52 Books, Documentaries & Movies to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

| September 15, 2023 | 7 min read
52 books and movies to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off today to celebrate the cultural legacy of Hispanic and Latine communities, as well as honor their contributions to U.S. history. Why does Hispanic Heritage Month begin in the middle of September? The starting day on September 15 coincides with the national independence days of Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Costa Rica, and the following month overlaps with the independence days of Mexico (September 16), Chile (September 18) and Belize (September 18).

This month should also be a moment to highlight the continued inequities faced by Hispanic and Latine populations in the U.S. A 2022 McKinsey & Co. report found that Latine workers are collectively underpaid by $281 billion a year due to inequitable pay and a lack of equitable representation at job levels in line with their share of the population. The report stated:

“Less than 5 percent of seats in Fortune 500 boards and in C-suites of corporate America are occupied by Latinos despite this community representing 19 percent of the U.S. population.” 

Additionally, Latina women have some of the lowest earnings of any intersectional race/ethnicity and gender group — the pay gap for Latina workers in 2023 is 54 cents compared to every dollar earned by white men. All of these disparities hold Latine communities back from building intergenerational wealth and achieving upward economic mobility.

Stats like these are why Syndio is committed to providing solutions that drive data-backed action towards improving workplace equity outcomes related to pay, representation, and opportunity. To commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month, our team has collected this list of memoirs, novels, poetry collections, documentaries, movies, and tv shows that uplift Hispanic and Latine perspectives, experiences, and voices. 

 

Nonfiction books

My Beloved World book coverMy Beloved World

by Sonia Sotomayor

Get the book

 

 

 

Finding Latinx book coverFinding Latinx: In Search of the Voices Redefining Latin Identity

by Paola Ramos

Get the book

 

 

 

When I Was Puerto Rican book coverWhen I Was Puerto Rican

by Esmerelda Santiago

Get the book

 

 

 

Solito A Memoir book coverSolito: A Memoir

by Javier Zamora

Get the book

 

 

 

Harvest of Empire book coverHarvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America

by Juan Gonzalez

Get the book

 

 

 

Days and Nights of Love and War book coverDays and Nights of Love and War

by Eduardo Galeano

Get the book

 

 

 

I Got This To Gold and Beyond book coverI Got This: To Gold and Beyond

by Laurie Hernandez

Get the book

 

 

 

Trejo book coverTrejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood

by Danny Trejo with Donal Logue

Get the book

 

 

 

Crying in the Bathroom book coverCrying in the Bathroom: A Memoir

by Erika L. Sánchez

Get the book

 

 

 

Inclusion Revolution book coverInclusion Revolution: The Essential Guide to Dismantling Racial Inequity in the Workplace

by Daisy Auger-Dominguez

Get the book

 

 

 

 

 

Fiction books

Under This Forgetful Sky book coverUnder This Forgetful Sky

by Lauren Yero

Get the book

 

 

 

One Hundred Years of Solitude book coverOne Hundred Years of Solitude

by Gabriel García Márquez

Get the book

 

 

 

The House on Mango StreetThe House on Mango Street

by Sandra Cisneros

Get the book

 

 

The House of the Spirits book coverThe House of the Spirits

by Isabel Allende

Get the book

 

 

 

Like Water for Chocolate Novel CoverLike Water for Chocolate

by Laura Esquivel

Get the book

 

 

 

Leaving Tabasco book coverLeaving Tabasco

by Carmen Boullosa

Get the book

 

 

 

Woman of Light book coverWoman of Light

by Kali Fajardo-Anstine

Get the book

 

 

 

Esperanza Rising book coverEsperanza Rising

by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Get the book

 

 

 

Vampires of El Norte book coverVampires of El Norte

by Isabel Cañas

Get the book

 

 

 

How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents book coverHow the García Girls Lost Their Accents

by Julia Alvarez

Get the book

 

 

 

 

Poetry & graphic novels

Promises of Gold poetry collection coverPromises of Gold

by José Olivarez

Get the poetry collection

 

 

 

Photographic- The Life of Graciela Iturbide graphic biography coverPhotographic: The Life of Graciela Iturbide

Written by Isabel Quintero, illustrated by Zeke Peña

Get the graphic biography

 

 

America Chavez Made in the USA graphic novel coverAmerica Chavez: Made in the USA

Written by Kalinda Vazquez, illustrated by Carlos Gomez

Get the graphic novel

 

 

 

 

Documentaries

Leguizamo Does America documentary posterLeguizamo Does America

Watch on: Peacock

 

 

 

 

Rita Morena Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It documentary posterRita Morena: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It

Watch on: Netflix, PBS Passport

 

 

 

 

30 for 30 Brothers in Exile documentary poster30 for 30: Brothers in Exile

Watch on: ESPN+

 

 

 

 

Roberto Clemente documentary coverRoberto Clemente

Watch on: PBS Passport

 

 

 

 

Lorena Light-Footed Woman documentary posterLorena, Light-Footed Woman

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

Los Tigres del Norte at Folsom Prison documentary posterLos Tigres del Norte at Folsom Prison

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

Pele documentary posterPelé 

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

A Tale of Two Kitchens documentary posterA Tale of Two Kitchens

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

 

Movies

Flamin' Hot movie posterFlamin’ Hot

Watch on: Hulu

 

 

 

 

Blue Beetle movie posterBlue Beetle

Currently in theaters

 

 

 

 

Frida movie posterFrida

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max

 

 

 

 

Coco movie posterCoco

Watch on: Disney+

 

 

 

 

Selena movie posterSelena

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, Apple TV

 

 

 

 

In the Heights Movie Poster

In the Heights

Watch on: HBO Max, Hulu

 

 

 

 

West Side Story 1961 movie poster

West Side Story (1961)

Watch on: HBO Max, Hulu, Amazon Prime 

 

 

 

 

West Side Story 2021 movie posterWest Side Story (2021)

Watch on: HBO Max, Disney+

 

 

 

 

Roma movie posterRoma

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

Encanto movie posterEncanto

Watch on: Disney+

 

 

 

 

Real Women Have Curves movie posterReal Women Have Curves

Watch on: Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, HBO Max

 

 

 

 

I'm No Longer Here movie posterI’m No Longer Here (Ya no estoy aqui)

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

 

TV Shows & Comedy Specials

This Fool tv show posterThis Fool

Watch on: Hulu

 

 

 

 

Primo tv show posterPrimo

Watch on: Amazon Prime

 

 

 

 

Freeridge tv show posterFreeridge

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

Selena the Series TV show posterSelena: The Series

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

Vida tv show posterVida

Watch on: Hulu

 

 

 

 

Cristela Alonzo Middle Classy comedy special posterCristela Alonzo: Middle Classy

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

Los Espookys tv show posterLos Espookys

Watch on: Max

 

 

 

 

Street Food Latin America tv show posterStreet Food: Latin America

Watch on: Netflix

 

 

 

 

Gentefied tv show posterGentefied

Watch on: Netflix

 

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