FLORIDA HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

The fourth annual Florida Hispanic Heritage Month runs through October 15 to pay tribute to Florida's Hispanic culture. The theme for this year's celebration is "La Florida: Honoring Our State's Spanish and Latin American Influences."  Celebrate the achievements and contributions of our state's Spanish-speaking cultures and communities with Floridians across the state to honor and embrace our state's rich heritage. 

This month honors the independence days of seven Latin American countries -- Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile – and recognizes the discovery of America. The first event in Florida’s recorded history was the landing of Ponce De Leon in 1513. Since then, Spanish-speakers have converged in Florida, giving it one of the most unique and diverse Hispanic populations in the world.

An exhibition of Latin American art, featuring relevant modern and contemporary works by Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera, Fernando Botero, Rufino Tamayo, Guillermo Muñoz Vera, Roberto Matta and Pablo Atchugarry, are on display in the Governor’s Mansion from September 15 to October 15, and the show is open to the public by appointment. The Governor and First Lady were joined at the event’s opening by Mexican businessman and telecommunications mogul Carlos Slim Helú along with Hispanic business, community and cultural leaders from across the state.

Partners and sponsors for the 2006 Hispanic Heritage Month include the Volunteer Florida Foundation, Volunteer Florida, Florida Department of Education, City of Tallahassee, Wal-Mart/ Sam' s Pharmacy, the Sallie Mae Fund, Florida Prepaid College Foundation, Greenberg Traurig, Ford Motor Co. Fund, Telefonica USA, Walt Disney World, Prudential Financial, Florida Education Foundation, Pollo Tropical, Hayes Computer Systems, Brown & Brown, Florida Coca Cola Bottling Group and the Cuban American Bar Association.

For more information on Florida’s Hispanic Heritage Month, please visit www.floridahispanicheritage.com.