”【请见英文讲话全文】

Celebrate Hispanic-American heritage

 National Hispanic Heritage Month, September 15–October 15, honors the culture, traditions and extraordinary contributions of Americans who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean.

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U.S. — 54 million strong today and a projected128.8 million by 2060 — a figure that would represent nearly 1 in 3 Americans. Over two-thirds of today’s Hispanic Americans are of Mexican background. Puerto Rican, Salvadoran,Cuban and Dominican backgrounds also are well-represented.

Their contributions in every walk of life continue to enrich American culture, society, government and life:

• 37 Hispanic Americans currently serve in Congress (34 in the House, three in the Senate), four in the Cabinet, and one, Justice Sonya Sotomayor, on the Supreme Court.
• Juan Felipe Herrera is the nation’s poet laureate, and many of America’s favorite celebrities are also of Hispanic heritage.
• Astronaut Ellen Ochoa flew on the shuttle Discovery in 1993, becoming the first Hispanic woman in space. Today she heads NASA’s Johnson Space Center.
• Labor leader Cesar Chavez inspired civil rights and grass-roots activists through his efforts to improve farmworkers’ rights in the 1960s and 1970s. Championing nonviolent resistance, Chavez advanced his causes through boycotts, marches and hunger strikes.
• Before she was known to fans simply as JLo, Jennifer Lopez was an anonymous background dancer on a comedy show. She has achieved international fame as an actress, author, fashion designer, dancer, producer and singer. In 2001 she became the first female entertainer to top both the movie and album charts in the same week.

A number of U.S. government agencies plan special Hispanic Heritage Month events and projects:

• As part of an oral history of America, the U.S. Library of Congress has launched StoryCorps Historias to record the diverse stories and life experiences of Latinos in the United States. Its Veterans History Project site features pages devoted to Hispanics who have experienced war.
• The Smithsonian Institution’s Latino Center develops Latino-themed programs and exhibits for national and international audiences. The center is also documenting the Smithsonian’s extensive collection of Latin-American objects.

President Obama said it well in 2014: ”Hispanics represent a vibrant and thriving part of our diverse Nation. Their histories and cultures stretch across centuries, and the contributions of those who come to our shores today in search of their dreams continue to add new chapters in our national story.”