September 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month, set aside to honor Hispanic and Latino communities—those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. Inspired by this year’s theme, Celebremos, or “Let’s Celebrate,” Amazon is partnering with Brazilian-born, Brooklyn-based graphic designer Niege Borges. Borges' work celebrates Hispanic and Latino entrepreneurs, creators, artists, business owners, and storytellers, and will be featured across Amazon, including our bespokeHispanic Heritage Month experience which will be featured on Amazon.com.
Niege Borges, the Brazilian-born, Brooklyn-based graphic designer supporting Amazon's celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month this year. There is no one single Hispanic culture, and this month recognizes a range of traditions, identities, and cultural expressions. Based on her own childhood, Borges personally understands how varied the cultures within her home country were—a reminder of the diverse communities celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month.
“I am from Brazil, and even though the whole country has lots of things in common, the culture from the south is super different from the culture from the north, and the same applies to other Latinx countries,” Borges said. “[But] comunidad is the sense of belonging—it’s being part of a group that has similar feelings, cultural practices, and even memories as you [do].”
As a Latina artist, Borges finds some of her own inspiration in exploring art from Hispanic and Latino communities.
“I am very inspired by several art movements from Latin America, from fine art to crafts. Street art is major in Brazil and also in my neighborhood in Brooklyn, which has a lot of Latino people in it, and that is really inspiring,” she said. “I think that creators always need to be willing to learn new things, [and to] observe different cultures. It’s also great to look into your own culture to see what you can take from it to apply to your own work.”
While fashion, art, and design are Borges’ passions, she recognizes the importance of Hispanic and Latino representation in other areas, including entrepreneurship.
“Latinx people already have a lot of challenges to overcome, so entrepreneurship is very important to uplift the community and to allow us to achieve new levels of success [and] recognition, and also to showcase different sides of our complex culture to broader audiences,” Borges said. “We have great scientists, artists, musicians, and many other professionals present in multiple areas, so it’s always great to see Latinx people in leadership and inspiring roles.”
These individuals both inspire Borges and remind her of the strength and perseverance of Hispanic and Latino communities.
“I’ve always seen Hispanic people in leadership roles in different fields,” Borges said. “Living in New York made me admire these people even more, because I realized that being Hispanic in the United States can be a constant effort to reaffirm our value.”
Despite the challenges faced by Hispanic and Latino communities, Borges remains optimistic about the future.
“Hope is the future, and my hope is that this future can be promising and that the social differences become smaller,” she said. “Esperanza, or ‘hope,’ makes many people more excited about moving on, [and see] the world with more optimism. I hope that my work brings joy and optimism to future generations [too], and inspires other Latinx artists to see that there is a growing space for us in this field.”
Celebremos el Mes de la Herencia Hispana: Here are some of the ways you can join Amazon in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and the Hispanic and Latino communities it honors:
Celebrate Hispanic small business owners
Amazon has launched a dedicated, Hispanic and Latinx good storefront as part of its ongoing support for small business selling partners. Customers can learn about Hispanic entrepreneurs and discover hundreds of products, including jewelry, art, and beauty and wellness essentials, from businesses like Florama Natural Jewelry, Rebeca Flott Arts, Soap Cauldron, La Parea Wellness, and handcrafted goods brands from Amazon Handmade.
Customers can not only discover unique products like Zubi’s Organic Queso, Buoy’s Natural Electrolyte Drops, and Tappas’ all-natural serving bowls, they can learn about the men and women behind the products through Launchpad’s Latinx-owned Meet the Launchers page.
Celebrate Hispanic authors and stories
Amazon Books and Amazon 4-star stores have curated a selection of books called "6 Great Reads for Hispanic Heritage Month." Highlighted works include Infinite Country: A Novel by Patricia Engel, My Broken Language: A Memoir by Quiara Alegría Hudes, and A Lot Like Adiós by Alexis Daria, among others. Customers can also browse Amazon’s online book list, Honoring Hispanic and Latino Storytellers.
Celebrate Hispanic creators and artists
Prime Video will feature Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx actors, producers, writers, and filmmakers through a curated selection of titles that honor Hispanic Heritage Month and the diverse experiences, stories, and voices of the Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx communities. Also featured are curated lists from leading actors Laz Alonso (The Boys) and Eugenio Derbez (LOL: Last One Laughing). You can check out the entire collection, including Laz and Eugenio’s watch lists, here.
In addition, Amazon Music LAT!N, a global destination and brand developed to celebrate the diversity and richness of all genres of Latin music and connect artists to their fans, will honor both Hispanic Heritage Month and its first anniversary with “La Cultura That Connects Us.” During the monthlong celebration, Amazon Music LAT!N will celebrate differences and connections in Spanish language music across the globe by:
- Connecting languages through the launch of the playlist “Fluent,” which will include a new Amazon Original cover of “Si Una Vez” by Kali Uchis, as well as an original video. The new playlist celebrates fans who identify with more than one culture.
- Connecting cultures through the “Vibras Afro” playlist, which will include a new Amazon Original song by ChocQuibTown and Nigerian producer Mystro and a new episode of the Género 101 video series, taking fans on a visual journey of the different musical movements of the African diaspora through the lens of proud Afro-Latinos like ChocQuibTown.
- Connecting genres through the launch of the “Whiskey & Tequila” playlist, where Country Music and Regional Mexican Music meet, featuring an Amazon Original Spanglish song by Carin León and Walker Hayes, as well as a video of both artists in Nashville.
- Connecting generations through an Amazon Original by “Rompe” artist Las Villa, covering fellow Colombian singer Shakira’s 2005 hit, “La Tortura.”
Celebrate with Alexa
Alexawill be in on the celebration, too, with a few new questions and utterances to try, including:
Alexawill be in on the celebration, too, with a few new questions and utterances to try, including:
- “Alexa, feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana.” / “Alexa, happy Hispanic Heritage Month.”
- “Alexa, ¿qué tienes preparado para el Mes de la Herencia Hispana?”/ “Alexa, what do you have planned for Hispanic Heritage Month?”
- “Alexa, canta reggaetón.” / “Alexa, sing reggaeton.”
- “Alexa, ¿qué película me recomiendas para el Mes de la Herencia Hispana?” / “Alexa, what movie do you recommend for Hispanic Heritage Month?”
To learn more about these new utterances and how Alexa's new capabilities are built, join Carlos Perez, U.S. Hispanic country manager for Alexa, via Amazon Live on September 15 at 11 a.m. PDT.
We wish everyone a happy and safe National Hispanic Heritage Month!
¡Les deseamos a todos un feliz y seguro Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana!
¡Les deseamos a todos un feliz y seguro Mes Nacional de la Herencia Hispana!
