17 October, 2022 | Written by Delaney Wickert
Upon the conclusion of Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th—October 15th), the Human Development Institute would like to recognize and share the achievements and presence of Hispanic and Latinx Americans.
The United States is home to more than 5 million Hispanic or Latinx Americans that have a disability (respectability.org). Through Hispanic Heritage Month, it is important to recognize challenges faced by Latinx with disabilities.
Alejandra Tristan is a First Generation American who shares her experience with her physical disability in a multicultural household. In Alejandra’s article “Becoming Proud of My Disabled Identity as a First-Generation American”, she describes the challenges she faced growing up as she was taught to be prideful of being a part of both the Mexican and American communities, but had to learn how to be proud of being a part of the disabled community. She describes that not only did she have to educate herself on her disability in one language, but two languages in order to communicate and express her needs to family and friends in both Spanish and English.
Using the same elements of pride and advocacy she holds in being Latinx American, Alejandra learned to communicate her needs and advocate herself while taking pride in being a person with a disability. Alejandra was able to show its possible to navigate being a person with a disability while embracing her multicultural roots by breaking through barriers, like dancing at her Quinceañera with a physical disability. Alejandra advocates for the disabled community in both languages she speaks, and works to advocate and break the negative stigma regarding the term “disabled.”
To learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month, visit: www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov
To learn more about Latinx people with disabilities, visit:
Works Cited
Congress, T. L. of, Administration, N. A. and R., Humanities, N. E. for the, Art, N. G. of, Service, N. P., Institution, U. S. S., & Museum, U. S. H. M. (n.d.). National Hispanic American Heritage month 2022. National Hispanic American Heritage Month 2022. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/
Santo, S. (2020, September 26). Highlighting latinx people with disabilities in honor of Hispanic Heritage month. Respect Ability. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from www.respectability.org/2020/09/hispanic-heritage-month-2020/
Tristan, A. (2021, September 20). Becoming proud of my disabled identity as a first-generation American. Respect Ability. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from www.respectability.org/2021/09/alejandra-tristan-hispanic-heritage/
