Santa Monica Public Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month 2025

Santa Monica Public Library celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month 2025

September 12, 2025 12:57 PM
by Cecile Oreste

Sept. 15 through Oct. 15 is Hispanic Heritage Month in Santa Monica!

Nationally, Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the history, culture and contributions of Latino/Latinx and Hispanic communities.

The term "Hispanic" broadly refers to people with cultural or ancestral ties to Spanish-speaking countries. Introduced by the U.S. government in the 1970s for census and policy purposes, the term was not chosen by the communities it represents; it is an imposed identity. Yet over time, it has served as a unifying identity across diverse Latin American nationalities helping mobilize collective efforts for civil rights, education, immigration reform and cultural recognition.

These communities play a vital role in keeping the city of Santa Monica running. Nearly 40 percent of city staff identify as Hispanic or Latino/Latinx, choosing to devote their careers to serving this city and its residents, workers and visitors.

Santa Monica is a city that values diversity, inclusion, and equity, and stands united against all forms of intolerance. At a time when immigrant communities - many of them Hispanic and Latino/Latinx - continue to face rising challenges and uncertainty, this Hispanic Heritage Month is an especially important moment to reaffirm that Santa Monica is, and will remain, a city for everyone.

Santa Monica Public Library is offering many fun and educational events to spotlight Hispanic Heritage Month, as well as reading lists and book displays in each of the Library's locations.

Check out recommended Hispanic Heritage Month reading for kids, middle grades, teens and adults.

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, the City Council will proclaim Hispanic Heritage Month at their regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Please join us for a reading of the Proclamation in English and Spanish by Santa Monica High School Club Legado Latino and local partner Familias Latinas Unidas, or FLU.

Check out these other fun and educational events happening throughout the month!

Tuesday Tales: A Travelin' Storytime
Session 1, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 10:30 - 11 a.m., Pico Branch Library
Session 2, Tuesday, Sept. 16, 11:30 - 12 p.m., Pico Branch Library

Film Screening of "Carlos"
Thursday, Sept. 18, 5 - 7 p.m., Main Library
See the story of Mexican American musical icon Carlos Santana, in his own words, from his humble beginnings to stardom. Stay after for a talk on the guitar's roots in the Americas.

"I Am, Yo Soy" Book Reading with Mirelle Ortega
Saturday, Sept. 20, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Pico Branch Library
Enjoy a special book reading for families celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. Author/Illustrator Mirelle Ortega will read the book she illustrated with an interactive art demo to follow.

Mexican Presence in Santa Monica Project
Saturday, Sept. 20, 1 - 3 p.m., Main Library
Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of Santa Monica with an introduction to the Mexican Presence in Santa Monica Project, a group of community members seeking to document the rich cultural history, genealogy, and influence of Mexican American families in Santa Monica.

Piñata Party
Saturday, Sept. 27, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m., Main Library
Make a small piñata and fill it with treats in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month. Materials will be provided. For ages 5 - 10.

Teen Book Club: "Brownstone"
Thursday, Oct. 2, 4 - 5 p.m., Main Library
Discuss the Printz Award-winning graphic novel "Brownstone" by Samuel Teer. The story follows a girl who goes to live with her estranged father and learns about her Guatemalan heritage and the importance of community. Limited copies will be available at the Main Library while supplies last. For ages 13 - 18.

Ballet Folklórico
Saturday, Oct. 4, 2 - 2:45 p.m., Main Library
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a live performance by the Santa Monica Ballet Folklorico group. All ages are welcome.

Remembering: Songs of Home, Stories of the Heart
Saturday, Oct. 4, 4 -7 p.m., Gather and Grow at Reed Park
"Remembering" is more than a concert - it's a journey through the heart of the immigrant experience, woven together with evocative music and poignant storytelling. Acclaimed vocalist Meena Malik and masterful cellist Aristides Rivas bring their personal stories to life from their home countries of Japan and Venezuela, blending song and narrative in a deeply moving exploration of memory, identity and transformation.

Mexican Presence in Santa Monica: Márquez/Reyes Family Histories
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m., Ocean Park Branch
Enjoy refreshments and view a display panel on the Márquez/Reyes families, created by historian Nina Fresco, at the Shotgun House. Then head to the Community Room for a presentation by Sharon Reyes, where you'll learn more about the lasting impacts of these notable Mexican land grant families.

And join the city's Recreation and Arts Department at a family-friendly celebration to close out Hispanic Heritage Month:

Vamos Al Parque (Let's Go to the Park)
Sunday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Palisades Park
Enjoy lounging areas, all-ages artmaking, an Aztec dance performance, Native music, craft vendors, fresh fruit bowls and more! Made possible by Art of Recovery.

Authored By

Cecile Oreste
Communications and Marketing Coordinator