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Latino icons are all around us. Latino USA takes a look at these icons and their lasting legacies.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda is a very well known Actor, Singer, Songwriter, Rapper, producer, and Playwright. He is known for his outstanding broadway production, Hamilton (+ many more). Lin-Manuel Miranda has also been involved in animated movies like Moana, and actually wrote one of the biggest songs from the movie, How Far I'll Go.

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Lin-Manuel Miranda was born in Manhattan, New York and was raised in a hispanic neighborhood (he's Puerto Rican-American). He went to Wesleyan University and majored in theatre and began his playwright career in 1999 when he finished his first musical, In The Heights.

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In the start of his playwright career, he wrote a play called "In The Heights" in 2005, which put him on the map, and became even more well known when he released "Hamilton", one of the most well known plays of all time!

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He became famous in his home city, New York. Especially since that's where all the broadway musicals are being performed.

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It is important to know Lin-Manuel Miranda because he is one of the few hispanic icons in the playwright industry. Plus, his plays are so good!!!

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I chose Lin-Manuel Miranda because I really love his plays and think he is such an inspiration to us Hispanics and Latinos. He started with just being a boy in New York to a huge icon in an industry not many people make it in.

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Ballet Hispánico Part I: History & Mission - Ballet Hispánico - Google Arts & Culture

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Ballet Hispánico, America's leading Latinx dance organization, has been bringing people together to celebrate the joy and diversity of Latino cultures for ...

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Tina Ramirez is the founder of Ballet Hispanico. She is a Puerto Rican/Mexican-American dancer who wanted to shine a spotlight on hispanic culture and art so people could share the experience with others!

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Ballet Hispánico is an American Dance company that broadcasts choreography. They are based in New York. The point of Ballet Hispánico was to tell stories of Hispanic and Latino Americans through the art of Dance.

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Ballet Hispánico was founded in 1970. During those times, there were many stereotypes about Hispanic and Latino people (as well as today). Tina Ramirez wanted to use her passion to breakthrough these stereotypes and allow others to experience Hispanic/Latino culture through choreography.

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Although the Founder, Tina Ramirez, was born in Caracas Venezuela, she moved to New York City and began to train with Lola Bravo (a spanish dance teacher). The company itself is still currently based in Manhattan, New York.

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In my opinion, I think Ballet Hispanico is very important because first of all, Hispanic/Latino culture is beautiful! Who would not want to see amazing colorful dances + learn some new things? The company educates people through their choreography and its their passion.

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WHY...I chose to talk about this Company?

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WHY...I chose to talk about this Company?

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I chose to talk about Ballet Hispanico because I love art and I love my culture! Seeing both combined in Dance is just so fascinating and beautiful. I also hope to inform more people about this company, because before this project, I had no clue it existed!

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DC's oldest surviving Latino mural was painted in the mid-1970s by brothers Caco and Renato Salazar, critiquing the greed of real estate speculators and highlighting the plight of working-class immigrants. While the iconic mural was restored in 2015, the expensive Adams Morgan neighborhood where it is located is no longer a hub of the Latino community.

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Latino DC: Local, National & Global Stories Come Together - Google Arts & Culture

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The Smithsonian's Latino DC History Project tells the story of the growth of the diverse Latino community in the Nation's Capital and its suburbs.

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The Smithsonian’s Latinos are a group and program that help spread information about Latino/Hispanic cultures. Plus they organize events that to help Latinos get better education, healthcare, and housing.

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They are Latinos in Washington DC who gather together to organize events to fight for natural rights! Today make up about 15% of Washington, DC. Which is not as large as you may thing, but that is around 100,000 people out of 600,000.

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WHEN...did Latino communities become more noticeable in Washington DC?

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WHEN...did Latino communities become more noticeable in Washington DC?

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It wasn't until the late 1960's when Latino Communities began to be more visible POLITICALLY. Before that, there was rarely any representation for Latinos and Hispanics in Washington, DC. Once they received recognition, they began fighting for their rights, education, healthcare, etc.

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All of the events ran by The Smithsonian’s Latino DC History Project were based in Washington DC. They were ran by the latino communities who wanted to take action, and because of this Spanish, Cubans, and more Latino groups began to have more opportunities like starting their own small businesses.

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These Latino Communities are important because they keep our culture alive in a place where they are not represented as much as the majority.

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I selected this topic to spread awareness that we as Latinos need to be represented EVERYWHERE in order to get recognition. These people from Washington DC are doing wonders gathering together to fight for what is right, especially since it is very difficult to work as a group.

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Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum Day of the Dead/ Día de los Muertos

Thousands of years prior to the Spanish Conquest ethnic groups of the region including Olmec, Mayas, Toltecs, and Aztecs honored their dead with rituals by burying them in graves with offerings that included pottery, jewelry, textiles, food, and household objects. Special months to honor and commemorate the deceased were dedicated, separating celebrations based on age and mode of death such as drowning, childbirth, or warfare. During these months of celebration, the indigenous people believed that the deceased would return and they would need to offer gifts, flowers, food, incense, dances, and music as a way of gaining their favor.

Aztec Blessing Performance
Hollywood Forever Cemetery. LVM, 2009.

Highlights for the Hollywood Forever Day of the Dead Festival 2012

The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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Honoring Our Ancestors - Smithsonian Latino Center (SLC) - Google Arts & Culture

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Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum Day of the Dead/ Día de los Muertos Thousands of years prior to the Spanish Conquest ethnic groups of the region including Olmec, Mayas, Toltecs, and Aztecs honored their dead with rituals by burying them in graves with offerings that included pottery, jewelry, textiles, food, and household objects.

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Dia de los Muertos is usually celebrated by the people in Mexico, Central America, and the Mexicans who live in the United States.

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Dia de los Muertos celebrates the passing of ancestors and loved ones. We honor them every year to show that they are never forgotten and allow their spirits to visit their families. Many people make altars filled with their favorite things to show their love as well.

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WHEN...do people celebrate Dia de los Muertos?

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WHEN...do people celebrate Dia de los Muertos?

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Dia de los muertos is usually celebrated on November 2nd. If you are catholics we also add November 1st as well for dia de los santos (all saints day).

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The holiday is celebrated is celebrated mainly in Mexico, but there are also many places that also like to participate from different countries usually with mexican descent.

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Dia de los muertos is important to me, because I have always celebrated it all my life and it feels nice knowing that we can allow our ancestors spirits to visit us and watch us celebrate their lives to show our endless love for them. (picture above is pan de muerto / day of the dead sweet bread).

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I chose this to show others that Dia de los muertos is not just a boring holiday and is nothing like halloween (which many people mix up). Dia de los muertos is s much more than that! it is a day filled with history, culture, food, and beautiful cempasuchiles (mexican marigolds).