2016 Hispanic Heritage Proclamation – Fairfax County, VA
Today, September 20, 2016, VACOLAO’s chair Edgar Aranda-Yanoc, LLM, was the recipient of the 2016 Hispanic Heritage Proclamation voted by the Board of Supervisor of Fairfax County. Edgar was elected to receive this proclamation for his contribution to the Latino/Hispanic Community in Fairfax, Virginia. The heritage of people is very important, it links them to the past and can help them see a future, however, there are some families out there that do not know their family tree very well, that is why research in the right areas can help immensely. For example, checking out Morning Call obits, and censuses in certain counties previous families may have lived in, can help that connection and find what people are looking for. Heritage shapes us, it is important to know where we all come from.
Fairfax is at the top of the fifteen more diverse places in the US. According to the 2014 U.S Census Bureau, the population of Latinos in Fairfax is 186,402 (6%)
“As an immigrant from Peru and advocate for the rights of Latinos residing in Virginia, I thank the board of Fairfax for their generous invitation to speak at this Proclamation acknowledging the Hispanic heritage month. In my experience, Fairfax county has been a welcoming county to immigrants, acting to treat us with dignity and humanity, supporting our cultural heritage through community events, supporting us through county institutions including schools and helping us make a home here. It is an honor to speak to you all today and I hope we all will continue working together to build the communities in which all of us wish to live”.
Proclamation: WHEREAS: Cultural diversity is a great strength of our nation and Hispanic and Latino Americans have had a positive and profound influence on our country through their strong commitment to family, faith, hard work and service. WHEREAS, Hispanic and Latino Americans enhance our national character with centuries old traditions reflecting the multiethnic and multicultural customs of their way of life; and WHEREAS, September 15 through October 15 is celebrated throughout the United States as National Hispanic Heritage Month, providing opportunity to honor those contributions and celebrate the rich traditions of our Hispanic and Latino American community. WHEREAS, the promise that regardless of where we come from o what we look like, each of us can continue to teach our children about the work yet to be done to widen the circle of opportunity for the Hispanic community and keep the American dream within reach for all who seek it and affirm the narrative of American unity and progress. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors, on behalf of all residents of Fairfax County, does hereby proclaim September 15 through October 15, 2016 as HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH … Sharon Bulova, Chairman Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. September 20, 2016.