On Sept. 9, the Waltham City Council unanimously decided to observe & celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th - October 15th. 

In the United States, the month-long celebration of the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America began in 1968 with the observation of Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson. Twenty years later, under President Ronald Reagan, the week-long celebration expanded to cover a 30-day period, beginning on Sept. 15 and ending on Oct. 15. 

During the Sept. 9 City council meeting, the resolution was presented by the Councillor at Large, Carlos Vidal, who was elected as the first Hispanic Waltham council member in 2015. His first run for public office was in 2013, where he lost with 2,238 votes. In a 2015 interview with Patch, Vidal shared that in the 1980s, he, his brother and his mother had fled violence and terrorism that Peru was experiencing. They settled in Braintree, MA where Vidal attended Braintree Public Schools. Prior to his 2015 win, he was a real estate agent living in Waltham. 

“Hispanic American or Latinos have played and will continue to play a key role in our country's proud heritage,” Vidal said in an address to the rest of the council. “Our nation's diversity has always been one of our strongest assets in a valuable component to our multicultural society.”

In his presentation, Vidal shared how Waltham is a “welcoming city to everyone who has decided to make the Watch City their home.” He notes that close to 16% of Waltham's population is Hispanic and more than 45% of students in Waltham Public schools are Hispanic. 

Reflecting on his personal experiences and the broader immigrant experience, Vidal expressed a desire to focus on commonalities rather than differences. 

“We all know that being an immigrant, and in my case a Latino immigrant in this country, comes with shares of struggles. The challenges we face are real, but so is our determination to overcome them,” said Vidal. “But tonight, I don’t want to dwell on how we are different. Instead I want to focus on how we are the same.”

Vidal went on to elaborate that immigrant or not, everyone shares the same desire for a “better future” that benefits everyone. 

“We work hard not just for ourselves, but for our family, neighbors, and our community,” the Councilor at Large said. “We are not just Latinos. We are Waltham residents, Massachusetts residents, and proud Americans.”

Vidal concludes his presentation emphasizing the importance to unite around the common goals of making the communities stronger, more inclusive, and more prosperous for everyone. 

“So as we celebrate our heritage,” he says, “let us celebrate our unity, our shared values and the strength we gain from working as a community.”

Vidal presented the resolution in 2016, but it is unclear what had happened to the proposal. On Sept. 9, all 15 city council members approved the resolution, fulfilling Vidal’s eight year endeavor. 

On Sept. 16, the Brandeis community received a joint email from Director of the Intercultural Center, Peter Rojas and the Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Lee Bitsóí recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Month. 

“We are excited to announce our recognition and celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month at Brandeis!” the email began. Bitsóí and Rojas go on to share two events and online resources that celebrate the occasion. 

The first of two events will take place on Sept. 20. The Brandeis International Business School is scheduled to host Veronica Robles, founder of the first all female Mariachi group in Boston. Students are encouraged to attend between 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. for music, dance and food in the Business School. The second event highlighted will be hosted by the Brandeis Latinx Student Organization. The student led club will be hosting its annual culture show, Incendio, on Oct. 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Levin Ballroom. 

As of press time there does not appear to be any organized events scheduled in the City of Waltham during the 30 day long observance.