From September 15 to October 15 is a time to celebrate the many contributions and accomplishments of the Latino/a/e/x community. In an effort to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and the diverse culture of our local community, the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission (SFPUC) has created the traditional Lotería game, with a utilities inspired twist!
Lotería is the Spanish word for Lottery and the game dates back as early as the 15th century. Lotería is a traditional game in the Latino/a/e/x community and can be enjoyed by all ages. It has been used as a tool for educational purposes, with players learning how to say different words in Spanish such as “EL SOL” or “LA LUNA”.
Some of my fondest memories from my childhood was sitting around the table with my entire family playing Lotería. My Abuelita would give everyone frijoles (beans) to use as you mark off the different images from your playing board. We would stay up hours playing the game, and I can still remember the excitement of winning and getting to yell “Lotería!” as you mark off your final piece of the board.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, the SFPUC decided to recreate the traditional game, while teaching folks about SFPUC's complex water, power, and sewer systems. Through SFPUC Instagram and Facebook stories, we will draw a new card every day, so that folks can play along no matter where they are. We are also including fun facts (in English) to educate people on who the SFPUC is and the services that we provide.
The first card will be drawn on September 15th, and we hope you all enjoy playing SFPUC Lotería with us. ¡Feliz Mes de la Herencia Hispana y Buena suerte!