In declaring November 11, 1919 the first Armistice Day, President Wilson said:  “To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”  This year, as we commemorate the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended World War I, it is imperative for us to remain committed to principles of peace and understanding, despite the discord and polarization of our current world.

From September 15 to October 15, our nation observes National Hispanic Heritage Month to celebrate the histories and the contributions made by of our ancestors who came from Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The 30-day period intentionally starts around the anniversaries of independence for many Latin American countries. September 15 marks the independence days of: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico’s independence day is the 16th while Chile’s falls on the 18th, and Belize on the 21st. This observance initially only spanned a week, until President Ronald Reagan in 1988 extended the observance to its current 30-day period, through Public Law 100-402.