National Hispanic Heritage Month

Los Angeles Air Force Base celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month on Oct 9th with cultural booths. In addition, guest speaker Mr. Cordell DeLaPena, Space Production Corps Program Executive Officer, addressed the crowd which was followed by a dancing performance and food trucks serving South American cuisines. Each year, Los Angeles AFB observes National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. The day of September 15 is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on September 16 and September18, respectively. Hispanic-Americans made significant contributions to defense, arts, sports, public service, research and development, civil rights, business, agriculture and the service industry that enabled America to maintain its competitiveness, relevance and prominence in the global arena. (U.S. Air Force photos by Van De Ha)