WHEREAS, Congress introduced Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 and later expanded it to a month in 1988; and

WHEREAS, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the traditions and cultures of Americans who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean; and

WHEREAS, Hispanic Heritage Month begins in the middle of September because it coincides with the anniversary of independence of five countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; and

WHEREAS, celebrations during the month include cultural activities and programs recognizing the political, artistic, athletic and educational achievements of Latinos like Cesar Chavez, who was a major force in the labor movement of the 1960s; and

WHEREAS, the theme for 2020 — Hispanics: Be Proud of Your Past, Embrace the Future — invites us to embrace our backgrounds, including the Native American, African and European people who created the cultures we celebrate today; and

WHEREAS, the Latino population of the United States stands at approximately 60.6 million people, making people of Hispanic origin the nation's largest ethnic minority; and WHEREAS, there are 1,126,501 students in the New York City school system, the largest school district in the United States, and of those students, 40.6 percent are Latino while its teaching staff makes up 7 percent; therefore, be it

RESOLVED that the UFT continues its tradition of fighting for and celebrating diversity and equity in New York City Public Schools, the great state of New York and our country; and be it further

RESOLVED that the UFT continues to advocate for the recruitment of more Latino educators to ensure Latino students are taught by teachers with similar backgrounds; and be it further

RESOLVED that the UFT continues to support our professional committees such as the UFT’s Hispanic Affairs Committee and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Latino Caucus; and be it further

RESOLVED that the UFT works with organizations like the Labor Council for Latino American Advancement (LCLAA), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) and others in protecting and promoting the civil rights of Latinos through advocacy and education.