Culture Meets Community at our Hispanic Heritage Potluck
Our Community Potlucks
This past September, our Village and Lighthouse communities celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month with two successful community potluck dinners. The patios were adorned with the flags of Mexico, the United States, Guatemala, Colombia, and other Hispanic regions, as the lyrics of Los Lobos, Natalia Lafourcade, and Los Prisioneros filled the air. Residents arrived with delicious, culturally relevant, and homemade dishes, honoring family tradition and celebrating quality cuisine.
Families, friends, and community members conversed and connected while enjoying tasty taquitos, quesadillas, arroz español, and ensalada de pollo, just to name a few items on the menu. Each plate was complemented with cups of homemade Horchata and Jamaica.
The Turner Foundation’s potlucks are more than dinners; they're opportunities for residents to come together as a community, contribute something they're proud of, and share a piece of their family's story. We are excited and proud that residents dove into this opportunity and enjoyed taking part in it. The patio spaces at both communities were full of laughter and conversation as we celebrated the diverse and rich culture in which we reside.
A Brief History of Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month* is celebrated nationally every September 15th - October 15th, and recognizes the important impact that Hispanic culture has made (and continues to make) on our communities. What began in 1968 as a week-long observance was expanded in 1988 to a full month, a time to honor the independence celebrations of multiple Latin American nations. September 15th marks the independence of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16th, Chile on the 18th and Belize on the 21st.
It's a time to acknowledge not just historic milestones, but the everyday contributions of Hispanic Americans who enrich our communities with the beauty of their culture, traditions, and shared stories. It was gratifying to have our residents and community come together to acknowledge and honor this.
Cultural Potlucks and Our Community
These gatherings remind us of what Hopeful Housing is all about: creating spaces where people of all ages can belong, grow, and thrive together. These are spaces where they can be celebrated and honored for who they are.
It's the giggles between bites, the stories exchanged across tables, the warmth of being welcomed that matters. When residents bring their family recipes to share, when neighbors linger over conversation, when new friendships form over horchata and homemade dishes, that's community in action.
We plan to continue having more of these fabulous community potlucks throughout the year. We hope to see you at our next potluck. Don’t miss out on the fun!