When is Hispanic Heritage Month? 

From September 15th to October 15th, we celebrate the many traditions, history and cultures of Hispanic Heritage Month. Join PBS NC in an enriching exploration of films and documentaries that highlight the lives and contributions of influential Hispanic and Latine figures, delve into the profound impact of music and dance, and uncover pivotal but often-overlooked historical events that have shaped the Hispanic experience in America. Through these stories develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the diverse voices and vibrant traditions that have significantly shaped our society and culture. 

Celebrate the recipients of the 37th Hispanic Heritage Awards. The evening commemorating Hispanic Heritage Month includes performances and appearances by some of the country's most celebrated Hispanic artists and visionaries, including designer Carolina Herrera, Beautyblender creator Rea Ann Silva, and NBA legend Carmelo Anthony. 

Watch the 37^th Hispanic Heritage Awards Friday, 9/27, 10 PM on PBS NC and on the PBS app. 

Reel South: Boca Chica

Unrestricted access to beaches is a public right in Texas. But for the little known, magical, and untamed stretch of beach called Boca Chica, that right is curtailed when SpaceX takes flight. Boca Chica uncovers the mesmerizing beauty of this fragile coastline and the fight for free access for its longtime visitors whose memories and spirituality are rooted deep among the sandy shorelines. 

“Boca Chica” is a Jackson Wild Media Awards nominee and a runner-up in the 2024 PBS Short Film Festival. 

Watch Reel South’s “Boca Chica,” streaming now on the PBS app. 

Voces American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos

Actor and playwright John Leguizamo’s work preparing for his 2018 Broadway show, “Latin History for Morons,” produced an obsession with reading and researching the history of the Americas. His passion for uncovering the full scope of American history, coupled with his nature as a curious student of the world, resulted in “American Historia.” In this three-part series, Leguizamo travels throughout Mexico and the U.S. to shed light on both the known and lesser-known Latino stories. 

Watch Voces American Historia: The Untold History of Latinos Friday, 9/17, 9 PM on PBS NC and the PBS app. 

A Thousand Pines

Over the course of a grueling eight months, a crew of Oaxacan guest workers plant trees throughout the United States. This intimate portrait shows how hard it is to balance the physical demands of reforestation and extreme isolation while staying connected to the family back home. 

Watch Independent Lens’ “A Thousand Pines” streaming now on the PBS app with PBS NC Passport.

El Gato Feo

“El Gato Feo” -- a Spanish language, western drama short film about two estranged sisters, Luisa and Adelita. In 1915 Mexico, Luisa runs for her life from Pancho Villa's Army. She encounters Adelita, the leader of a small, military unit of women, who must decide if she will hold on to her resentments towards Luisa or help her sister cross the Rio Grande River into Texas.

"El Gato Feo” was a runner-up in the 2024 PBS Short Film Festival. 

Watch “El Gato Feo,” streaming now on the PBS app. 

Dolores

With intimate and unprecedented access, Peter Bratt's Dolores tells the story of Dolores Huerta, among the most important, yet least-known, activists in American history. Co-founder of the first farmworkers union with Cesar Chavez, she tirelessly led the fight for racial and labor justice, becoming one of the most defiant feminists of the 20th century.

Watch Independent Lens’ “Dolores” streaming now on the PBS app with PBS NC Passport.

El Paisa

After being rescued by a charismatic vaquero on the streets of East L.A., gay goth skater Fernando must put an end to closeted young love, leading to personal transformation and a newfound connection to familia.

"El Paisa” was a runner-up in the 2024 PBS Short Film Festival. 

Watch “El Paisa,” streaming now on the PBS app. 

Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined

One of America’s most celebrated Latina writers, the Dominican-American poet and novelist Julia Alvarez burst onto the literary scene and blazed a trail for a generation of Latino authors. Her semi-autobiographical novel, How the García Girls Lost Their Accents, was published in 1991, followed by In the Time of the Butterflies (1994), which raised global awareness about life under Dominican dictator Rafael Trujillo. This new documentary opens a window into her extraordinary journey from her childhood in the Dominican Republic to a life of exile in New York City to a brilliant literary career that shows no sign of slowing down. At 74, she recently published the critically acclaimed novel The Cemetery of Untold Stories. 

Watch American Master’s, “Julia Alvarez: A Life Reimagined” Tuesday, 9/17, 9 PM on PBS NC and the PBS app. 

Pati's Mexican Table

Chef, author and award-winning host Pati Jinich invites viewers to explore the northern state of Chihuahua in season 13 of Pati's Mexican Table. While there, she explores a variety of local attractions and delicacies while soaking in the region’s traditional flavors. Back home, Pati shows viewers how to combine all these ingredients and incorporate them into their own recipes. 

Watch Pati's Mexican Table Friday, 9/13 on the PBS app with PBS NC Passport. Watch Mondays, beginning 9/16 at 1:30 PM and 3 PM on PBS NC.

Meet Von Diaz from Season 3 of The Key Ingredient

Von Diaz is an Emmy Award-winning documentarian and food historian. She is the author Of Islas: A Celebration of Tropical Cooking and Coconuts & Collards: Recipes and Stories from Puerto Rico to the Deep South. She is also the founder of La Piña, a Substack newsletter covering the people, ingredients and systems that shape global cuisine. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, she explores the intersections of food, culture and identity. She has contributed recipes and essays to a number of cookbooks and anthologies, is a frequent contributor to the New York Times, as well as The Washington Post, NPR, StoryCorps, Food & Wine Magazine and Bon Appétit, among many others. Today, she is an editor and senior producer for StoryCorps, the largest oral history project in the U.S., producing broadcasts for NPR’s Morning Edition. In addition, she has taught food studies and oral history at Duke University and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and food writing and audio production workshops at New York University and The New School. 

Season 3 of The Key Ingredient with Sheri Castle premieres Thursday, 10/3, 8 PM on PBS NC and the PBS app. Von Diaz is featured in “Warming Up to Hot Peppers,” premiering 11/14.  

Sonark Sessions: Live from the Barn

Viniloversus lights up the stage at Sonark Studios in Hillsborough, North Carolina, with their vibrant Latin rock. Formed in Caracas, Venezuela, in 2004, the band delivers a riveting performance that showcases the power of live Latin rock. 

Watch Sonark Sessions: Live from the Barn’s “Viniloversus” Thursday, 9/19, 9:30 PM on PBS NC and the PBS app. 

Velvet

In late 1950s Madrid, the golden age of haute couture, there was one place everyone would like to shop at least once in their lifetime: the Galerías Velvet. The series follows the love story of Alberto Márquez (Miguel Ángel Silvestre, “Sense 8”), heir of Galerías Velvet, one of the most prestigious fashion houses in Spain, and Ana Ribera (Paula Echevarría, “Gran Reserva”), who works as a seamstress there. In Spanish with English subtitles. 

Watch Velvet Friday, 10/4 on the PBS app with PBS NC Passport.