Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 – October 15 in the United States, recognizes the contributions and influence of Hispanic & Latinx Americans. Throughout the United States, there are approximately 60 million people who identify as Hispanic or Latinx, representing approximately 18% of the population. It is important to note this includes 4,869,400 Latinx people living with a disability. Only 37% of working-age Latinos with disabilities are employed in the U.S., compared to 73.9% of working-age Latinos without disabilities. Even though many Latinx individuals with disabilities express interest in working, many are often discriminated against due to their disability. To combat the societal stigma against the disabled community, many Latinx celebrities and activists use their platform to share their stories and educate others about both visible and invisible disabilities.
Read on for a few examples of inspiring Hispanic and Latinx individuals who have worked to change the world to be more inclusive and accepting of individuals with disabilities.
Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo, Mexican artist, showcased her disability throughout many of her paintings. She pushed boundaries despite the conservative attitude in her culture and society. Kahlo intertwined styles of surrealism to illustrate her disability. With her boldness and ability to share her struggles through her paintings, Kahlo came to be a world-renowned artist. To this day, she is celebrated as an icon of Mexican culture and an inspiration to the feminist, LGBTQIA+, and disability communities.
Jeison Aristizábal
Jeison Aristizábal, Columbian nonprofit owner, is well known for his nonprofit called ASODISVALLE — an acronym that translates to Association of Disabled People of the Valley. ASODISVALLE provides vital resources to the disabled population in Cali, Columbia. Aristizábal was inspired to start a nonprofit as he personally experienced the limited number of resources available to him growing up with cerebral palsy. In 2016, CNN chose Aristizábal as Hero of the Year in recognition of his dedication and work for the disability community.
Victor Pineda, PhD
Victor Pineda, Venezuelan disability activist and Doctor of Philosophy, spearheaded initiatives for inclusion in the United States. Pineda is the President of World Enabled and The Global Alliance on Accessible Technologies and Environments (GAATES), which is the leading international organization dedicated to the promotion of accessibility. With his leading global expertise in the needs of the disability community, Pineda helped to create policies and programs that include persons with disabilities as equal stakeholders in development.
The United States is the strongest when it is inclusive and values diversity, especially in the workplace. This month, Anthesis is proud to highlight these individuals who have made a difference in the world for the disability community.