Celebrating Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month
Students learned about Hispanic & Latinx leaders, music, and history.
The Office of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging created a vibrant display of leaders on the bulletin board outside the second-grade classrooms. The board highlighted many Latinx women leaders—past and present—from civil rights activists and district judges to chief officers, CEOs, muralists, and dancers. Before class and during recess, students stopped by to learn more about these figures, as well as the significance of Hispanic & Latinx Heritage Month and the meanings behind Latinx, Latine, Hispanic, and Latin American terminology.
In an Upper School assembly, seventh graders performed “Oye Cómo Va” (Tito Puente and Carlos Santana version). They played xylophones and marimbas to accompany the two-line chorus and invited other Upper Schoolers to join in singing and learning about the song. Reflecting on the experience, US Music Teacher Mr. Borges shared, “When my students perform, it’s my hope that they take away not only the experience of learning the song itself, but that they appreciate the contributions of Latin Americans in American culture.”
Similarly, in Lower School, Music Specialist Ms. Mandelstein led students in singing songs during assembly. They covered the Mexican folk song “La Bamba,” as well as “Los Mañanitas,” which became part of their repertoire of birthday songs from different cultures. Then, the whole Lower School joined in dancing to “La Raspa”!
Lower Schoolers have more to look forward to; in a couple of weeks, there will be a special assembly, where members of a local Bay Area dance troupe, Las Mezcla, will perform and educate the Lower School about the music and dance in Veracruz, Mexico.
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Lower Schoolers have more to look forward to; in a couple of weeks, there will be a special assembly, where members of a local Bay Area dance troupe, Las Mezcla, will perform and educate the Lower School about the music and dance in Veracruz, Mexico.
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At Burke’s, we recognize the “imperfect” term “Hispanic” has been under national discussion and scrutiny since its creation in the 1980s. We realize no imposed umbrella term is perfect, and many may have a personal preference to use their country, region, or culture of origin instead of the terms Latino/a, Latinx, or the more recent gender-inclusive and language-inclusive term, Latine.
Burke's mission is to educate, encourage and empower girls. Our school combines academic excellence with an appreciation for childhood so that students thrive as learners, develop a strong sense of self, contribute to community, and fulfill their potential, now and throughout life.
Burke's admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.