Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) headquarters hosted a National Hispanic Heritage Month program for its military and civilian personnel Oct. 3 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

This year’s National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated annually between Sept 15 – Oct 15, centers on the theme “Honoring Hispanic Americans: Essential to the Blueprint of Our Nation” and the integral contributions of the Hispanic and Latino communities across America. In the words of the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, “It is important for all of us to appreciate where we come from and how that history has really shaped us in ways that we might not understand.”

Opening remarks from NAVSUP Operational Planner Ruben Chavira emphasized the celebration of how numerous multi-cultural and multi-ethnic Latino communities shaped our nation’s history and continue to shape out future.

From there, keynote speaker Luz Colon, Executive Director for the Pennsylvania Commission on Latina Affairs (GACLA), led the presentation. In her work with GACLA, Colon travels the state, connecting with Latino communities throughout Pennsylvania, providing resources and advocacy. Additionally, she organizes numerous Latino events across the commonwealth to bring resources to communities. This includes co-founding the Philadelphia 76ers La Liga Del Barrio Basketball League Organization.

GALCA is made up of several sub-committees, which work simultaneously to make change in Pennsylvania’s Latino communities by engaging in education, labor and industry, and government functions. They cultivate relationships with local organizations, nonprofit partners, national associations, and the federal government to further the community’s interests.

In closing, Colon presented a proclamation from the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office that not only recognizes the annual observance of National Hispanic Heritage Month, but also celebrates the culture of Hispanic and Latino Pennsylvanians. The proclamation highlighted military service and sacrifice of Hispanics and Latinos who serve in our military today, and who served in the past from the Revolutionary War and beyond.

The proclamation goes on to say, “With a commitment to faith and a desire to live the American dream, Hispanic and Latino Pennsylvanians embrace the ideals upon which this commonwealth was founded.”

Headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, and employing a diverse, worldwide workforce of more than 22,500 military and civilian personnel, NAVSUP's mission is to provide supplies, services, and quality-of-life support to the Navy and joint warfighter.

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