You found our list of virtual Hispanic Heritage Month ideas, games, and activities.
Virtual Hispanic Heritage Month ideas are online games, activities, and lessons celebrating the Hispanic culture annually between September 15 and October 15. Examples of these ideas include cooking classes, film viewings, and geography lessons. The purpose of virtual team ideas for Hispanic Heritage Month is to encourage remote workers to explore various aspects of Hispanic culture.
With Hispanic Heritage Month activities, companies have an opportunity to promote workplace inclusion. Leaders can explore the benefits of workplace diversity by encouraging their workers to commemorate this significant cultural period.
This list includes:
- virtual Hispanic Heritage Month games
- virtual Hispanic Heritage Month activities
- virtual Hispanic Heritage Month events
Here we go!
1. Discuss the origins of Hispanic Heritage Month
Celebrating this important occasion begins with understanding how it came about. Originally, this month started as a weeklong observance in 1968 by President Lyndon B. Johnson. Hispanic heritage appreciation became a full 30-day event under President Ronald Regan in 1988. There are specific reasons for choosing this date range as well as interesting details about how the legislation began. To dig deeper, challenge your team to research and find what they can about the figures who created the bill and their intentions for the holiday.
Learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month.
2. Play Lotería
Lotería is one of the easiest virtual Hispanic Heritage Month games to play with your team. Similar to Bingo, Lotería consists of player tablas, or boards, and a series of illustrated cards. A caller announces the images on the cards while players mark the corresponding images on their tablas with playing chips. The first player to fully cover a row or a full tabla calls out “¡Lotería!” to declare themselves the winner.
Though this Mexican game is traditionally played in person, you can find online versions to get remote teams in the Lotería spirit.
Learn more about playing Lotería.
3. Play Hispanic trivia
Whether your team knows the answers before playing or learns new facts during the game, Hispanic trivia is a great way to delve into facts about the culture. You can find hosted or automated versions of trivia games that quiz players on Hispanic politics, history, pop culture, and other fun and informative categories. Online games can accommodate individual players or breakout teams to make the competition even more exciting.
For a more personalized trivia game, invite your team members to contribute their own facts to use during the game. These facts can come from online research or personal experience, allowing workers to share their knowledge of Hispanic culture.
Here are more team trivia ideas.
4. Throw a virtual fiesta
Celebration is an important aspect of Hispanic heritage, with colorful parties thrown for an array of occasions throughout the year. Your virtual workers can put together their own fiesta to join in the festive traditions from a variety of Hispanic cultures around the world. One fun approach is to have each team member choose a different culture to represent with food and decoration. The crew can explain their choices as they enjoy what they have made and review it for the rest of the team.
To create a more shared experience, invite employees to share their chosen recipes in a central folder or email to allow their coworkers to prepare those dishes as well.
Learn more about throwing a virtual fiesta.
5. Host a guest speaker online
Learning from Hispanic community members will help your team better understand the Hispanic experience in America. If you have leaders or community members willing to speak, then you can connect through Zoom or Skype to introduce them to your crew. Your guest can describe their family history and traditions as well as challenges they may have overcome.
If you cannot locate a speaker on your own, then you can reach out to community programs linked to art, education, and business around the US. These programs can help you find a guest with important information to share.
Learn more about hosting an online guest speaker.
6. Watch TED Talks
TED Talks make learning from Hispanic thought leaders as easy as sharing your screen! You can find entrepreneurs who have built empires, authors who have written bestsellers, and artists who have created masterworks in an expansive online video library. These figures represent both their American and Hispanic heritage and are proud to connect the two in discussions of their accomplishments.
Since TED Talks are generally between ten and 15 minutes long, you can schedule a TED Fest and watch several videos with your team. There are many clips on the TED website, though YouTube often has hidden gems in its collection as well.
Learn more about Hispanic leader TED Talks.
7. Listen to podcasts
The popularity of podcasts makes these episodic audio shows a perfect format for virtually commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month among your crew. The Global Latin Factor is an energetic podcast covering topics tailored to a contemporary Hispanic audience. If your workers are up for a listening session, then you can cue up an episode or two in your virtual meeting space and hold a group discussion afterward. For independent enjoyment, invite your workers to listen on their own and weigh in with their thoughts once they have finished.
New episodes of this podcast post every Wednesday. You can also find more than 100 past episodes online to choose from.
Learn more about The Global Latin Factor.
8. Discover Hispanic art
Whether producing murals of fieldwork in the early 20th century or reshaping the landscape of modern creativity, Hispanic artists have made significant contributions to American art. You can create a slide show depicting important Hispanic painters, sculptors, and illustrators and share their most important works. Having a few facts about each artist’s life and inspiration will illuminate their pieces and provide insight into the experiences of these vital creators.
Learn more about Hispanic art and artists.
9. Play dominoes
Dominoes are an iconic part of Hispanic communities around the US. This simple game is a source of bonding and friendship that has its roots largely in Cuba and Puerto Rico. Mexican Train, in particular, is a popular domino game that requires strategy and concentration. To give your team a sense of how thrilling this game can be, arrange a Mexican Train tournament with winners from smaller heats competing against one another for the ultimate championship.
If members of your virtual team live near one another, then they can meet up in person to play Mexican Train in real life. Creating a list of nearby colleagues will allow teammates to schedule a session at a café or restaurant to get a feel for the real domino experience.
Learn more about playing virtual Mexican Train.
10. Take a virtual museum tour
With online museum tours, you have an array of virtual Hispanic Heritage Month activities your team can enjoy from anywhere in the world. You can choose from enriching and educational tours on history, social movements, and the arts. These tours provide visual and audio guidance that recreates in-person museum tours, allowing remote groups to walk through exhibits without leaving their workstations.
To accommodate busy work calendars, you can send out links to museums and request your workers to take tours as their schedules allow. For a more inclusive event, choose a time when the entire team can be online simultaneously to discuss the tour with one another in real time.
Learn more about virtual museum tours.
11. Take an online cooking lesson
Latin cuisine is one of the most beloved food styles in America. With an online cooking class, your workers can sample recipes from a variety of Hispanic cultures by learning to create these dishes themselves. This hands-on approach brings the full sensory experience of amazing food to a virtual environment. Teams can learn together, enjoying and reviewing their creations after the lesson.
Many teachers offer online courses for remote teams to enjoy in their own kitchens. You can put a few menus up for a vote among your crew and sign up for a lesson in the most popular option.
Learn more about Latin cooking lessons.
12. Research important moments in history
American and Hispanic history are inseparable, which makes studying important moments an enlightening activity for the occasion. Setting your group on a quest to learn more about significant events will open their eyes to Latin culture’s lasting influence on American life. With two- or three-member breakout groups, teams can share the labor while collaborating on research and gathering data to present to the rest of the group.
To guide the projects and give the topics direction, you can create a list of events or eras for your workers to choose from. A bit of online research and a quick social studies-style essay will let each team member report back on what they learned.
Learn more about Hispanic history.
13. Take Spanish lessons
Spanish is the second-most frequently spoken language in the US, which makes learning a little Spanish a fun exercise! With free apps or websites like Duolingo, you can lead your team in a few lessons to get them into a new linguistic space. Simple conversational phrases are a great place to start. You can gather work-related vocabulary and encourage colleagues to use key terms during virtual meetings and text communications. These phrases may come in handy in the world beyond the office as well!
Your team may include Spanish speakers who can facilitate a few lessons. For a more customized experience, enlist your bilingual employees to create simple worksheets to share with their colleagues.
Learn more about online Spanish lessons.
14. Explore Hispanic geography
While many countries make up the Hispanic world map, some are better known than others. Having a geography bee will let your team learn the full array of locales. You can print maps and add features like population, primary industries, and different interests the region’s citizens enjoy. In addition, facts about the immigration patterns and contributions to American culture from each country will give your crew a sense of the US’s connection to the Hispanic world.
To get your team in on the research, try assigning each worker a country of their own to explore online. You can distribute them randomly or let each team member choose the country that interests them most.
Learn more about Hispanic geography.
15. Watch a movie
Whether you choose a film about an important figure or opt for a movie made by a Hispanic filmmaker, watching Hispanic cinema is an important and relatable way to learn more about the community. Classics like West Side Story, Selena, and Stand and Deliver feature casts representing a multitude of cultures. In addition to viewing portrayals of Hispanic characters, virtual teams can see diversity in various aspects of the film industry.
This activity is a great springboard for discussions about representation in the entertainment industry. When arranging your viewing, be sure to leave time at the end for conversation.
Learn more about Hispanic cinema.
16. Listen to music
Hispanic music is a veritable jukebox of sounds blending influences from around the globe. Likewise, much of modern music uses distinctive Latin styles like reggaeton and salsa. To get your team in the groove, have workers add their favorite tunes to a collaborative playlist.
The list of virtual Hispanic Heritage Month events for the coming year will undoubtedly include live and prerecorded concerts to watch online with your team. If you are unable to find a current performance, then you can find older concerts to give your crew a taste of the best Latin music on the web. Established performers will bring more traditional sounds to life, while contemporary artists can show the evolution of Latin influences on modern music.
Learn more about Latin music.
17. Contribute to a charity
Whether you collect funds for a nonprofit or volunteer with a local organization, contributing to the community is a meaningful way to observe the occasion’s significance with your team. Many national groups like Hispanic Institute and Latin Victory Fund support causes on both local and national fronts, allowing you to make a central contribution that benefits individuals all around the US.
Remote crews can look into separate organizations that will allow them to support community members. For nearby workers seeking real-world opportunities, finding an organization in their areas will allow digital nomads to meet up for an in-person experience.
Learn more about Hispanic philanthropy organizations.
18. Research important figures
Labor leader Caesar Chavez, beloved painter Frida Kahlo, and award-winning actress Rita Moreno are all Hispanic figures who have impacted American culture. You can invite your team to do some online research about the figure of their choice and share what they learn. While many well-known names will make the list, your crew is bound to come up with fun surprises.
The figures chosen do not need to be famous to be significant. For example, encourage your workers to highlight family members to celebrate contributions made by everyday individuals as well.
Learn more about important Hispanic figures.
19. Make a craft
Artistic expression through crafts gives Hispanic communities a bold and definitive visual identity. You can set up a remote craft session with your team to discover the enjoyment of working on your own projects. Many artists share instructions and patterns online to make traditional artistry accessible to those interested in learning. These crafts can be affordable and simple even for novice crafters, with supplies sent to team members in premade kits or purchased online.
Once your crafters have completed their projects, invite them to share photos for an online gallery. You can also schedule a virtual art show to allow each team member to show off their fantastic finished works.
Learn more about Hispanic crafts.
20. Support local businesses
Finding Hispanic-owned businesses in your area to support is a fantastic way to observe Hispanic Heritage Month. You can support local restaurants, boutiques, and artisans who will surely appreciate the boost. As part of your effort, be sure to spread the word on your social media accounts. Shining the spotlight on these entrepreneurs may even have an impact long after the occasion has passed.
You can make it easy for your team to show their support by sharing lists of local businesses to visit. A simple online search will bring back companies nationwide to get your activity started.
Learn more about Hispanic businesses.
Conclusion
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month virtually allows remote teams to learn more about aspects of Hispanic culture in America. Exploring the contributions made by these communities allows workers to learn important information while promoting inclusion and diversity in the workplace. By being online, virtual teammates have a central meeting place to share their appreciation for this rich and vital culture.
Next, read some Hispanic History Month quotes, and learn about diversity and inclusion activities for the workplace.
Grace He