Hispanic Heritage Month

This Hispanic Heritage Month, join BBBS in celebrating our Bigs within Hispanic and Latin American communities whose mentorship to a Little is more than time spent—it’s a moment of representation and impact. We need more volunteers who are a part of this community to mentor the next generation of Hispanic Idahoans!

Hispanic Heritage Month is an annual celebration of the history and culture of the U.S. Latinx and Hispanic communities. This spans from September 15 to October 15 and commemorates how those communities have influenced and contributed to American society at large. In Idaho, Hispanic and Latin American people make up 13% of the state’s population and 18% of K-12 public school students.

The Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs highlighted that a large share of Idaho’s Hispanic population is made up of children and young adults, with few older individuals. This is in contrast
to the non-Hispanic population, which is more evenly distributed across age groups. This data confirms what we already know, more Hispanic children in Idaho need a mentor.

There are barriers that Hispanic children have higher rates of experiencing. Although all youth in Idaho are reported high rates of unsafe behavior and serious mental health issues, Hispanic youth are less likely to wear seatbelts and more likely to attempt suicide. These unsafe behaviors concern us. Whether the interaction with a Big could be as simple as reminding the child of the importance of wearing a seatbelt or as serious as a discussion about mental health, these children need a safe person to have these conversations with. A Big could be that person. We need Bigs of all backgrounds, but we know representation matters!

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a Big, please give our office a call. We are always searching for Bigs of different backgrounds so that all children feel that they have someone who looks like them to look up to. You could be the Big difference in a child’s life.

 

Reference: https://icha.idaho.gov/docs/Hispanic%20Profile%20Data%20Book%202021%20-%20FINAL%20V3.pdf