The best places in New York to learn about Latin culture

Through our beautiful city, near 2.5 million Latino New Yorkers – many of whom have ancestry in countries like Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, etc. – create a complex mosaic of cultures, cuisines, identities and traditions.

And it’s here, in all five boroughs, in enclaves like Washington Heights and Inwood, where 67% of population identifies as Hispanic; Mott Haven and Concourse in the Bronx for their predominantly Puerto Rican and Dominican presence; and Sunset Park and Bushwick in Brooklyn for a thriving Mexican population – that we are blessed to be surrounded by some of the most admired and innovative Latino-owned and operated businesses, arts venues and community centers in America.

So, as we pay tribute to the myriad indelible contributions of this diverse group over the Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15, as well as all year round, as well as events like the Hispanic Day Paradefrom holistic herb stores and independent bookstores to renowned museums and legendary performance centers, we’ve rounded up some of the most essential places to enjoy the vibrancy of New York’s Latino history and culture.

Moreover, in light of the continuing catastrophic damage inflicted by Hurricane Fiona in Puerto Rico, consider donating to the country in this time of need and widespread power outages. Ways to help include local groups such as the women’s organization of Greater Salud (Going through PayPal and food/essentials emergency package contributions); community initiative Brigada Solidaria del Oeste (via PayPal—@[email protected]—and food/essentials emergency package contributions); and the national non-profit association Hispanic Federation.