Hispanic Heritage Foundation president says Latino history is American history

Sept. 15 marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the culture, history and contributions of the fastest-growing ethnic minority in the country .

Hispanic Heritage Foundation President and CEO José Antonio Tijerino spoke with Scripps News about the significance and importance of Hispanic Heritage Month in the U.S.

“It’s not just Latino stories and Latino history, it's an American history,” said Tijerino.

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He said if you’re not familiar with Hispanic history, a quick Google search can help you. But in the future, he hopes people will check out the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino, which is still in the works in Washington.

The museum is one of two that were created in 2020 by an act of Congress, although there is no specific building dedicated just yet. The goal will be to honor the dreams, challenges and triumphs of U.S. Latinos, according to the museum’s website .

“We have an additional layer in terms of some narratives that are out there about our community. And that's why it's so important that we tell our own stories as Latinos. Stories of inspiration, stories of vision and stories that relate to everyone else,” said Tijerino.

Tijerino emphasized that Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S. are still American.

“It's really important that everyone understands that we have a very diverse community across the entire spectrum in terms of politically, in terms of skin color, in terms of sexual identity, in terms of gender. We are everyone and everyone is us,” he explained. “And that's the beauty of our community. It’s complex. It’s also beautiful.”