The Village of Park Forest is celebrating National Hispanic American Heritage Month.
Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept 15 to Oct 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America.
Park Forest is celebrating the month by educating residents about influential Hispanic Americans with a display in the Village Hall lobby. Earlier this week, the Village hosted “Taco Tuesday" and provided lunch to residents visiting Village Hall.
Evelyn Randle, the community relations coordinator, explained that educating residents about the contributions of people from diverse backgrounds is important.
"People come to Village Hall every day, and this month, they'll see poster boards with various Hispanic Americans from different backgrounds, but they all contributed to this nation in their own special way," Randle said. "The Village highlights a host of notable Hispanic Americans, from entertainers like Jennifer Lopez to the first Hispanic American to serve on the Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor."
Randle added that other events are happening around the Park Forest area to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Governors State University is hosting several events throughout the month, including a Latinx Heritage Month Visual Display, where residents can learn about the contributions, cuisine, and notable figures within the Latin culture.