Hispanic+Heritage+EssayLA

Hispanic heritage is important to me because I know that I care about my own heritage which is English, German, Scottish, and Irish, why shouldn't I care about others? In America, everyone takes pride in their ethnic background and cultures. According to Merrium-Webster Dictionary the definition of heritage is the traditions, achievements, beliefs, etc., that are part of the history of a group or nation. Hispanics make up 53 million people and counting in the U.S.(Changing Faiths). Hispanics have help increase the population greatly. Hispanics come from many different countries which bring a lot which is consolidated into many traditions. The U.S. is known as the melting pot because of all the different cultures and races. We are a very diverse country. In this melting pot Hispanics incorporate many things into society, some of them include medicine, food, and fashion.

First, medicine has been extremely effective in everyone's lives whether it was to stop a cold or save someone from certain types of cancers. Many Hispanic people have contributed to medicine. For example, Carlos Finlay, a famous historian, found a cure for an older illness called "Yellow Fever." (Facts)Yellow Fever was a fatal disease during the 1870's. Another example would be Bernardo Alberto Houssay, who was an Argentinian doctor whose research on the role of pituitary hormones regulating blood sugar won him a Nobel Prize (Facts). These are the types of people who want to keep Hispanic heritage alive and show that through their achievements and success. They want to achieve not for their own sake but for the sake of their country. It wasn't a matter of opinion, that was who they were meant to be.

Next, as most cultures, there is a great importance with food. Food can be a tradition for some Hispanic families. To Hispanics, food can symbolize someone or something that is very important to them, whether it's something a passed family member used to eat or it's something you've eaten you entire life, it means something to you. It doesn't have to be a full coarse meal either, it could be something as simple as a snack that you eat after school or work. In Mexico, lunch is considered the most important meal of the day, which is different from those of my culture who believe that dinner is the most important meal of the day. In certain countries breakfast is the most important meal of the day but, that's just an opinion. Traditional food isn't just a continuation of desirable foods, it is much more that that. Traditional food has a value, a purpose, and a meaning. The people that don't take tradition and value seriously take too much for granted and don't cherish what they have. I think everyone should take the chance to learn about their culture whether they learn what food their ancestors ate or if they look up who fought in the Civil War, there is just such a variety of traditions.

Last but definitely not least is fashion. In America, fashion is used for expression. Fashion helps some people be who they are truly meant to be. Fashion can give someone the courage to stand up for what they believe in. We use fashion in our everyday lives whether it's a uniform, costume, regular clothes or jerseys, you are showing pride in what you wear when you choose to wear it. Hispanics are very similar when it comes to self expression. They express their joy through fashion. They like to show their pride and also how tough they can be through their clothes. They're never afraid to let their true colors shine from within.

To sum it up, Hispanic Heritage is important to such a large group of people including myself. I believe that if we keep this heritage alive it can not only effect present day lives, but the lives of the future and inspire the spirits of the past. We all endure our own cultures and traditions, but we need to inspire others to take in more than their selves and realizes that there is a bigger world around them. More then just one culture, more than just one tradition and more than just one hope for continuing the heritage of yourself, it is knowing your culture enough to be able to thrive in the spirit of someone else's culture. Regardless of someone else's heritage, we are all one person in this nation. Yes, we should learn and cherish Hispanic heritage, but I also don't think that we should gloat on our differences and we should embrace our differences and make ourselves one.

"Changing Faiths: Latinos and the Transformation of American Religion."Pew Research Centers Hispanic Trends Project RSS. N.p., 25 Apr. 2007. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <[]>.
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"Culture." Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <[]>.
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"Facts about Hispanic Heritage, Culture and History." Facts about Hispanic Heritage, Culture and History. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Apr. 2015. <[]>.
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"FAQs." Membership. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 May 2015..
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