5 Super Annoying Things Latinas Face at Work

5 Super Annoying Things Latinas Face at Work
Photo by Resume Genius on Unsplash
two women sitting at a table with laptops

With 10 years of work experience under my belt, I've had some really great jobs. I’ve also had some really bad ones. The bad ones share one thing in common: the absurd expectations that my colleagues and supervisors had of me as a Latina. If you are a Latina in the workplace, chances are you have experienced some of these things too.


1.Becoming the Unofficial Translator

Being a translator is a difficult job that requires the ability to move in and out of more than one language with skill. For those of us who don’t have the job title of translator, just because we can translate English and Spanish doesn’t mean that we should have to. Here are just a few reasons why a Latina might not want to be your translator:

  • It’s not actually a part of her job description.
  • She doesn’t have the extra time.
  • A bilingual program makes everything twice as long for everyone.
  • There’s an app for that.
  • She might not even speak Spanish!

Plus, if you aren’t offering to pay her extra, you shouldn’t even ask.

person holding Fluent City bookPhoto by Dan Gold on Unsplash

2.Getting Confused for the Other Latina in the Office

We don’t even look alike! Take the time to learn our names. And I shouldn’t even have to say that you should learn to pronounce them correctly.

two young women standing next to each otherPhoto by Anton Malanin on Unsplash

3.Being Greeted with Kisses on the Cheek by Male Colleagues

Just because we're Latina doesn't mean it's our "culture." If we aren’t family or besties, a handshake is what we expect at work. Creep!

person sitting in a chair in front of a manPhoto by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash

4.Becoming the Token for Diversity

I once had a manager who wanted to publish his work under my name (alongside my picture) to make it more relatable to a “diverse” audience. He wanted me to hand over my identity for him to use as he pleased. I refused. I began writing and publishing my own articles for the organization instead.

girl in black and white polka dot dressPhoto by Shane Devlin on Unsplash

5.Keeping a Different Personality at Work

I guarantee that only the smallest handful of my colleagues know that I can rap Cardi B’s hits. Even a smaller amount have seen me do it. The majority wouldn’t be able to imagine me being so “improper” or “unprofessional.” Don’t be fooled.

selective focus photography of jolly woman using peace hand gesturePhoto by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

How many of these can you relate to? Share in the comments.

bop the bigot video game logo

In 2024, voting campaigns have evolved greatly, to say the least. Creativity is now the name of the game and tongue-in-cheek humor is expertly leveraged to drive action. One example of that is Bop the Bigot, a revival of a viral game created in 2016 by Bazta Arpaio, an Arizona activist group, as part of a campaign to unseat Maricopa County’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Arpaio lost his re-election to Paul Penzone that year.

The game has now been updated for the current election cycle and relaunched by On Point Studios, with new features added to enable players to find out what’s on their ballot, confirm voter status, and register to vote.

Much like its former 2016 version, the game allows users to take out their political frustrations by virtually “bopping” GOP candidates in the head. It’s very similar to whack-a-mole, except the mole is replaced by former President Donald Trump, Ohio’s Senator J. D. Vance, and Kevin Roberts, President of the Heritage Foundation, which is spearheading Project 2025.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

B. Loewe, Director of On Point Studios, came up with the concept for this game when working as the Communications Director at Bazta Arpaio in 2016, and is the executive producer of this revamped version. In the first version of the game, Bop the Bigot players used a chancla (flip flop) to “bop” the characters, tapping into Latino culture by leaning on the childhood experience of being set right by a flying chancla from a fed-up mother or grandmother.

This year, the chancla is replaced by a more current element, a green coconut, referencing Kamala Harris’ coconut tree meme. There are also side characters like “the couch,” cat ladies, and more coconuts. All references to jokes about Vice-Presidential candidate Vance, or insults Vance has made about women on the campaign trail.

Another new addition is that Harris’ laugh is immortalized as the game-over sound effect, an unexpected detail that adds even more humor and levity to the game.

cartoon renditions of Donald Trump, Kevin Roberts, and J.D. Vance around a Bop the Bigot logoPromotional image provided by On Point Studios.

Bop the Bigot, which is playable on desktop and mobile, is intended not just as a way to vent political frustrations, but also as a tool for activism and securing voter engagement.

For example, the game supports the work of Mexican Neidi Dominguez Zamorano, Founding Executive Director of the non-profit organization Organized Power in Numbers by using the “game over” screen to prompt players to donate to it and support their efforts.

Organized Power in Numbers is focused on empowering workers in the South and Southwest of the U.S. through collective action and comprehensive campaigns. Their mission is to create a large-scale movement that challenges the status quo and advocates for workers' rights, and racial and economic justice.

Currently, Dominguez Zamorano is leading worker outreach to 2 million working-class voters in the South and Southwest through doorknocking, texting, and calls with the help of local groups in North Carolina, Arizona, New Mexico, and more.

“We have been blown away by the enthusiastic reception for the video game. We knew we wanted to be part of its creative approach because our movement needs more fun and laughter. We need more ways to connect with nuestra gente so we can feel joy among all the absurdity we witness every day,” Dominguez Zamorano shared with Luz Media via email.

“Our people are gente trabajadora and we deserve to feel uplifted even in our toughest moments. We are deeply involved in the South and Southwest so we know what’s at stake in this election and we’re happy this can be a resource to mobilize, raise spirits, and get out the vote," she concluded.

Dominguez Zamorano is a committed activist for immigrants and workers' rights, known for her strategist skills and expertise. She played a key role in the campaign to win DACA and has also held roles in major campaigns, including as Deputy National States Director for Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign. In addition to her work with Organized Power in Numbers, Dominguez Zamorano is serving as a Senior Advisor to Mijente’s Fuera Trump Initiative.

Grassroots efforts like these have taken on new life in 2024, with Bop the Bigot adding to the larger, ongoing fight against political apathy and disinformation. Just as it did during the 2016 race, the video game uses humor to soften the serious task at hand—getting people to the polls.

"We want the game to be a fun and comical outlet for anyone who’s been insulted, frustrated, or harmed by Trump in the past and everyone who is ready to move forward as a country after election day," explained Loewe in a press release. "The proposals in Project 2025 and the beliefs of Trump and Vance aren’t just weird, they’re truly harmful. We wanted to give people a humorous and peaceful way to smack down their racism and sexism. We hope it makes people laugh and also feel empowered and motivated to get to the polls on or before election day."

With a mix of satire, sharp political critique, and nostalgia, the game is a call to action. The upcoming election, which is getting closer by the minute, has sparked fierce activism and creative yet grounded initiatives like these aim to ensure voters are engaged, especially young Latinos and disenfranchised groups.

a woman giving the side eye to a man

Have you ever met someone who seems overly confident, self-centered, or even downright rude? Maybe they constantly talk about themselves, disregard your feelings, or even manipulate situations to their advantage. And, if you're anything like us and countless other Latinas, you might've thought, is this person just a purebred a**hole, or are they a narcissist?

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