Hispanic Heritage Month: Spotlighting Hispanic Creators
As we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the importance of maintaining one’s heritage and culture alive in the home to pass on to our children, Binibi is spotlighting three of our favorite Hispanic creators and resources who make their mark in this community by helping others navigate the parenting journey one way or another! While they each practice and encourage bilingualism in different ways, they all prioritize bilingualism and speaking Spanish at home to their children.
These three admirable Hispanic women (Claudia Johnson, Maritere R. Bellas, and Victoria) were all kind enough to share with us some of the things they do at home to pass on their heritage to their child(ren) and why it's important to them to do so! Keep reading below to see their responses as well as why we love the knowledge they share!
Claudia Johnson (@laleo.bilingual.therapy): “As a Speech-Language Pathologist, I have taken on the challenge of promoting and protecting Spanish - my children's heritage language - in their lives. Because Spanish is the language I grew up speaking in Colombia, being able to communicate in it with my children is really meaningful to me."
Claudia is a Bilingual Speech-Language Therapist who should be better known as the bilingualism guru! Her account is rich in bilingualism information and recommendations as she empowers parents, like ourselves, to make decisions surrounding bilingualism based on facts and not fears. We highly recommend you follow her and check out her resources to learn how to navigate bilingualism as best as possible! Check out her YouTube video where she gives a detailed review of Binbi’s bilingual books for kids, specifically our sound books!
Maritere R. Bellas (@latinaboomermom): "Connecting our children to their heritage culture helps them understand their identity, their roots. It teaches them about their ancestors, the why and how of customs and traditions. Language, food, anecdotes and music were four ways I instilled cultural pride in my children."
We love how Maritere provides parents with helpful and effective resources for raising bilingual children, debunking common misconceptions about bilingualism. She gives parents the confidence to embark on their bilingual journey with practical tools and motivational words! Make sure to check out her account and podcast to soak up her incredible knowledge. Also, be sure to also grab Binibi’s interactive musical books for toddlers and babies to follow in her footsteps and use music as a way to preserve culture at home!
Victoria (@ssummer_everyday): "We celebrate Spanish festivities that are not celebrated here in the U.S. like the 3 wise men. I exclusively speak to my daughter in Spanish and try to get her as many Spanish books and toys as possible in hopes to raise her bilingual. I emphasize Spanish cuisine at home such as lentejas, tortilla de patatas and I try to cook with Spanish flavors like paprika, saffron, and extra virgin olive oil so that Summer can grow to love her secondary culture. I also made sure she got her Spanish passport as soon as she was born so she knows she has two nationalities and we take her to Spain as much as possible. I want her to love every aspect of who she is and where she comes from. I can’t think of a bigger blessing than being multicultural."
If you're a mom like us who needs quick, easy and healthy meals that work for the whole family, picky toddlers included, you need to follow Victoria who kills it in the kitchen alongside her adorable daughter Summer. Not only does she encourage parents to get creative in the kitchen, but also to continue to stay true to your cultural roots and speak in your native, minority language at home to promote bilingualism. We're honored that she uses Binibi’s bilingual children’s books to practice Spanish at home and sing Spanish nursery rhymes with her daughter!
If you’re not already, be sure to follow them for plenty of helpful tips that will surely make your parenting life easier!
