Nationally, September 15th through October 15th is recognized as Hispanic Heritage Month (HHM). HHM is a time to celebrate the Hispanic culture and the many accomplishments of Hispanics. During this month, various Latin American countries celebrate their nation's independence from Spain, starting with Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Honduras on September 15th. Mexico celebrates its independence day on September 16th, not on Cinco de Mayo or May 5th, a common misconception. Chile also celebrates its independence from Spain on September 18th during HHM. The theme for 2009's HHM is Embracing the Fierce Urgency of Now!

Throughout the month, various festivals, fairs and other cultural events are held and organized by non-profit groups, colleges, universities and other community organizations. These are often events that are free to the public and could provide low-cost sponsorship opportunities for your credit union.
 
If you already have a Hispanic outreach strategy in place, your credit union is likely already involved in various HHM activities, but you could seek to expand your community outreach efforts and try new tactics. You could do this by building relationships with local Hispanic vendors who participate in these local festivals to leverage your exposure at such events. If you are in the Discovery stage of Hispanic outreach, you can begin by exploring what takes place in your local community and then use that information as you draft your 2010 marketing and community outreach plans.
 
Do not let HHM pass you by. It ends on October 15th, known as Columbus Day in the U.S. and El Día de la Raza (Day of the Race) in many Latin American countries. This is also International Credit Union Day, which was started to raise awareness of the credit union movement throughout the world.