Last week, we asked employees of Hispanic descent to share stories of how they celebrate their heritage for National Hispanic Heritage Month. Here are the responses we received.

Mandy Crain, Assistant Branch Manager, McHenry

I come from a huge Puerto Rican family; my mom, her sisters and brother, and my grandparents came to Wisconsin 41 years ago. Anytime we all get together, there is always tons of food, tons of people, and tons of laughs. Events always include my grandpa’s lechon (small scale: a pork shoulder slow cooked for eight hours in the oven; large scale: a full-size pig roasted over coals in the backyard), my grandma’s arroz con gandules (rice with pigeon peas and ham), and my aunt’s flan. Everything branches out from there, since most of us usually bring a side or dessert. I think the best way we celebrate our Hispanic culture in my family is through cooking. Now that I don’t live as close to my grandparents as I used to — I moved from around the block to an hour and a half away — I have taken up attempting to perfect some of their recipes so I can have a taste of the island in my own home.

Pictured above: Mandy’s family at her grandparents’ 50th wedding anniversary in July. Note niece Kennedy (of 2018 Boo at the Zoo fame), fourth from the left, and Mandy tucked in behind her mother, who is holding baby Yulianna.

Emmeline Knight-Guzmán, Assistant Branch Manager, Howard-Suamico

Here is a picture of the tamales my family makes every year around Christmas time or for big family events. My grandma is the expert at making Mexican dishes. She lived in Mexico when she was younger, and this is her specialty. When we make this dish, our whole family comes over to help and prepare, because it can take hours. I look up to my grandma because she always taught me the importance of our heritage.

Thanks for sharing! We look forward to hearing more stories like these next autumn!