Wabash County Recognizes Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15 to October 15 each year to honor the achievements, histories, cultures, and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans.

The event stands out as a month-long celebration that starts mid-month as opposed to the beginning of the month. This is because September 15 marks an important event: the anniversary of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Also, Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16th, Chile celebrates its independence on September 18th, and Dia de la Raza (Race Day) is on October 12th, all of which occur during National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses substantially benefit economies across the U.S. National Hispanic Heritage Month offers a chance to remind citizens how important it is to support Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses, employers, and entrepreneurs, and their contributions to national, statewide, and local economies.  

Hispanic Culture in Wabash County, Indiana

This year, Downtown Wabash honored Hispanic Heritage Month on the First Friday of September. The event—Fiesta Friday: Honoring Hispanic Heritage Month—featured Latino/Hispanic-owned businesses, food, and arts. We at Grow Wabash County greatly appreciate the Latino/Hispanic-owned businesses throughout the region.

One popular Hispanic-owned business in Wabash County is Tacos Los Gordos. The food truck serves their cuisine throughout and just outside the county. Not only do they make mouth-watering tacos and walking tacos, but they also make quesabirrias, asada fries, menudo, quesadillas, ceviche, and more.  

“Wabash County is where we have grown and where all of our customers are from,” said Naomi Gomez-Ramirez, owner of Tacos Los Gordos. “We love seeing our customers enjoy their food and we appreciate them wanting us to attend festivals.”

Gomez-Ramirez works alongside her parents and brothers helping out with various tasks for the food truck. The business started off using a 10’ x 10’ canopy, later moved up to a 10’ x 20’ canopy, and has continued to bloom in Wabash County.

“Our business is doing well in Wabash County,” Gomez-Ramirez said. “About two months ago, we set up money to get the food trailer that we now have. We are growing as we go.”

Wabash County is home to other Hispanic/Latino-owned shops, restaurants, and more. Nestled in Downtown Wabash, the Eclectic Shoppe is another Hispanic-owned business we love. The shop features handcrafted goods made by various artists at all skill levels. Stop in and browse handcrafted and repurposed goods, glass art, pottery, textiles, vintage home décor, and more!

Support Hispanic/Latino-Owned Businesses in Wabash County

We encourage Wabash County residents to discover Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses and entrepreneurs in our area. The easiest way to show your support for Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses is to shop for their products and services. This can include locally-owned stores, restaurants, salons, and online Wabash County-based businesses. Shopping can be done during National Hispanic Heritage Month, but continued support throughout the year is even better.

You can also research Hispanic/Latino-owned business events near you that Hispanic/Latino-owned entrepreneurs and organizations host. While attending the event, you will have a chance to learn about some local Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses, buy their products and services, and retrieve their business cards to connect again.

Finding a Hispanic/Latino nonprofit or charity and making a donation is another option. Your donation will go to the organization which will use those funds to help their cause. By making financial contributions to Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses and charities, you are also assisting in growing the local economy and strengthening the community.

When you find businesses that you are especially fond of, be sure to share with others the positive experiences that you had. This can be as simple as telling your friends and family in person or on social media. Talk about what made the business or charity enjoyable and how it made you feel. Not only will this help spread the word about specific Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses, but it also has the power to make more people aware of why supporting these businesses is so important at both a national and local level.

Grow Wabash County would like to hear from you! What are some Hispanic/Latino-owned businesses in the Wabash County area that have brought you joy?