The Incurable Humanist's Guide to Hispanic Heritage Month in New York
2025-09-16 · 4 min read
My dearest incurable humanist, Yesterday, it was September 15th, the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month in the US. It begins on this date because in 1821, five Central American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, declared independence from Spain. The timeframe…
My dearest incurable humanist,
Yesterday, it was September 15th, the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month in the US. It begins on this date because in 1821, five Central American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, declared independence from Spain. The timeframe also coincides with Mexico’s independence on September 16 (1810), Chile’s on September 18 (1810), and Columbus Day on October 12 (1492).
In the US, this tradition was first established as Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 by President Lyndon Johnson, and it was expanded two decades later. In 1988, Congressman Esteban Torres introduced legislation to stretch the celebration into a full month, and President Ronald Reagan signed it into law, setting September 15 to October 15 as an annual space to reflect on the contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities.
According to recent studies, the U.S. Latino GDP has reached nearly $4 trillion, positioning it as the fifth-largest economy in the world as of 2025. And it’s only growing. Projections suggest that by the end of the decade, Latino economic power in the U.S. could surpass both Japan and Germany, making it the fourth-largest economy globally by around 2029.
As a Venezuelan and immigrant living in the US, I will give you a little art guide to celebrate this month in New York City:
MUSEUMS & ART INSTITUTIONS:
Location: 1230 5th Ave, New York, NY 10029
Ticket: Pay-What-You-Can
What to see: Jangueando: Recent Acquisitions, 2021-2025 (through Summer 2026)
Hispanic Society Museum & Library
Location: 3741 Broadway, New York, NY 10032
Ticket: Free Admission
What to see: A Collection Without Borders (through October 19, 2025)
FUN FACT: In the entrance, there is a long-term loan from the Colección Patricia Phelps de Cisneros of Penetrable, an interactive sculpture by Venezuelan artist Jesús Rafael Soto (1923 - 2005)
Location: 680 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: Amazonia Açu
Institute for Studies on Latin American Art (ISLAA)
Location: 142 Franklin St, New York, NY 10013
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: Violaciones Domésticas: Feminist Constellations in 1990s Argentina/ Marcia Schvartz: Power in Looking Back/ (through December 20, 2025)
GALLERIES:
Location: 35 E 67th St, New York, NY 10065
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: Jonier Marin | Amazonia Report / FRENTE + FARIA: Brazil: Heart & Soul (Through December 20, 2025)
Location: 511 W 21st St, New York, NY 10011
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: Fragments for a Cartography of Return, a solo exhibition by Carlos Bunga, curated by Luis Pérez-Oramas
Location: 516 W 20th St, New York, NY 10011
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: why socialism? by Albert Einstein, curated by Gabriel Orozco (through October 18, 2025)
Location: 88 Eldridge St, 5th floor, New York, NY 10002
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: Sedimento by Lucía Vidales
Location: 501 W 20th St, New York, NY 10011
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: Nude Geographies (opens September 20th, 2025)
Location: 500 W 21st St, New York, NY 10011
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: Ricardo Cardenas: Sculptures and Maquettes for Monumental Sculptures (through October 2025)
Location: 26 E 64th St, New York, NY 10065
Ticket Price: Free Admission
What to see: TBD
FILM:
New York Latino Film Festival (NYLFF)
Dates: September 13 - September 21
And last but not least, I am sure that you will get hungry with all that art seeing, so here’s a short but yummy list of restaurants:
FOOD:
Location: 1400 2nd Avenue, New York, NY 10021 / 7 East 17th Street, New York,
NY, 10003Country/Style: Peruvian/Venezuelan
Price: $100+
Location: 234 Starr St, Brooklyn, NY 11237
Country/Style: Venezuelan Street Food
Price: $10 - 20
Location: 148 Meserole St, Brooklyn, NY 11206
Country/Style: Upscale Venezuelan
Price: $100+
Location: 139 Essex St, New York, NY 10002
Country/Style: Casual Venezuelan
Price: $20 -30
Location: 90 Chambers St, Unit A, New York, NY 10007
Country/Style: Upscale Peruvian
Price: $100+
Location: Various locations
Country/Style: Mexican Tacos
Price: $10 - 20
Location: 86 University Pl, New York, NY 10003
Country/Style: Mexican Tacos
Price: $20 - 30
CASAMATA (Enrique Olvera’s restaurants)
In New York:
Cosme (contemporary fine dining Mexican)
Atla (casual Mexican)
Esse Taco (casual taqueria in Williamsburg)
Location: 234 E 116th St #1, New York, NY 10029
Country/Style: Casual Mexican
Price: $20 - 30
Location: 47-55 47th St, Woodside, NY 11377
Country/Style: Casual Salvadoran
Price: $10 - 20
Location: 207 W 14th St, New York, NY 10011
Country/Style: Cuban
Price: $20 - 30
Location: 157 Duane St, New York, NY 10013
Country/Style: Brazilian
Price: $50 - 100
Location: 513 E 6th St, New York, NY 10009
Country/Style: Argentinian
Price: $50 - 100
Oh well, there are so so so many … I will stop here!
I’d love to know in the comments if you visit any of these recs!
Until next week.