For National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs September 15-October 15, CNN takes a look back on the news, politics, art, culture and entertainment stories that spoke to the Hispanic community during the last year.
September 2012: San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro gave the keynote address on the first day of the Democratic National Convention. It marked the first time that a Latino had ever delivered the signature address at that event.
Castro, 37, was introduced by his twin brother, then-congressional candidate and Texas state Rep. Joaquin Castro.
"My grandmother never owned a house," Julian Castro said. "She cleaned other people's houses so she could afford to rent her own. But she saw her daughter become the first in her family to graduate from college. And my mother fought hard for civil rights so that instead of a mop, I could hold this microphone."
September 2012: Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Diaz brought back the character Yunior in his long awaited book, "This Is How You Lose Her."
"I thought that it was important to get at men's inner lives and, more importantly, more personally to use a Dominican, New Jersey male in the background as sort of ground zero as the central reference," he told CNN.
This month Diaz introduces his collection of short stories in paperback.
September 2012: In a hotly contested election, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney stepped up efforts to woo Latino voters in a forum broadcast by the Spanish-language Univision network.
"With a father born in Mexico, are you sure you're not Latino?" co-host Jorge Ramos joked, apparently referring to a secretly recorded video that showed the Republican candidate saying "it would be helpful to be Latino.
The candidates answers about immigration and employment did little to sway the influential electorate, and recently, Republicans have examined how to better reach out to Latino voters.
October 2012: 2012 also marked the year of the political Latino celebrity, starring Eva Longoria. The actress' political profile was heightened in the election year, as she became a respected player not only in Hollywood, but also Washington, working with the Obama campaign.
"My government and economics teacher gave us a project where we all had to volunteer during the election. We could choose whatever party, but we had to volunteer and help register people to vote. It was part of our grade," Longoria said. "So I caught the political bug from there."
October 2012: When Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera became baseball's first triple crown winner in 45 years, some reported that he was the first Latino to lead the league in batting average, home runs and runs batted in. But CNN uncovered that Mexican-American baseball player Ted Williams paved the way for Cabrera.
"We're proud that Cabrera is continuing the tradition," Williams' daughter, Claudia Williams, told CNN. "But Latinos should have not needed to wait this long to see a Triple Crown winner when they had one for so long already. It's unfortunate that it had not been celebrated before. Ted was actually very proud of his heritage."
October 2012: Disney's not-so-Latina princess, Sofia the First, got some backlash when the company labeled the new character Latina and then backtracked.
"What's important to know is that Sofia is a fairytale girl who lives in a fairytale world," Disney wrote in a statement on its Facebook page.
Afterward, the National Hispanic Media Coalition sat down with Disney executives, who made a commitment to hiring more diverse writers in order to avoid future blunders.
On Election Day, Puerto Ricans voted in favor of statehood in a nonbinding referendum, marking the first time such an initiative garnered a majority.
"I think people just came to realize that the current relationship simply does not create the number of jobs that we need," Puerto Rico Secretary of State Kenneth McClintock said.
November 2012: The Latino vote was key this election year, and Hispanics voted in record numbers, making up 10% of the electorate.
"It's something we saw coming and have seen happen for a numbers of years now. Hispanics are increasing their share of their electorate," said Mark Hugo Lopez, associate director of the Pew Hispanic Center.
And, in another first, Cuban-Americans in Florida voted for a Democratic candidate over a Republican, 49% to 47%. Cuban-Americans in Florida have reliably voted Republican and have been a factor in some presidential outcomes in the coveted swing state.
December 2012: The year ended on a sad note, as many mourned musical superstar Jenni Rivera's death in a plane crash in Mexico. The singer's fame and tragic death was often compared to that of singer Selena, who died in 1995.
"She was a singer in a genre of music that's largely dominated by males, and she brought a powerful voice to that genre where she sang frankly about her struggles to give her children a better life in this country," Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida said on the U.S. Senate floor, describing Rivera as "a real American success story."
Rivera's hit reality show, "I Love Jenni," continues to film with her children -- Chiquis, Jacqui, Jenicka Michael and Johnny.
January 2013: Richard Blanco became America's first Latino, openly gay poet to read at a presidential inauguration.
"Just thinking about my parents and my grandparents and all the struggles they've been through, and how I am, first-generation Cuban-American, and this great honor that has just come to me, and just feeling that sense of just incredible gratitude and love," he wrote.
January 2013: In January, the Department of Homeland Security announced that mixed-status families could remain together while a family member applies to become legal U.S. resident.
"This is clearly a step in the right direction, but a lot more work needs to be done," said Wida Amir, immigrant rights program director at the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum. "We need a broader comprehensive immigration reform that provides a pathway to citizenship."
February 2013: Daniel Hernandez, the former intern of ex-Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, shared the story of how the Tucson shooting changed his life in his memoir, "They Call Me a Hero: A Memoir of My Youth."
"It's really striking that I went from being a 'suspicious driver' to being the 'hero' who helped Gabby. It's one of the reasons that I'm so vocal about staying in Arizona and doing what I can do here. I love Arizona. But if Latinos aren't here to fix these problems, then it's never going to be done. It'll only get worse," Hernandez said. He is currently running for re-election to a Tucson school board.
March 2013: The Catholic Church elected its first pope from South America, a milestone that had some wondering whether he should be considered the first "Latino" pope.
"It's human nature to want to see yourself reflected in an organization you belong to," Ruben Naverrette wrote. His tour through Brazil showed the pope has been embraced by Latinos and Latin Americans and by many around the world.
March 2013: When President Barack Obama nominated Thomas E. Perez to replace Hilda Solis as secretary of labor, it was a first for Dominican-Americans.
"What's even more significant is that it's not somebody who is Mexican-American, Puerto Rican or Cuban-American as in previous years," said Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials.
March 2013: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez's death received mixed reactions and left a country deeply divided.
"We shouldn't be partying," said Ernesto Ackerman, a Chavez opponent and president of the Independent Venezuelan-American Citizens, a nonprofit organization that helps Latinos become U.S. citizens. "We're only half of the country; the other half still supports Chavez. We should be asking (for) democracy, democracy, democracy, constitution. This is a most critical moment."
Elections were held 30 days later, and Nicolás Maduro, Chavez's handpicked successor, was sworn in after securing 50.7% of the vote.
April 2013: Media organizations, including the Associated Press and CNN, updated standards in the use of the term "illegal immigrant" in reporting.
"There is certainly a more widespread awareness that terminology is contentious and part of the overall political battle for immigration reform," said Lina Newton, an associate professor of political science at Hunter College and author of "Illegal, Alien, or Immigrant: The Politics of Immigration Reform."
April 2013: Jay-Z and Beyoncé set off a firestorm of criticism when they were photographed in Havana, Cuba, celebrating their wedding anniversary. Sen. Marco Rubio called their trip "hypocritical," saying "they're delivering hard currency to a tyrannical regime who then turns around and uses that to oppress its people."
After a request from two Republican lawmakers, the U.S. Treasury revealed the pair's trip had been sanctioned. The hype eventually blew over, but not without a response from Jay-Z in a rap song titled, "Open Letter."
May 2013: Is it possible to trademark the name of a holiday? The Walt Disney Company thought so when the company tried to trademark "Day of the Dead." After the story raised ire on social media, Disney withdrew its application.
"How could Disney allow such a blunder," marveled Lalo Alcaraz, a Mexican-American editorial cartoonist and founder of Pocho.com. "I knew they weren't copyrighting the holiday, but I couldn't believe they would let someone in their legal department let this happen."
June 2013: TThe debut of "Devious Maids" made history as the first primetime program featuring an all-Latina leading cast: Roselyn Sanchez, Edy Ganem, Ana Ortiz, Dania Ramirez and Judy Reyes. Creator and executive producer Marc Cherry of "Desperate Housewives'' was joined by fellow "Housewives" alum Eva Longoria.
"We have, as Latina maids, been portrayed on television and movies, but none of them have been humanized," Ramirez said. "None of them are real life stories, choosing to take this role is more interesting to me because I get to tell a story of struggle."
"Devious Maids" was picked up by Lifetime TV for a second season in 2014.
June 2013: Charlie Sheen's move to drop his stage name for his birth name, Carlos Estevez, came just in time for his turn in "Machete Kills," Robert Rodriguez's Latino-centric action film.
"I can't help but wonder if Robert Rodriguez is trying to give Charlie a chance to re-embrace his identity. I just hope Charlie's not just trying to use his culture to get all eyes on him since Latinos are such a hot commodity right now," said Herrera Mulligan, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan for Latinas.
Time will tell if the name sticks; for now, hola, Carlos!
June 2013: 11-year-old Sebastien de la Cruz became a household name after the Mexican-American child sang the national anthem in a mariachi outfit before the start of an NBA Finals game. There was a quick backlash, but "El Charro de oro," as he's known, was invited back for an encore performance.
"For those that said something bad about me, I understand it's your opinion," Sebastien said. "I'm a proud American and live in a free country. It's not hurting me. It's just your opinion."
June 2013: The Senate passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill on a 68-32 vote with 14 Republicans joining the Democratic majority. The measure, drafted by a bipartisan "Gang of Eight," was sent to the GOP-controlled House.
"Today is another historic day in the Senate," said Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont. "This legislation will reunite families. It will bring millions of people out of the shadows and into our legal system. It will spur job growth and reduce our deficit. And it will make us safer."
August 2013: A federal judge ruled NYPD's stop-and-frisk policy unconstitutional and ordered it to be altered. It was found that it violated the Constitution in part by unlawfully targeting blacks and Latinos.
"No one should live in fear of being stopped whenever he leaves his home to go about the activities of daily life," Judge Shira A. Scheindlin wrote. "Those who are routinely subjected to stops are overwhelmingly people of color, and they are justifiably troubled to be singled out when many of them have done nothing to attract the unwanted attention."
In September, Judge Scheindlin denied the city's request to delay stop-and-frisk reforms. "Ordering a stay now would send precisely the wrong signal," she wrote.
September 2013: The Senate's immigration bill called for doubling the size of the border patrol, leaving those who live and work on the border feeling an even bigger disconnect between the debate in Washington and the realities on the ground.
"It's true that Congress is done with the immigration debate for the rest of this year," CNN contributor Ruben Navarrette wrote in September. "But any hope of a large-scale reform that offers legal status to the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States has faded."
September 2013: Should it be legal for an undocumented immigrant to practice law? That's the question the California Supreme Court faced when undocumented law graduate Sergio Garcia presented his case to the court this month.
He has the support of California Attorney General Kamala Harris, who wrote in a brief to the court last year, "Admitting Garcia to the bar would be consistent with state and federal policy that encourages immigrants, both documented and undocumented, to contribute to society."
The court has up to 90 days to make a decision, one that could affect hundreds of undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Hispanic Heritage Month: 25 stories
Hispanic Heritage Month: 25 stories that shaped the Latino community
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
Hispanic Heritage Month: 25 stories that shaped the Latino community
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
Hispanic Heritage Month: 25 stories that shaped the Latino community
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
A year in Latino news
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Celebrations allow Hispanics to appreciate their story within the greater American narrative
- The author's father's service in Korean War helped her connect with her American heritage
- Glossing over Hispanic contributions puts American history in danger
- Commemorations such as Hispanic Heritage Month affirm that we are here legitimately
Editor's note: Sandra Guzman is an award-winning journalist, blogger, media consultant, and author of "The New Latina's Bible: The Modern Latina's Guide to Love, Spirituality, Family & La Vida." Find her at www.sandraguzman.com.
(CNN) -- From the White House to statehouses across America, from Main Street to Wall Street, there will be many commemorations marking Hispanic Heritage Month, which officially kicked off on September 15 -- but does all the hoopla matter?
Yes. All the proclamations, mariachi music and exultations, even the tacos served at these tributes are necessary -- especially if, beyond cocktails and soggy nachos, everyone takes the time to learn the stories and recognize everyday Hispanic American heroes who gave and continue to give of themselves to this nation.
The story behind Hispanic Heritage Month
The story of my father, a patriot and Korean War veteran, is worth highlighting, particularly during this month when the nation pauses to celebrate Hispanic contributions.
Two years ago he was buried, draped in his two beloved flags -- an American and a Puerto Rican flag. The fact that he went into the afterlife swathed in 51 stars and eighteen stripes spoke to the duality of my father's bicultural experience. This twin allegiance was neither exceptional nor paradoxical. Dad's double cultural devotion is at the heart of the Hispanic American experience.
When he was deployed at the age of 17, my father was a country boy from the southern coast of Puerto Rico who spoke only a few words of English. And yet he served this nation valiantly and was honorably discharged after three years of combat in Asia. Even though it was a source of immense pride (and pain, too, I'm sure), Dad rarely spoke about his time in Korea. And he didn't have to -- his body bore the evidence of the physical wounds endured, including a missing finger, blown off by a mortar attack. And while curious to hear war stories, we respected his wishes and never brought up the conflict. Implicitly, we understood to steer clear of that part of his life.
So upon his death at 76, we learned something astonishing about our dad. Though he was racially black and ethnically Puerto Rican, a Hispanic American who lived his adult life in New York City, Dad was officially listed in Army documents as white. While we were shocked at how a dark chocolate Latino would be mistaken for a Caucasian, historians looking into the exact numbers of Hispanic soldiers who served in wars aren't.
Detailed accounts of Hispanics in the armed forces were not kept until the 1970s, according to the Pew Center for Latino Studies. While some records show that thousands of Hispanic American men -- Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans for instance -- fought in the Civil War as well as the two World Wars, researchers have determined that many more served and died than official documents show. As a result of the omission, the full story of Hispanic sacrifice may never be fully told. And that is a shame, since Latinos have been part of the building of America -- including dying while protecting it -- for hundreds of years. If the records don't show that Hispanics served and died, that we toiled in the trenches and contributed with blood, how does our nation measure Hispanic contributions, let alone acknowledge them?
In the new American conversation, cultural celebrations like these matter, and they matter greatly. They help us better explain our Hispanic story to each other and ourselves; they matter for the individual and national psyche, because they allow the 50 million-plus Hispanics, and the larger American family, to better appreciate the Hispanic story within the greater American narrative.
For a long time, I didn't know about my father's heroic efforts in Korea and the legacy that he left his blood family and larger American family. Learning his story and that of the Borinqueneers and the 65th Infantry, for example, allowed me to more profoundly appreciate and connect with my larger American heritage. And it filled me with a mix of pride and cultural strength.
This is why commemorations like Hispanic Heritage Month are important -- a collective look back affirms that we were there, and that we are here, legitimately. Celebrations like these serve as reminders that we belong and that this nation is ours too.
Pausing to take stock and celebrate Hispanic heritage matters today more than ever, because it cancels out the cries of xenophobes with bully pulpits and megaphone outlets who scream at Latinos to go back to where we come from, who question our American legitimacy and our stake in conversations beyond immigration. (Hello Syria!) Knowing that our forebears served with distinction defending freedom and were just as patriotic as any Marlboro man shuts down the voices of separation and hate and propels a song that unites. It also sets the record straight.
A month dedicated to Hispanic heritage also adds to the richness of our story -- a story that tells the world that even if our grandmothers and grandfathers were born in or immigrated from other lands, and their English was broken, they, we, their heirs are no less American than any of the Mayflower descendants. These stories are living testaments to the complexity of how this nation was built and an affirmation that we are one nation, indivisible, made up of many. It is this rich and powerful heritage of many who together have built and continue to shape these United States.
Glossing over Hispanic contributions puts in danger this great American experiment; celebrating it fortifies it. These celebrations nourish our country's exceptionalism because they declare to the world -- as well as to us and each other -- that of many, we are one.
If ever the ignorant and divisive haters question my sons' American legitimacy, it warms my heart that they know their chapter in America's story -- that their abuelo, their grandfather, was an American patriot who fought for this country while being 100% Puerto Rican and 100% American. And that the two loves are hardly contradictory -- in fact, it's a 100% hecho in America story!
The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sandra Guzman.
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