Newtown Human Relations Commission Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, which ended on October 15, 2020, the Newtown Township Human Relations Commission (NTHRC) hosted a presentation by guest speaker Dr. Leticia Ferri, the Bristol-Myers Squibb Global People & Business Resource Group Lead. Dr. Ferri spoke at the October 21, 2020, NTHRC Zoom meeting about “Being Latino in the U.S.”

Dr. Ferri focused on the Bristol-Myers Squibb People & Business Resource Group, which she leads. 

Of particular interest was the financial impact of Latinos on the U.S. economy (see, for example, the GDP chart below) and among the electorate. 

"The future of the U.S. workforce." claimed Dr. Ferri, "speaks Spanish." She presented data that suggested 74% of U.S. workers in the not-too-distant future will be Hispanics. Thus, "an aging America is counting on Latino contributions - in the amount of $101.8 Billion per year - to Social Security. In addition, 31.5 million Latinos are eligible to vote in 2020!

Latino vs. Hispanic

Commission member Angelic Acevedo defined the difference between the terms “Latino” and “Hispanic.” The former is derived from the Latin word for “Spain.” People from Spain and the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas are considered Hispanic. Latino is a short version of the term “latinoamericano,” the Spanish word for Latin American. It includes people with Portuguese roots, such as Brazilians.” In Europe, French, Italian and Romanian people are also considered “Latinos.”

You can view the presentations by Dr. Ferri and Ms. Acevedo here.

About the Newtown Human Relations Commission

The Newtown Township Human Relations Commission was established by the Board of Supervisors of Newtown Township on November 28, 2018, by the enactment of the Newtown Township Anti-Discrimination Ordinance, in order to ensure that all persons, regardless of actual or perceived race, color, gender, religion, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, familial status, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, use of guide or support animals and/or mechanical aids enjoy the full benefits of citizenship and are afforded equal opportunities for employment, housing and the use of public accommodations, and to have equal access to postsecondary educational institutions.

Join The Newtown Area Anti-Discrimination Facebook Group

The Newtown Area Anti-Discrimination Facebook Group was inspired by the Newtown Township Anti-discrimination Ordinance and the Human Relations Commissions of both the Township and Borough. Members of this group discuss Newtown area discrimination issues and post relevant information, learnings, etc. to share with other members. This is NOT an official Newtown Township or Borough Facebook Group. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the members and do not necessarily represent the opinions or positions of any governmental entity.

Posted on 26 Oct 2020, 01:09 - Category: Discrimination