Hispanic Heritage Month 2015- History & N.Florida Happenings

HolaHolaHola Beautifuls!!!

 

When BB was bb, she didn’t really think about the whys of Hispanic Heritage Month; it was just a month of fun activities that mi madre would take us to. Ahora BB was curious as to when the US officially started this and why it doesn’t start on the first of September instead of the middle. Originally President Lyndon B. Johnson had declared a Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968, which was then made into a full month in 1988 by President Ronald Reagan. Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15, commemorating the date of independence for five Latin American countries—Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Tambien, Mexico declared its independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18. Pretty cool verdad? Babushka LOVES history and the whens and whys of things.

Quee?? So now that BB knows the background does Babushka no longer think it’s a good month of fun activities? JU SO FONII!!!  Por Supuesto, of course it is- especially now that one knows the whys.  Matter of fact, not only does BB know the “whys”, but knowing the “wheres” is even better! Y aqui, here Up North in The South, we have plenty going on for Hispanic Heritage Month. Ok Si, usually when one thinks of Hispanos in Florida it’s Miami, Orlando and maybe Tampa. Bueno believe it or not Beautifuls there are plenty of us up here in the state’s panhandle and we’re proud of our heritage and looking forward to showing it off!

 

The activities were fun and varied, just like the heritage and countries represented.

There was: 

 ZUMBA

 

From Hip and Heart Movement Studio, my friend Karen Chi.

 SPONSORS:

North Florida Hispanic Association

Conexion

Foods

 

Because you KNOW it wouldn't be a true Hispanic Celebration without our Foods.

It also wouldn't be a Celebration without Baile!

Some Folkloric Steps we all enjoyed-

Dance Troupes, A Little Bit of Mexico & Simply Panama

Friends 

Founder/Editor of Cultura Latina Magazine-  Maria Ortiz con BB.

 Flags

You know BB HAD to film that one right?  Heard my "ESO!!!" ?

Rudy Saez doing a great job as Master of Ceremonies, and
Mi Amigo Enrique Barrera proudly holding the American Flag.

Don't know who thought of having that Flag Parade, but ending it with the American Flag and asking everyone to stand during the US National Anthem made BB proud. Proud of my heritage and proud of my nationality, proud of and grateful for, the organizers that acknowledged and thanked this great nation for allowing us to share being Latinos, to share our heritage while still feeling very much American. This is the 22nd year the North Florida Hispanic Association has this festival, and BB couldn't have been happier with how it was organized and celebrated.  

Emerald Coast Hispanic Fest 2015

Sept. 26

This one Beautifuls is a major Twofer. Hispanic Fest 2015 is a fundraiser for the UNITED FOR A GOOD CAUSE INC. and their Emerald Coast Christmas Miracle Needy Children's Fiesta. Not only will attendees be sharing in our heritage and celebration, but they'll be helping make a child's holiday much, mucho mas brighter.

If the prior festival had Latinos being proud of  Loving America, then this one has Americans proud of Loving Latinos.  Si My Beautifuls, Theater with a Mission will be performing El Muerto, a play from the Spanish Golden Age, at this festival.  Mis Queridos TWAM amigos will be there thanks to the patronage of Conexion, a bilingual newspaper servicing all of the North Florida panhandle and South Alabama.

TWAM will be performing the one act farce by Bernardo Francisco de Quiros;

 a timeless comedy that will entertain the whole family.

Looks like fun verdad? And it is. BB should know, because she's part of the cast. Oh Si She Is!!

We'll get more into details another time, with more pictures and stories.

Y speaking of pics and stories...

 

Believe it or not, Babushka has lived Up North in The South almost a decade and never went to this.  BB was always in Miami!!  Hopefully this year Babushka will be able to attend and share the fun and proof that- 

#850Latinos #850Hispanos #TallyTeQuiere

#iHeartTally

 How will YOU be celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month Beautifuls??

Babushka Besos a Todos.  Cuidensen. 

P.S.This is the website for non profit: www.unitedforagoodcause.org 

This is the website for Hispanic Fest 2015 www.unitedforagoodcause.org/hispanic-fest15 

P.P.S. 2 sites with impresionante info on Hispanic Heritage Month are:

HispanicHeritageMonth.org http://www.infoplease.com/hispanic-heritage-month/

P.P.P.S. A Presidential Proclamation about Hispanic Heritage Month

 

Hispz13 and the Beat Goes On ♫♪

HolaHolaHola My Beautifuls!! 

Have you ever been at a loss of words?  Quee?? JU SO FONII!!!  No, that hasn't happened to Babushka, as a matter of fact I'm at a point that I want to say so much, have so many marvelous memories and thoughts that I don't know where to begin! This is what happens when I think about Hispanicize 2013.  You think I'm just being Cuban (aka "slightly exaggerated") and over the top?  Ok si, in most cases you'd be right, pero here I am totally straight on- de veras.  Check out the schedule for yourselves!  http://hispanicize2013.sched.org/

Vieron? Did y'all see that? 5 days of non stop activities, categorized into 8 different groups. We had the Bloggers, Blogger/Social Media, Film, General, Journalists, Marketing/PR, Music, y Social Media.  Of course you could attend any session you wanted, but heaven help the ones who were in combo categories.  Let's put it this way, Babushka always had snacks for fortitude and sandals for changing into in my Popa Bag.  Not that they didn't feed you- Oh no My Beautifuls, this was run by Hispanics- you KNOW food was a plenty. And Good.

Mini Breaks w/Mini Desserts

Mexican Buffet w/meat & Seafood, Mini Flans, Mango Caesar Salad w/Plantain Chip

Daily Breakfast, BB's 1st helping, The Gorgeous Gonzalez's +Nina Gonzalez and @Egolies Gabriel Gonzalez


And of course, Por supuesto,

Look at the total concentration.

BB's got her café.
 NOW SHE'S HAPPY!!

Ustedes saben, now y'all know Babushka loves her coffee, but after the shows and concerts that ended at 1 am you know it wasn't all for just pleasure; it was needed.  Quee?  You thought the music of the first night was all the song during Hispz13?  Again, organized by Hispanos, we had to have our daily musica!!  On the second night we were treated by AT&T to a star line up of latino musicians. 

Hola*Hi,  Locos por Juana, La Santa Cecilia,Sonsoles,Domino Saints

Headlining the event were brother and sister duo

Jesse & Joy 

Babushka got to meet these sweet and super talented pair of siblings after the concert.

Their closing number had the giant Japanese Drums- BB was auditioning for that in their next concert. 

They found it "SO FONII!!!"

; )

Such a great event!!  But Babushka isn't the only one who loves her twofers.  

There were meals that had great speakers and then meals that added music to that too! 

Not enough?

Here's some more-

Here Disney helped celebrate Latinovator Beto Perez- creator of Zumba.

Y you're right, it wasn't enough.  

We also had other Latinovator lunches celebrating actor Carlos Ponce and director Nicolas Lopez.

And so many other luncheons/functions/fiestas. 

Porque, after all, it was 5 days, but most of all, it was Hispanicize. 

Babushka Besos a todos.  Cuidensen.