Hispanic Heritage Month

Bluegrass Community Health Center is proud to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month.

A brief history of how Hispanic Heritage Month came to be:

In the beginning, the celebration lasted for a week. To honor and celebrate the accomplishments and culture of Hispanic Americans, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the first National Hispanic Heritage Week into law in 1968. Several Latin American nations, including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua—all of which proclaimed their independence on September 15—have their anniversaries falling within the same week.

A bill that extended National Hispanic Heritage Week to a month-long celebration was signed into law by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. The name was changed to National Hispanic Heritage Month, and the new dates were set for September 15–October 15. This month was selected to coincide with the anniversaries of many more Latin American nations, such as Belize, Chile, and Mexico.

Hispanic and Latino Americans' rich history, culture, and contributions to the United States have since been acknowledged and celebrated throughout Hispanic Heritage Month. It encompasses a range of nationwide celebrations, festivals, instructional initiatives, and events that are organized by and for the Hispanic population.

Kentucky has a long history of agriculture, and Lexington is no different. The area has a rich agricultural heritage that dates back to the 18th century, and farming has always been a part of the region's history. Agriculture and farming are important to the community's economy. Kentucky's economy depends heavily on agriculture, which generates billions of dollars in revenue annually for the state. The multibillion-dollar farm sector in Kentucky depends in part on the labor of foreign-born citizens as well as migrant or H2A workers.

Hispanic Heritage Month is important to BCHC because the clinic began as the "Bluegrass Farmworkers Health Center" focusing on providing care to primarily Hispanic populations.

One of the core values of BCHC is to provide affordable and accessible health care to migrant farm workers in the bluegrass region of our state. One way BCHC has successfully provided quality health care to these populations is by valuing the cultural competence of Hispanic and Latino populations. Many of BCHC's staff members identify with the Hispanic/Latino heritage. BCHC provides quality access to healthcare by bridging language barriers with staff who are bilingual.

BCHC is proud to celebrate our staff who identify with Hispanic Heritage. BCHC recognizes the diversity, talents, and culture that strengthen our organization and community!