Today marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. Why does it start in the middle of September? Because September 15 is the day of independence for Latin American countries Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, while Mexico and Chile celebrate theirs on September 16 and September 18. Almost 54,500 employees with Hispanic backgrounds work for the Postal Service. Hispanic Americans (with the term Hispanic meaning people with origins in Spanish–speaking countries) are the largest minority or ethnic group, representing 16% of the population.
Many Postal employees are unaware of an organization called The Hispanic Organization of Postal Employees, Inc. (HOPE). HOPE's mission is to increase awareness and understanding of the Hispanic culture in the Postal Service, to assist in the development and promotion of Hispanics within the Postal Service, and to reach out to the Hispanic community by providing information on services, products, and employment opportunities within the Postal Service, and providing scholarships to students seeking to continue higher education.
