Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with us, observed from September 15 through October 15! AWP recognizes and honors all communities of Hispanic and Latinx heritage. We strive to make space for and give a platform to writers who identify within these communities. Our goal is to celebrate and uplift Hispanic and Latinx authors who share their stories throughout local, national, and global cultural communities.

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, we have assembled a collection of events, resources, and a Bookshop.org list comprised of Hispanic and Latinx authors.

From the Writer’s Chronicle

“Ten Must-Read Latino Books” by Michael Dowdy, September 2017

“Within Two Cultures, With Two Languages: An Interview with Margarita Engle “by Padma Venkatraman, November 2019
“The Cosmic Poetry of Octavio Paz” by Pablo Medina, February 2009

“Tropic of Tropes: A Conversation with Poet & Art Critic Ricardo Pau-Llosa” by Bruce Allen Dick, February 2009

“Elegy for Desire: Luis Omar Salinas 1937-2008” by Christopher Buckley, October/November 2008

“On Poetry, Politics, & Publishing: A Conversation with Martin Espada” by Bruce Allen Dick & Andres Fisher, September 2008

“An Interview with the Founders of CantoMundo” by Millicent Borges Accardi, May/Summer 2016

“An Interview with Judith Ortiz Cofer” by Stephanie Gordon, October/November 1997

Rewatch Online Events

#AWP21 Latin American Women Writers in Translation

#AWP21 Creative Writing in Spanish in the United States: A Movement in the Making

General Resources:

• To learn more about the origins of Hispanic Heritage Month visit their website.

• Explore VOCES, an arts and culture documentary showcase produced by Latino Public Broadcasting. VOCES is the only ongoing national television series devoted solely to celebrating and documenting the rich diversity of the Hispanic and Latino cultural experience.

• With representation from thirty-two countries, the Library of Congress’ PALABRA Archive dates back to 1943 and contains over 800 recordings of Latino and Hispanic poets.

• Browse through the digital collections from the Hispanic Reading room that features recorded interviews of American poetry and prose writers of Hispanic descent.

• The podcast series La Biblioteca, produced by the Library of Congress’ Hispanic Reading Room, explores the Library of Congress’ collections that focus on Spanish, Latin American, Portuguese, and Hispanic communities. Listen to conversations between curators, librarians, critics, poets, and experts as they convene to discuss selections from the PALABRA Archive.  

Hispanic Heritage Month Events:

Wednesday, September 13

11:00–11:30 a.m.— Bring out your little ones and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a virtual introduction to famous and historical Hispanic figures with VIRTUAL | Young Portrait Explorers | HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. Celebrate Puerto Rican actress Rita Moreno during this session with the National Portrait Gallery. This event is best suitable for children ages 3–6. Registration is free, and this event will take place online.

Tuesday, September 19

7:00 p.m.— Join Gwinnett County Public Library for: ATL Reads Virtual Book Club, Violeta by Isabel Allende. Come prepared to discuss this epic tale of strife, sickness, heartbreak, and love. Registration is free, and this event will take place online.

Wednesday, September 27

11:00–11:30 a.m.— Bring out your little ones to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a virtual introduction to famous and historical Hispanic figures with VIRTUAL | Young Portrait Explorers | HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH. In this session, the National Portrait Gallery will be delving into baseball pitcher Juan Marichal. Registration is free, and this event will take place online.

Thursday, September 28

Noon–1:00 p.m. — DreamBank presents FAMILY: Hispanic Heritage Month Event: Virtual Field Trip Exploring Mexico. DreamBank is a nonprofit organization that specializes in virtual, educational experiences for both children and adults. Learn about Mexican traditions, art, culture, and more in this free event!

Tuesday, October 10

4:00–5:00 p.m. — East Hampton Library presents: ¡Viva La Vida!: Frida Kahlo Workshop. Learn about the art and life of one of Mexico’s most famous artists with facilitation from Joyce Raimondo. Registration is free, and this event will take place online.

Wednesday, October 11

7:00–8:00 p.m. — Come out for: Gwinnett County Public Library Exploring Latine Women Authors. Join Sandra Guzmán, editor of Daughters of Latin America, as she discusses the groundbreaking anthology of Latine women authors. Registration is free, and this event will take place online.