1. Celebration of the contributions of the Hispanic Heritage Celebración de las contribuciones de la herencia hispánica

2. Aida Alvarez First Hispanic woman to head the U.S. Small Business Administration First person of Puerto Rican descent to hold a Cabinet-level post in the U.S. government César Chávez Renowned labor Leader Co-founded of the United Farm Workers Julia Alvarez Novelist

3. Ellen Ochoa NASA Astronaut Tito Puente Internationally recognized for his seminal contributions to Latin music as a bandleader, composer, arranger, and percussionist. Tania León Conductor, Composer, Music director An international figure in the music world

4. Mario Molina Chemist and atmospheric scientist Winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in chemistry Dolores Huerta One the century's most powerful and respected labor movement leaders Co-founded of the United Farm Workers Luis Alvarez Awarded the 1968 Nobel Prize for physics

5. Nydia Velázquez First Puertorican Congresswomen Linda Chavez-Thompson The leading woman in the national labor movement The executive vice president of the AFL-CIO, the first person of color to serve on the executive council. Louis Caldera The 17th Secretary of the Army on July 2, 1998

6. The Hispanic heritage makes major contributions in: Government Business The Arts Education Entertainment Architecture Sports

7. Hispanic Americans play a vital role in expanding United States trade with our Latin American neighbors. 1 in 8 people in the U.S. claim Hispanic origin

8. September 15 marks the anniversary of independence for five Hispanic countries - Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Mexico achieved independence on September 16, and Chile on September 18.