Every year, the United States observes and celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. Originally started as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson, it was expanded to a full month 20 years later by Ronald Reagan.

The span of dates encompasses several important days within the Hispanic community:

• September 15: Anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua
• September 16: Mexico’s independence day
• September 18: Chile’s independence day
• October 12: Día de la Raza (also known as Indigenous Peoples’ Day or Columbus Day). Spanish speaking countries, including Mexico, Ecuador, Uruguay, El Salvador, and more, celebrate October 12 as Dia de la Raza, or Day of the Race. It honors and celebrates the different countries and people conquered by turning the focus from the European explorers to the traditions and cultures destroyed by colonization.

This month is all about celebrating the people, cultures, contributions, and history of Americans whose ancestors are from Spanish-speaking countries, including Central America, South America, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Spain. Girl Scouts can join the celebrations by trying the activities below.

Earn the “¡Yo soy una Girl Scout!” Fun Patch

“¡Yo soy una Girl Scout!” Fun Patch is designed to provide Girl Scouts and volunteers of all backgrounds the opportunity to learn more about the cultures of the 21 Spanish-speaking countries and territories honored during Hispanic Heritage Month. And with plenty of activities to choose from, girls can have a lot of fun while doing so. You can find the patch on the Girl Scout Shop or you can pick it up at your local shop.

The “¡Yo soy una Girl Scout!” Fun Patch is part of the Multicultural Community Celebration Fun Patch series.

Play Loteria

Loteria—the Spanish word for lottery—is often referred to as Mexican bingo, where illustrated cards depicting the Mexican aesthetic replace bingo balls. Latinx and Hispanic communities have been playing this game for hundreds of years, but in the past decade, it has become increasingly visible in the United States. For Hispanic Heritage Month, GSUSA reimagined Lotería to help us tell the Girl Scout story in a fun new way.

• Loteria Rules
• Loteria Cards
• Loteria Print Set