Hispanic Heritage Month: Honoring Hispanic and Latinx Trailblazers

See the list of dynamic Hispanic and Latinx activists, innovators, creatives, and Trailblazers who have advanced our society as a whole.

Each year, we observe Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15. During this time we celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of U.S. residents whose ancestors, or who themselves, came from Latin America and/or the Caribbean.

We hope everyone can use this time to reflect on and gain a deeper appreciation of the enduring Latinx contributions to the fabric of the United States, and of how they’ve shaped our national experience and identity.

Latinoforce, our Employee Resource Group for the Latinx community and allies, uses this champion month to organize events to bring together our Salesforce community. In the U.S., nearly 60 million individuals trace their heritage to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, each with distinct demographic and economic profiles.

In the US, more than 62 million individuals trace their heritage to Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America and Spain, each with distinct demographic and economic profiles. We have always believed in the power of representation and that’s why we host our annual racial equality summit — Representation Matters — to elevate luminary professionals from the Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities who are typically the most underrepresented in the tech sector.

Below are just a few of the dynamic Hispanic and Latinx activists, innovators, creatives, and Trailblazers that have contributed towards advancing our society as a whole.

Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta created the Agricultural Workers Association in 1960 and co-founded what would become the United Farm Workers.

“We must use our lives to make the world a better place to live, not just to acquire things. That is what we are put on the earth for.” — Dolores Huerta

Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez is a labor leader that employed nonviolent means to bring attention to the plight of farmworkers.

“Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures.” — Cesar Chavez

Ellen Ochoa

Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman in space when she served on the nine-day STS-56 mission in 1993.

“Don’t be afraid to reach for the stars.” — Ellen Ochoa

Jorge Luis Borges

Jorge Luis Borges is an Argentine author and arguably the father of Magical Realism, a uniquely Latin American-born genre of writing. His vocal support for the freedom of the Argentine people influenced the political landscape.

“I can give you my loneliness, my darkness, the hunger of my heart, I am trying to bribe you with uncertainty, with danger, with defeat.” — Jorge Luis Borges

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is considered one of Mexico’s greatest artists and feminist icons. She drew inspiration from her life, nature, and the artifacts of Mexico.

“You deserve the best, the very best, because you are one of the few people in this lousy world who are honest to themselves, and that is the only thing that really counts. — Frida Kahlo

Celia Cruz

Celia Cruz was internationally renowned as the “Queen of Salsa,” “La Guarachera de Cuba,” as well as the “Queen of Latin Music. She is considered an authentic symbol of Latin culture worldwide.

“Singing is my life. It has always been my life. It will always be my life.” — Celia Cruz

Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Gabriel Garcia Marquez is considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th century and is a Nobel Prize-winning novelist.

“The interpretation of our reality through patterns not our own, serves only to make us ever more unknown, ever less free, ever more solitary.” — Gabriel Garcia Marquez

As we honor these equality heroes and celebrate their culture — we are reminded also of our role as active allies. It is on each of us to help elevate and preserve the legacies of the culture and histories around us.

“Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other cultures,” said Cesar Chavez, the barrier-breaking labor leader, and civil rights activist.