Latine & Hispanic Heritage Month Can Lead to More Empathy

I’ve often written about Latine & Hispanic Heritage Month and recommended books by Latine and Hispanic authors before.  If you’d like to see last year’s post, go to https://www.lynnlovegreen.com/post/books-for-hispanic-heritage-month.

But this year, I’m going to talk about this from a different angle. We should read widely for many reasons, including giving representation to this important part of our population. It’s good for kids to see their world reflected in books. For all of us, reading diverse authors gives us the opportunity to enrich our lives.

A recent study emphasizes that reading, especially reading for pleasure, affects our brains for good. Scientists from the University of Cambridge found that reading for pleasure benefits our mental functions and mental health (https://www.news-medical.net/news/20260915/Reading-for-pleasure-linked-to-better-mental-health-and-greater-empathy.aspx). It even leads to more empathy:

“The benefits are not limited to children and young people. Surveys have suggested a multitude of benefits for adults, particularly related to wellbeing, including reduced stress and better relaxation, greater empathy and understanding of others, and a more tolerant attitude to different perspectives.”

As we read, we understand the narrator or characters, and become more empathetic. That quality is needed more now than ever. So read books by Latine and Hispanic authors this month. You may find it makes your life—and our world—better in ways you didn’t expect!