The Berkeley Unified School District celebrates Latine/x Heritage Month to recognize and honor the contributions of generations of Latine/x Americans who have enriched and inspired our nation. On June 2, 2021, the Board of Education adopted a resolution in support of the achievement and success of all Latinx students. Read the full resolution here.
Los recursos de Latine/x en español se pueden encontrar aquí.
Our mission in BUSD is to “enable and inspire our diverse student body to achieve academic excellence and make positive contributions to our world.”
We believe that to accomplish this mission and keep our promises of Excellence, Equity, Enrichment and Engagement, we must create school communities and classrooms that are welcoming, humanizing and inclusive. As educators, we have the unique opportunity and responsibility to make our school communities places where all students are seen, heard and affirmed. This happens in many ways including our interactions, our policies and practices, our content and relationships. It requires intentionality and a commitment to celebrate, explore and elevate our individual and collective consciousness about ourselves and each other.
This month, September 15 – October, is the month designated as Latine/x Heritage Month. We appreciate the many ways in which so many of our classes and school communities are places that uplift and celebrate the rich diversity and contributions of the Latine/x community all year long. We also value the fundamental opportunity Latinx Heritage Month offers schools to acknowledge the contributions, culture and history of Latine/x peoples as critical to the past, present and future. We want to explore and highlight the diversity, brilliance, contributions and richness of a diaspora of people, languages and cultures and the beautiful mosaic that is the Latine/x community both in their countries of origin and specifically here in Berkeley and the Bay Area. We hope that these resources support you in these efforts.
¡Adelante!
Enikia Ford Morthel
Supt. Berkeley Unified School District
Martin Luther King Jr. Middle school students painting a mural in celebration of Día de los Muertos.
Why Latine/x?
You may have noticed that we are using the term “Latine/x” this year. Our district strives to be inclusive and affirming of all gender identities and terms such as Latine and Latinx help us communicate this commitment. Latino, Chicana, Hispanic, and Latinx are just some of the terms that people in our community embrace and identify with. There is no one perfect word for such a diverse group of people and our community will continue to engage in discussions about the ever-evolving terminology that people use to express and celebrate their identities. If you are curious to learn more, we invite you to read this article about the difference between Latine and Latinx.
Reading Lists for All Ages
These reading lists, organized by grade level, represent books published in the last five years that are devoted to celebrating, representing, and affirming Latine/Latinx heritage, and celebrating the invaluable contributions of our Latine/Latinx community. Every school library will receive copies of some of the newest books on the lists in both English and Spanish.
All these books are available through BUSD school libraries as a physical and/or digital book. For more information about any of these books or to check out a copy, please ask your school librarian.
Family Guide
Please enjoy the 2023-2024 Family Guides for celebrating Latine/x Heritage Month.
Three Things You Can Do To Celebrate Latine/x Heritage Month

LISTEN
Listen to the Lived Experiences of Latine/x People
SHORT READ on Latinx vs Latine
SHORT READ on honoring LGBTQ2S+ voices
BIOS of 9 Inspiring Afro Latine/x Women
ARTICLE Growing up Latinx & Disabled
VIDEO on Indigeneity and Latinidad
ESSAY on Latinx & Jewish identity
PODCAST Muslim & Latino from NPR
The English Family Guide PDF is HERE.

LEARN
Learn About Latine/x Cultures and Local Organizations
VIDEOS from PBS on the diverse experiences of Latinidad
VIDEO of LGBTQ2S+ youth speaking about what Latinx Heritage Month means to them
MINI-BIOS of Central American Leaders
Latinos Unidos de Berkeley
The Arabic Family Guide PDF is HERE.

LIFT UP
Lift Up and Celebrate Latine/x Culture with Your Family
BOOK LIST from Berkeley Unified School District Library Team
ENJOY music by José-Luis Orozco
COLOR pages of famous Latinx people
VIRTUAL FIELD TRIP to the Smithsonian Latino Museum
READ a book written by one of our district’s teachers, Lourdes Rivas, a teacher at Sylvia Mendez: They Call me M ix/Me Llaman Maestre
BILINGUAL RESOURCES from Berkeley Public Library
The Spanish Family Guide PDF is HERE.
TK-8 Teaching Resources
This diverse collection of resources was compiled by Joemy Ito-Gates, BUSD’s Ethnic Studies TSA in collaboration with the Professional Development Team.
Some Additional Resources for Teachers:
Selected Resources for Teachers | From the Library of Congress
Events & Celebrations
¡Adelante! Latinx Success Family and Student Workshops
Celebrate Latinx success with a series of strong-start BUSD workshops. Family workshops in English and Spanish on preparing your child for college and life success, navigating the school system, and supporting literacy growth. Student workshops on celebrating identity, community, and a vision for success.
Date: October 7, 2023
Time: 9:30am-1:00pm
Location: Rosa Parks Elementary Auditorium
A readable PDF of this event flyer can be viewed at this link.
Latino Heritage Celebration
Music, Food & Drink, and Activities for the Family!
Location: Intersection of Ashby Ave. and Adeline St., Berkeley
Date: Sunday, October 15
Time: 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
For more information: latinosunidosdberk@gmail.com
Dia de Los Muertos – “Celebrando las Vidas”
Free Family-Friendly Event
Location: Berkeley High School, 1980 Alston Way, Berkeley
Date: Saturday, October 21
Time: 11:00 am to 5:00 pm
Free: Bike Repair & Tune Ups, Community Resources, Massage, Haircuts, Raffles
For Sale: Arts & Crafts, Food
Activities: Altar & Art Exhibition, Children’s Activities, Mariachi & Performances
A readable PDF of this event flyer can be viewed here.
Learn About College Financial Aid
The Latinos Unidos de Berkeley Higher Education Team has also provided the following links for families that have children in high school preparing for the transition to college.
- Paying for College: Understanding Financial Aid
- Preparing to Sign Your FAFSA Electronically
- Navigating the Financial Aid Process
- 2022/23 Financial Aid Application Worksheet
- Accessing College as an Undocumented Student in California
Lifting Up BUSD Staff Latine/x Voices
Please check back on September 20, 2023 to see the newest staff posters.
In celebration of our Latine/x community, this year BUSD has introduced “Lifting Up Latine/x Voices,” a campaign to share our Latine/x staff narratives with our students and community by creating posters featuring their stories and experiences. These posters will be displayed at schools, work sites, on the BUSD website, and in district publications. Sharing these narratives with our students will allow them to deepen connections with Latine/x staff across the district.
Please click on each image to see a full-sized poster.
Get Involved and Learn More
American Association of Teachers of Spanish & Portuguese
The Latinx Research Center | UC Berkeley
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
March 21 to April 10, 2023 is the César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Period / De Marzo 21 hasta Abril 10 es el Periodo Conmemorativo de César Chávez y Dolores Huerta

BUSD observes March 21 to April 10 as the César Chávez and Dolores Huerta Commemorative Period–one of the many ways we celebrate and affirm the rich histories of the Chicano, Chicana, Chicanx, Filipina, Filipino, Filipinx, and the Latina, Latino, Latinx communities in our schools.
Read BUSD Resolution No. 21-032 declaring the period of March 21 to April 10 as the César Chávez & Dolores Huerta commemorative period at BUSD.
The BUSD Library Services Department has created a website of teacher resources that are intended to explore, celebrate, uphold, and affirm the important contributions of César Chávez, Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong, and Philip Vera Cruz as civil rights and labor leaders in California, as well as the countless other leaders and farmworkers who engaged in these historic civil rights protests. Berkeley Unified School District is committed to teaching the next generation about our state’s vital labor history.
Resources include book recommendations, ebooks, historical photographs, videos, articles, and websites all grouped by grade level – preschool through high school.
Teacher Resources for California Labor Leaders
BUSD observa del 21 de marzo al 10 de abril como el Periodo Conmemorativo de César Chávez y Dolores Huerta en celebración de las ricas historias de las comunidades Chicano, Chicana, Chicanx, Filipina, Filipino, Filipinx, y Latina, Latino, Latinx en nuestras escuelas.
Lea la Resolución de BUSD No. 21-032 declarando el periodo de marzo 21 al 10 de abril como el periodo conmemorativo de César Chávez y Dolores Huerta en BUSD.
El Departamento de Servicios Bibliotecarios de BUSD ha creado un sitio web de recursos para maestros con el fin de explorar, celebrar, defender y afirmar las importantes contribuciones de César Chávez, Dolores Huerta, Larry Itliong y Philip Vera Cruz como líderes de los derechos civiles y laborales en California, así como de los innumerables líderes y trabajadores agrícolas que participaron en estas históricas protestas por los derechos civiles. Berkeley Unified School District se compromete a enseñar a la próxima generación la vital historia laboral de nuestro estado.
Entre los recursos se incluyen recomendaciones de libros, libros electrónicos, fotografías históricas, vídeos, artículos y sitios web, todos ellos agrupados por niveles, desde preescolar hasta la preparatoria.