To Andrea Rivera, Hispanic Heritage Month means more than celebrating her Colombian roots with empanadas and a bowl of ajiaco soup.

“It’s all part of the awakening of people to our community’s contributions to the fabric of America,” said Rivera. “Our children are finding a place where their heritage and roots are celebrated and honored, not only the countries where their parents were born, but the contributions of other Latinos since the start of the American Revolution.”

Young dancers performed at last year’s Latino Hispanic Cultural Heritage Celebration in Dunwoody. (Courtesy of the City of Dunwoody. 
(Courtesy of Paul Ward)

Credit: Paul Ward Photography

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Credit: Paul Ward Photography

National Hispanic Heritage Month began Sept. 15 and commemorates the start of the Mexican War of Independence as well as the independence of several other countries including Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on Sept. 15; Mexico on Sept. 16; Chile on Sept. 18 and Belize on Sept. 21.

Rivera, founder and CEO of H3 Media, a boutique advertising agency focusing on digital marketing, said that the month also serves as a reminder of the community’s increasing power. “We are no longer a curiosity; there is a growing awareness of our buying power, our small business growth. We are 23 nationalities tied together by one language with vast commonalities as well as very different cultures. We stretch from the South Pole to the U.S.-Mexican border. The Latino market cannot be denied.”

Throughout the metro area businesses, associations and municipalities are recognizing the influences of the Latin diaspora and not only honoring it but also educating others about the culture and its impact on our society.

Dance is just one way to showcase the Hispanic heritage. Latino Hispanic Cultural Heritage Celebration in Dunwoody. 
(Courtesy of the City of Dunwoody / Paul Ward)

Credit: Paul Ward Photography

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Credit: Paul Ward Photography

Dunwoody is holding a Latino Hispanic Cultural Heritage Celebration Sept. 19 that will feature the Tabula Rasa School dancers, a Brazilian martial arts demonstration, Ballet Folklorico Dance by Alma Mexicana and more.

“We do have a large Latin Hispanic population and we feel it is important to be inclusive and show the arts and culture of the community,” said Rosemary Watts, business and cultural development manager for the City of Dunwoody’s Economic Development Department. “We feel it’s important to not only create this awareness but to inform our community about the Hispanic population and their contributions. We just want to showcase what we have here.”

The Children’s Museum of Atlanta is hosting Latinx Heritage Month, a month’s worth of programs that highlight Latin American trailblazers in the arts and sciences. The museum celebrates a variety of cultures, including upcoming programs on the Jewish and Hindu communities.

“We try to make our celebrations as authentic as possible and partner with these communities,” said Karen Kelly, director of exhibits and education. “Children will have a chance to learn with special activities that are fun. Children will learn about Zleyma Tang-Martinez, who was a Venezuelan zoologist, and Ignacio Gomez Jaramillo, a Colombian artist.”

“One of my favorite activities is that we will teach children how to do ‘Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes’ in Spanish,” she said. “What I love is that we’re teaching children about new communities and about people they may not know about and it’s fun. They’re looking at the world in a whole new way.”

The Aurora Theatre’s Teatro Aurora offers a line-up of shows and events that include “Nuestras Voces: Hispanic Heritage Open-Mic & Mercado,” “A Musical Tour Through Latin America” and a tribute to Celia Cruz.

The Georgia Latino International Film Festival takes place Sept. 29-Oct. 2. Produced by the Georgia Latino Film Alliance, an Afro-Latino curated nonprofit, the festival began in 2011 with 12 films screened for 150 viewers. This year more than 300 films were submitted from Latin America, Spain, Georgia and across the country, with 35 being screened.

Celebrating the contributions of Latinos can be as simple as sampling the area’s restaurants. Karen Bremer, CEO of the Georgia Restaurant Association, said that her organization helps “not only promote restaurants but also works with the consulates to help workers learn English as well as help in refugee rights.”

According to Bremer, about 6% of Georgia restaurants are Hispanic-owned compared to 19% by Asians and 29% by Blacks. About 20% of restaurant workers in the state — about 85,000 of the total workforce of around 430,000 — are Hispanic.

Escabeche, or steamed octopus with sauce, pickled fennel, fried quinoa and fried garlic, is a favorite dish at Buena Vida Tapas & Sol.  Photographer: Grady McGill

Credit: Grady McGill

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Credit: Grady McGill

Many, like Chido & Padre’s and Bulla Gastrobar, are running specials throughout the month. Buena Vida Tapas in the Old Fourth Ward will introduce a new menu of tapas from Colombia, Brazil and Puerto Rico, according to owner Juan Calle.

Calle also owns Big Sky Buckhead and has opening a third restaurant opening soon. “The number of Latin restaurants is growing and it has a lot to do with the popularity of Mexican cuisine and the resurgence of Peruvian cuisine. We are showing our creativity and our heritage in our foods and restaurants,” he said.

Paella is cooking on the deck at Buena Vida Tapas & Sol. Photo courtesy of Buena Vida Tapas & Sol.

Credit: Clinton Garant

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Credit: Clinton Garant

Rivera believes that events such as Hispanic Heritage Month help build pride and self-esteem. “I was brought here when I was 5 and I didn’t want my parents to speak Spanish to me. But now being Latino is normalized and we’ve become proud of our culture, language and tradition. We’re celebrated not only in our community but the community at large,” Rivera said.

Latino Hispanic Cultural Heritage Celebration. 1-4:30 p.m. Sept. 19. Free. 5339 Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. 678-382-6700, dunwoodyga.gov.

¡Vamos a Celebrar! Noon-midnight. Sept. 17-Oct. 15. Free. Exhibit featuring works from Georgia-based Hispanic artists. Forsyth County Public Library, 2820 Old Atlanta Road, Cumming. 770-781-9840, option 6, forsythpl.org.

Georgia Latino International Film Festival. Various times. Sept. 20-Oct. 2. Various prices. Lawrenceville Arts Center, 125 North Clayton St., Lawrenceville. 770-509-6992, galiff.org.

9th Annual Caminar Latino Celebration. Fundraiser to fight violence and promote peace. 6-9 p.m. Sept. 23. $100-$125. Georgia Aquarium, 225 Baker St., Atlanta. 404-413-6348, caminarlatino.org.

Concert on the Green. 5-10 p.m. Sept. 24. Free. Logan Farm Park, 4405 Cherokee St., Acworth. 770-917-1234, visitacworth.org.

Hispanic Heritage Festival. 3-9 p.m. Oct. 1. Free. 155 Willow Bend Road., Peachtree City. 678-216-0282, visitpeachtreecity.com.

Venezuelan Cuisine with Ximena. 2:30-5:30 p.m. Oct. 1. $93. Decatur Recreation Center, 231 Sycamore St., Decatur. bebeskitchen.com.

Hispanic Heritage Month Luncheon. 11 a.m. Oct. 13. Starts at $75. Crowne Plaza Atlanta, 6050 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Norcross. galeo.org.