© 2006. Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc

Founded 1979

About Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc

The Board of Directors of Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. is comprised of a group of Hispanics with varied roots who want to share their pride in being Hispanic. The organization serves as an umbrella for Tampa Bay Area Hispanic groups and other interested parties that want to share the rich Spanish  language, culture and traditions with the community during Tampa's Hispanic Heritage Celebration. Tampa's rich Hispanic roots can be traced to the early conquistadors who named what is now Old Tampa Bay, La Bahia del Espiritu Santo, (Bay of the Holy Spirit)

However, it was at the turn of the century with the advent of the cigar factories that Tampa's Hispanic population increased tremendously with the influx of Spanish and Cuban immigrants. In recent years, the Tampa Bay area has experienced a boom in its Hispanic population, this time being enriched by immigrants from Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean.

Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc.'s roots can be traced to the more recent influx of Hispanic immigrants to the Tampa Bay area. In 1975, President Gerald Ford proclaimed the first Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States. That year a committee of Hispanics appointed by the then Tampa Mayor William F. Poe organized the first Hispanic Heritage Celebration in Tampa. The 1975 celebration consisted of a simple ceremony on Columbus day at his statue on Bayshore Blvd. in Tampa.

As years passed, the mayoral committee became part of Tampa's Sister cities, but in 1979, as the enthusiasm for the annual celebration grew, Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. became autonomous. With the increase and variety of the Hispanic population, Tampa Bay Area Hispanics felt the need to share their roots with the entire community. The celebration of Tampa's Hispanic Heritage has expanded from the once simple ceremony to a ninety plus event extravaganza spanning the months of September, October and November each year.

Today

Celebrations include numerous events presented by different Hispanic groups in the Tampa Bay Area. The activities are always well attended by both Hispanic and non-Hispanics. Each year Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. presents a diversified calendar of events that is educational, entertaining, and exciting. From the Mayor's official proclamation of the Hispanic Heritage month to the Inaugural Gala, from the Annual Celebration Luncheon to the Annual poster and Essay Contests, yearly festivities generate tremendous community involvement and excitement. Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. is a 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) non-profit corporation.

Long Term Goals

• To foster, promote, and preserve the Hispanic heritage and culture of the Tampa Bay area.
• To contribute to the enrichment of the Hispanic culture and traditions in the Tampa Bay area in addition to preserving its past.
• To develop a unified voice in promoting a better understanding of the dynamic and progressive Hispanic community.
• To enrich the Tampa Bay Area community as a whole through the preservation and enrichment of the Hispanic Heritage and  culture.
• To foster, promote, and preserve the Hispanic heritage and culture of the Tampa Bay area.

Immediate Goals

• To be the coordinating force of the Fall festivities of Tampa's Annual Hispanic Celebration.
• To publish the bilingual Official Calendar of Events of the Tampa Hispanic Heritage Celebration.
• To organize and promote the Inaugural Gala to recognize the Hispanic Man and Woman of the Year.
• To coordinate the Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. Poster and Essay contests.
• To organize and promote the Hispanic Celebration Awards.
• To make Tampa's Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration the best ever and to serve the cultural needs and interests of the Tampa Bay area growing Hispanic community.