Each year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, our country observes National Hispanic Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the achievements, histories, traditions, and cultural diversity of Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx Americans from 20 countries and territories. This year’s National Hispanic Heritage Month theme is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation.” Unidos is a Spanish word meaning united or altogether, and the theme encourages us to ensure that all voices are represented and welcomed to help build stronger communities and a stronger nation.
During these 30 days, we’re grateful for the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the rich history and achievement of Hispanic and Latinx communities at UVA Health. Within our own UVA Health community, we invite you to learn more about the UVA Latino Health Initiative, which aims to improve the health and well-being of the Latino community in our communities.
Our UVA Health Office of Diversity and Community Engagement have highlighted several events across the region that will celebrate Hispanic heritage in the coming weeks including:
- C’Ville SABROSO Festival | Saturday, Sept. 17 | Charlottesville, Virginia
- Manassas Latino Festival | Saturday, Sept. 24 | Manassas, Virginia
- La Rumba Latinx Festival | Saturday, Oct. 1 | Fredericksburg, Virginia
At UVA Health, we strive to be a culturally competent health system that improves health outcomes and quality of care and contributes to the elimination of racial and ethnic health disparities. We want to be the leader in health equity, education, patient care, and research among the diverse community we serve. We greatly appreciate all Hispanic and Latinx team members at UVA Health: We honor and celebrate you and your many contributions to our organization and communities.
Sincerely,
Tracy M. Downs, MD
Chief Diversity and Community Engagement Officer, UVA Health
K. Craig Kent, MD
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Health
Executive Vice President for Health Affairs, University of Virginia
Marianne Baernholdt, PhD
Dean, UVA School of Nursing
Wendy Horton, PharmD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer, UVA Medical Center
Melina Kibbe, MD
Dean, UVA School of Medicine
Art Saavedra, MD
President, UVA Physicians Group
Erik Shannon
Interim Chief Executive Officer, UVA Community Health
Filed Under: Community, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion