Hispanic Heritage Month is just a few days away!

The annual celebration of the cultures, histories, and contributions of American citizens with ancestors who hailed from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America first began in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week. Former President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the initial holiday into action, but it wasn’t until President Ronald Reagan’s move to extend it in 1988 that it became a 30-day period of celebration.

National Hispanic Heritage Month begins on September 15 and runs until October 15. This date is significant because it is the anniversary of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days shortly after, on September 16 and September 18.

aspireTV celebrates the month with 5 actresses who proudly acknowledge their Hispanic roots.

Zoe Saldana

Best known for her roles in films like “Columbiana,” Guardians of the Galaxy,” “Avatar,” and the cult classic “Drumline,” Zoe Saldana has carved a lane for herself as a household Hollywood name. With a Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother, she has always proudly paid homage to her Afro-Latina roots.

Tessa Thompson

When Tessa Thompson, who has both a Panamanian and Mexican heritage, was honored during the 11th annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood luncheon, the “Creed” actress took a moment to acknowledge her Mexican mother and the role she played in helping her to take pride in being a Black woman.

“My mom is a woman of color even though she might not be readily identified as such and I feel like because of that, she always gave me space to explore my identity; get in touch with who I am,” said Thompson at the time. “She understood the void of not having enough guidance in that. Even though she is not a Black woman, throughout my life, she filled me with such pride of being one.”

Rosario Dawson

In 2007, the Hispanic Heritage Foundation honored Rosario Dawson with the Hispanic Heritage Vision Award. Through various roles, including hit films like “Men in Black II,” “He Got Game,” and “Rent,” she has made a household name.

“Vision is not about just the achievements that I’ve had today. It’s about the idea that I can see more and that I am willing and committed to continue to move forward with my hopes and my goals and my ideas and my dreams,” she said during her acceptance speech at the time. “And I know that comes because we’re going to do that as a community of people.”

Christina Milian

Christina Milian has never shied away from embracing her Hispanic roots, even opening up about the challenges of being an Afro-Latina and noting that people often forget her Cuban heritage because she is brown-skinned.

As an actress, singer, and entrepreneur, Milian wears many hats, and she has always credited her family’s decision to escape from Cuba to America in search of a better life for their family as a huge North Star in her journey to success.

Tatyana Ali

Known for her role as Ashley Banks in the beloved sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Tatyana Ali’s Hispanic roots runs deep thanks to her Afro-Panamanian mother. During last year’s holiday, she opened up about championing her heritage by not only using her abuela’s recipes for her favorite foods, but also by starting her mornings with Soca and Reggaeton and reading Spanish language books to her children.

For more stories about the culture, keep it locked to aspireTV.