Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off -- here's a list of events in the Milwaukee area

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) --Hispanic Heritage Month officially kicked off Friday, Sept. 15, and a number of Milwaukee leaders hosted an event outside of the Marcus Performing Arts Center to celebrate diversity in our hometowns.

HHM is celebrated from September 15 until October 15. A lot of people wonder why it's celebrated mid-month and that's because Sept.15 is the anniversary of "El Grito de Dolores” or "The Cry of Dolores," which marked the start of the Mexican war of independence from Spain in 1821. That date is also the anniversary of Independence for Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

Mexico's Day of Independence is Sept. 16 and Chile's is Sept. 18.

'El orgullo latino' or 'the Latino pride' was no doubt seen and felt Friday in downtown Milwaukee.

Yadira Melendez told CBS 58 News she's from Mexico, and even though she moved to Milwaukee about 20 years ago, she's kept her roots intact.

"I'm grateful for who I am, where I come from and that I'm passing that to my kids," said Melendez.

According to the latest U.S. Census recorded in July 2022, about 20 percent of Milwaukee's population is Hispanic/Latino.

Milwaukee's District 8 Alderwoman JoCasta Zamarripa was one of the speakers and she highlighted the contributions made by Hispanic community.

"The Hispanic or Latino, or Latinx or Latina community is the fastest growing constituency in the city, dare I say in the great state of Wisconsin," said Zamarripa.

She made history in 2020 as the first Latina and the first open member of the LGBTQ community elected to the Milwaukee Common Council.

"We have to lift up our underrepresented communities so that they see that there's a place for them here in the largest city in the state of Wisconsin," Zamarripa added.

Darryl Morin, president of the nonprofit Forward Latino was also a speaker at the HHM event. He said Hispanic Heritage Month is more than a celebration, it's a reminder to keep traditions going.

"Parents always want their kids to live a better life than they did, so it's important that we hand down that legacy, that heritage to our kids, so they can do the same," he said.

Here's a list of other events around the city, all Hispanic Heritage Month long.