Hispanic+Essay

Marissa Phillian May.1.15

Spanish Essay 8BMrs.Stahl

**980 words 5877 characters**

__Why Should We Keep the Hispanic Heritage Alive?__ We need to keep the Hispanic culture alive because, they help and teach Americans in many ways such as: how to dance, how art has influenced us and helped and changed history today in America. Have you ever wondered how Hispanics made a difference in today’s society? What mainstream Americans have failed to realize is that Hispanics have played and will continue to play a crucial role in our nation. Hispanics have contributed to every avenue of American life since the inception of this country. Hispanics' origins have played a key role in our country's sociology-economic, political, and cultural development that many argue: What would America would be like without the presence of Hispanics and their influence? In 1822, Joseph Marion Hernandez of Florida became the First Hispanic American to serve in congress, since then a total of 102 Hispanic Americans have served as U.S. Also when it came down to war, Hispanic Americans displayed courage, in the face of adversity. Familiar with discrimination at home, many saw their service as affirming the ideals of democracy. Hispanics have made a huge difference in today’s society. In today’s population in North America alone there are currently about 54 million people who live in today’s nation. The Hispanic population of the united states as of July, 1, 2013, making people of the Hispanic origin the nations largest ethnic or racial minority. Hispanics constituted 17 percent of the nation total population. Have you ever wondered if it weren't for the Hispanics, what America would be like today without the importance of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican war? This is important because the United States gained not only teas but also Upper California and New Mexico, making way for the vast expansion of American land. This is a cultural history like no other. Our Civil War would not be the same without the presence of Hispanics, often removed from our history books. Some 20,000 Hispanics fought in the Civil War, some serving in the 1st Florida Cavalry, others serving in the Union forces in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. From the first battle in Fort Sumter to the last battle in Palmito Ranch, Texas, their allegiance served in America's defining war over the issue of slavery. Hispanics have always met the challenge of serving America with commitment and admiration in the midst of the great American Split. Do you know how to dance or ever wanted to try salsa dancing or anything in that category? Well with the help of our Hispanics it’s always possible to try! If there’s one thing Latinas know how to its party! They have all the genres to do so. The best part of Latina music if you’re not one of those who can dance well, you don’t have to put that much effort as you would American music. The Latina dancing could also be a stress reliever, for some of us who need to get some stress off our minds. Latino musicians have contributed some of the most memorable music, innovative styles and rhythms and influential sounds in American music. With roots in Mexico, Central and South America and even across the Atlantic in Spain and Portugal, Latino musicians have taken the traditions and sounds of their varied backgrounds and blended it with the musical influences of African American and Native American musical styles and sounds, creating unique sounds that have crossed-over from purely ethnic markets to the mainstream American music scene and beyond. What would the ever changing American music be without the influence of Hispanics? From Jose Feliciano reminding us of "Feliz Navidad" to Celia Cruz, Carlos Santana defining much of the '60s and '70s to ever present Hispanic musical trend that embraces the great Southwest, West Coast, and Midwest to the East Coast that continues to define who we are as Americans. How has art helped or influence us today? Amalia Mesa-Bains is a Hispanic women who is an educator and an artist. As an artist she have worked to build and strengthen institutions like the Galeria de la Raza, the Mexican Museum, the Social Public Art Resource center, and many others born out of the Chicano movement of the 1970s. She also served as a Commissioner of Art for San Francisco and in these capacities, beginning in the late 1970s, she has seen the struggle of our cultural community-based organizations to sustain their base, to provide services to the artists and cultural community, and to change with the generations to remain relevant to their constituencies. By the mid-80s the censorship battles closed off the NEA Expansion Arts program, forcing our CCBOs to develop alternative and entrepreneurial funding to cover staff costs as well as programmatic growth. In her own artwork she has pursued the ceremonial forms of the altar, offered, and Descanso and over time the installation art concerned with history and memory. These works have dealt with issues of the border, demographic growth, women's issues, social justice, and spiritual practice. Like artist Pepon Osorio, she has engaged in what would be called narrative change or work that seeks, through its narrative qualities, to inspire and provoke change in our community. She has seen the emergence of a new generation of artists, including greater numbers of women and queer artists, take the lead in expanding the Latino identity.She has also been excited to see contemporary Latino art retain the tradition of intersecting art and advocacy . In conclusion, the reason why we should keep the Hispanic culture alive is because without them we wouldn’t be who we are as a nation and a community today. Without them Americas history wouldn't be the same, we wouldn't be as close as a nation. Also with the help of our Hispanics we as Americans and people have gained more knowledge and grew close to each other…not to mention help one another.

__//**WORK CITED**//__

Balkaran, Stephen. "Hispanic Heritage Month: How Hispanics Are Defining and Redefining America." // The Huffington Post //. TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. .
 * This is a valid source of information because,these are facts that

"Hispanic Culture | Latino Culture | Latin American Culture - Hispanic Culture Online Your Place to Connect with Your Latino Heritage, Is a Place to Feel Inspired, and to Find the Best of Our Hispanic Products." // Hispanic Culture Latino Culture Latin American Culture //. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. .
 * This is a valid source because

// "Hispanic heritage by the numbers." Infoplease //. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. .
 * annotation?

"Simple Ways to Keep Your Latino Heritage Alive - NEW LATINA™." // NEW LATINA //. N.p., 20 Mar. 2011. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. .
 * annotation