USTA Heart of America Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

For hundreds of years, Hispanic-Americans have made a positive and lasting impact on the fabric of American society. Their rich history, culture, and achievements are awe-inspiring, and we as a nation have so much to thank our Hispanic communities for. National Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs September 15-October 15, was created to honor these many contributions of Hispanic-Americans while also celebrating those in our communities who serve as inspirations to others across the country.

Each year, the National Archives celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month by sharing the stories of famous Hispanic-Americans under an annual theme. The theme for 2022 is “Unidos: Inclusivity for a Stronger Nation,” and this resonates with us here at USTA Heart of America. We strongly believe in the power of inclusivity, and a major goal of ours is to ensure everyone who wants to play tennis has an opportunity to do so.

USTA Heart of America is home to a sizable Hispanic population, with Kansas City, KS in Wyandotte County among the largest. As such, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County has worked hard to ensure the health and happiness of its Hispanic residents through initiatives such as Latino Health for All.

Latino Health for All was founded nearly a decade ago, though its mission remains the same: “Reduce diabetes and cardiovascular disease among Latinos in Kansas City & Wyandotte County through a collaborative partnership to promote healthy nutrition, physical activity, and access to health services.” Through community partnerships and a variety of fruitful projects, including building and maintaining community and family gardens, community nutrition education and outreach, converting unused land into soccer fields, and forming a soccer league for Latino youth, Latino Health for All strives to make Wyandotte County a great place to live, work, and play for residents of all ages.

If you’d like to learn more about Latino Health for All, or if you’d like to volunteer for any of its community projects, please visit https://lhfa.ctb.ku.edu. 

We hope you’ll join us in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month and honoring Hispanic-Americans in our communities and across the nation.