Hispanic Heritage Month
Published on September 08, 2025
During National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the histories and cultures of American citizens whose ancestors hail from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Spain and Portugal are celebrated, with the starting date coinciding with several Latin American nations recognizing their independence on Sept. 15.
The City of Lakewood proudly joins hundreds of public and private organizations in paying tribute to National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Hispanic culture has deeply enriched American culture—be it through food, art, music or the substantial contributions of millions of American citizens who are of Hispanic descent. The Hispanic population in the United States is our nation’s largest racial or ethnic minority at nearly 19% of the total population, and over 36% of Lakewood residents are of Hispanic origin according to the latest Census figures.
The City of Lakewood has issued a proclamation(PDF, 596KB) in recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month (see side bar).
Resources to learn more
HispanicHeritageMonth.gov, a collaborative web portal project between multiple agencies including the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian and National Archives, offers a trove of information related to the commemoration, including special exhibits and collections, audio, videos and images.
Staff in the Library of Congress’s Hispanic Reading Room help researchers find materials on and from the Caribbean, Latin America, Spain and Portugal; the indigenous cultures of those areas; and persons with Portuguese or Spanish heritage in Africa, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas—including within the United States. Luckily, you don’t have to be in Washington D.C. to enjoy access-- the library’s comprehensive research guides are readily available online.
Local library resources
Both L.A. County libraries in Lakewood will be honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month.
For children ages 5-12, the Nye Library will celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Library Lotería on Sept. 24 at 4:30 p.m. Don't miss out on games, laughter and celebration with a fun twist on the classic game of Lotería! After learning about the history of Lotería, play a special library-themed version featuring beloved children's books.
The Iacoboni Library will also help children ages 5-12 celebrate the month with a special library-themed Lotería on Oct. 10 at 3:30 p.m. Learn about the history of the game and enhance your memory and vocabulary skills. Participants will also be able to use their creativity and craft a calavera inspired car.
For teens ages 12-18, the Iacoboni Library will hold a Día de Muertos Nichos event on Oct. 9 at 4 p.m. where youth can create their own shadow box to decorate as an ofrenda (offering) to place on a table at home.
And for adults, the Iacoboni Library will hold a Making an Ofrenda event on Oct. 18 at 3 p.m. Learn about Día de los Muertos and make your own paper marigolds or design a picture frame to add to your ofrenda or to the library's community ofrenda.
Los Angeles County Library
The Los Angeles County Library has compiled a variety of resources to learn, watch, read and get crafty during National Hispanic Heritage Month.
Explore the L.A. County Library's Hispanic Heritage Month webpage.