Hispanic Heritage Month Celebrations Shift Due To The Pandemic

The celebration of National Hispanic Heritage Month has taken a turn this year due to the pandemic and the rise of the delta variant. 

Celebrated in September, it marks the independence anniversary of five Latin American countries. The month is full of events and celebrations to honor Latin culture and heritage, but this year local events either got canceled or went online.

One big event did move forward as scheduled. Fiesta took place at the Winston-Salem Fairgrounds, and had authentic Latin live music, mariachis, and, as expected, there were free vaccines provided to the attendees. The organization also partnered with other entities such as the Forsyth County Department of Public Health and added a vaccine raffle to the event itinerary. 

During the last month, cases of COVID-19 have spiked dramatically in the Hispanic community. Over three thousand cases have been reported alone during the week of September 5, the most recent data available. Health officials say the delta variant is to blame, and yet that has not stopped the community from celebrating its heritage, whether it's in person or not.

This story was produced by a partnership between WFDD and La Noticia. You can read this story in Spanish at La Noticia.

Eileen Rodriguez is a reporter for both WFDD and La Noticia through Report for America, where she covers COVID-19's impact in the Latino Communities.

Periodista de La Noticia y 88.5 WFDD, Eileen Rodríguez reporta el impacto de COVID-19 en la comunidad Latina en Carolina del Norte. Rodríguez es miembro del cuerpo de periodistas de Report for America 2021-2022