How much do you know about the history of Hispanic and Latino culture and community in Rockford?
In recognition of National Hispanic Heritage Month, the Rockford Register Star has partnered with La Onda, a newly-formed nonprofit organization, to help share and celebrate the impact of Hispanic and Latino people, businesses and organizations in and around the Rockford area.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Visit rrstar.com or the Rockford Register Star newspaper each day to read about the people and places that make up Rockford’s Latino community.
The terms “Hispanic” and “Latino” are often used interchangeably, but they have defining differences.
Hispanic refers to people who share a common language, specifically Spanish, and typically includes individuals from Spain and the Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America. On the other hand, Latino refers to people from Latin America, which includes Mexico, countries in Central and South America, and the Caribbean, regardless of language. For example, Brazilians are Latino because Brazil is in Latin America, but they are not Hispanic since Portuguese, not Spanish, is spoken there.