Michelle Phan (@michellephan)
The aftermath of the Eaton and Palisades fires that started raging on January 7, 2025, has left Los Angeles facing one of the largest rebuilding efforts in its history. Estimates of economic loss reach $250 billion. While city officials move forward with recovery plans, attention is turning to the workforce responsible for reconstructing thousands of homes and businesses.
With Latinos accounting for more than 80% of the construction workforce in Los Angeles, their role in the city’s recovery is undeniable. However, disparities in compensation, safety concerns, and fears of immigration enforcement are casting uncertainty over those who will do the work of rebuilding the city.
The Scale of Recovery Efforts
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has described the city’s post-fire recovery operation as the largest in its history. Over a month after the fires, inspectors have assessed more than 15,000 structures, with over 6,800 completely destroyed. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also removed hazardous debris from approximately 1,500 properties while local, state, and federal agencies coordinate the next phase of debris removal. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has begun clearing properties where owners have opted into the federal debris removal program. Officials estimate that hazardous waste operations will be completed by the end of February.
While the response has been swift, disparities in the rebuilding effort have sparked controversy. Mayor Bass faced backlash after it was revealed that Steve Soboroff, appointed as the city’s chief recovery officer, was initially set to receive $500,000 for 90 days of work, with another official, Randy Johnson, to receive $250,000. Following public criticism, both officials agreed to work without pay. Despite this adjustment, the news has raised concerns about how recovery funds are being allocated and whether the financial burden of rebuilding is being distributed equitably.
By contrast, the average annual salary for construction workers in Los Angeles ranges between $35,792 and $47,520. Workers and advocates have expressed concerns that while high-profile figures in recovery efforts were set to receive hundreds of thousands of dollars, many construction workers will continue earning low wages under difficult conditions.
The Latino Workforce: Essential Yet Overlooked
Latino construction workers, who make up 84% of the region’s construction workforce, are playing a crucial role in the rebuilding process. Latino immigrants have also been instrumental in volunteer efforts. During the fires, many Latino immigrants gathered hoses and buckets to help extinguish flames in their neighborhoods, showing their commitment to their communities.
However, many Latino workers are already facing significant challenges, including job loss, health hazards from cleanup efforts, and the looming threat of immigration enforcement. While not all workers in the recovery effort are undocumented, immigration-related fears are affecting entire communities, influencing workforce participation and access to resources.
For many immigrant workers, the risk of deportation has made it difficult to seek new job opportunities in fire recovery efforts. Organizations like the National Domestic Workers Alliance and IDEPSCA (Instituto de Educación Popular del Sur de California) have mobilized to provide relief funds and resources for affected workers, yet many are hesitant to access public services due to fear of enforcement actions. Nancy Zuniga, director of worker health at IDEPSCA shared with the LA Times that the number of people going to IDEPSCA’s day laborer centers has dropped since President Trump took office for his second term.
The reconstruction effort in Los Angeles relies heavily on Latino workers. According to the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute, Latinos make up 34% of the workforce in the Palisades fire zone, including the Pacific Palisades, Topanga, and Malibu areas, while representing only 7% of the area’s population. Latinos also make up 35% of the workforce in the Eaton fire zone, and 47% in the Hurst fire zone. Many of these workers face systemic inequities, including low wages, lack of health protections, and unstable employment conditions. The fires have only worsened these vulnerabilities, with many losing jobs in the aftermath of the disaster.
Silvia González, Director of Research at the UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute, emphasized that recovery efforts will take years and must include long-term plans to support the workers on the frontlines of reconstruction. “This is going to be a five-, six-, seven-year recovery effort,” González told LA Times. “And it’s imperative that organizations don’t forget workers so they continue to have access to resources after the cameras are away.”
Health and Safety Concerns for Workers
The California Occupational Safety & Health Administration (Cal/OSHA) has highlighted the dangers that construction workers and laborers face during post-fire cleanup. Many of the burned structures contain toxic materials, including asbestos, lead, and hazardous chemicals. Without proper protective equipment, workers are at risk of respiratory issues and long-term health complications.
State officials have pledged to conduct outreach on workplace safety, but concerns remain over whether workers—particularly those who are undocumented—will have access to necessary protections. Historically, immigrant workers have faced challenges in securing safety measures, and many fear that raising concerns could put their jobs at risk.
What Comes Next?
As Los Angeles moves forward with its recovery plan, the well-being of the workers rebuilding the city runs the risk of being deprioritized alongside broader reconstruction efforts.
Advocates argue that the city must ensure fair labor practices and protections, particularly given that construction workers will be exposed to hazardous materials for months or even years to come. Per existing labor laws, employers have a responsibility to pay wages required by law and provide necessary safety equipment. Therefore it’s up to enforcement authorities to ensure employers aren’t violating labor and safety laws.. The coming months will show whether Los Angeles and surrounding areas treat fellow Latino Angelenos and Californians fairly and with their health, safety, and families in mind.
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As of 2024, there are about 3.52 million Latine families in the United States led by single mothers. This isn't just a statistic; it’s the vivid reality of Latinas shouldering the responsibility of parenting without the active support of a co-parent figure.
Absent fatherhood in the Latino community touches everyone and contributes to cultural norms, expectations, and stereotypes.
For many, the historical passivity adopted by some generations towards absent fatherhood still resonates deeply in our cultural roots. The phrase "déjelo en manos de Dios, mija" has been passed down from generation to generation as a resigned comfort in the face of disconnected fathers. It’s the old, "boys will be boys" sentiment.
This leaves women to shoulder the burden of raising children on their own without much expectation of receiving help from the father. Latino culture often expects women to be unreasonably “strong” and capable of handling any situation that comes their way. A 2017 Census Bureau report found that 80% of all custodial parents were mothers, and of these custodial mothers, 56% of white mothers were awarded child support versus only 44% of Latinas, according to a 2016 review of child support claims.
Lower claims of child support are only one very limited way in which cultural self-sufficiency expectations manifest themselves. This can also lead to emotional isolation and extreme pressure to keep up. In the 2021 April/May issue of PARENTS LATINA, Ernestina Perez, a Mexican-American therapist and founder of Latinx Talk Therapy, stated, "There's a lot of stigma around single motherhood in the Latino community because of traditional gender norms that view men as the protectors and financial providers, and women as the selfless, do-it-all caretakers."
As culture continues to shift and outdated machista beliefs are dismantled, many different approaches to tackling absent fathers are being taken.
When fathers skip out on their financial responsibilities, it’s important that Latinas pursue a child support claim. Single moms don’t have to just grin and bear it. Latinas already face too many economic disparities, including consistently having the largest wage gap of all women, to have this add to the economic stress. In 2022, almost 30% of Latine single-mom families were struggling financially. When Latinas don’t pursue child support, it keeps fueling a poverty cycle and upholds unreasonable gender expectations.
Where are the Fathers? Why aren't they Taking Responsibility?
In the Latine community, where old-school gender roles still have a say, patriarchal culture directly influences fatherhood expectations. It’s a common experience for young women to be kept at home under strict rules while young men are allowed to go out at their pleasure, without any sexual education or warnings to abstain from, or practice safe sex.
This adds to the lack of accountability when a man does end up impregnating a young girl or woman, while shifting the burden and “blame” to the young girl or woman for not heeding the warnings of their family.
Factors like migration also contribute to the splitting of families. From harsh immigration policies that regularly deport one or both parents to inhumane border security policies that continue to separate parents from their children, women are often left as sole caregivers of separated families.
Latino men are also experiencing a positive role model crisis. There’s been a downward trend of Latino men pursuing higher education, and the Latina versus Latino education gap continues to widen. Even as the number of Latinas/os attending college has steadily grown over the last few decades, the proportional representation of Latino men continues to slide in comparison to their Latina counterparts.
The stigma around seeking mental health support is more pronounced in men versus women, and it’s even worse in the Latino community. Research indicates that Latinas are more open to seeking support than Latino men, which leaves them attempting to deal with their challenges on their own. Not to mention that Latino men are also still facing the same issues that Latinas face: discrimination, disproportionate poverty, absent fathers, and cultural norms that teach them harmful behaviors.
The disproportionate absence of fathers in the Latino community is extremely complex and nuanced. The causes mentioned are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of fully understanding the nature of the problem, but even with this superficial understanding, some solutions can be identified.
How Can We Begin to Solve the Absent Father Problem?
Raising a New Generation of Empowered Children
Latina moms have the power to shift things for the better. Teaching our kids how to challenge concepts of toxic machismo and irresponsible behaviors is an essential task. This isn’t limited to moms; on the contrary, despite there being a disproportionate amount of single moms, there’s an even bigger number of families with active fathers, and they are taking on the responsibility of raising their kids differently than how they were raised.
Breaking Down Traditional Masculinity
As gender roles continue to shift across generations, ditching the old-school view of masculinity is gaining momentum. Both women and men are actively challenging the harmful notions that femininity and masculinity are traits that are limited to certain genders. Groups like Bloom Homi, which are led by Latino men, are actively working to change the expectations of Latino men and are working to build communities of support where men can feel supported as they participate in dismantling machismo.
Meanwhile, Latina-led parenting groups like Latinx Parenting are not only providing support for moms but also building an inclusive community that actively brings Latino dads into the fold, ensuring that there’s space for everyone who wants to learn how to disrupt harmful cycles of family dysfunction.
Changing Parenting Roles Through Public Policy
It’s no secret that parental leave in the U.S. is shamefully lacking compared to other comparable nations. Only 27% of U.S. workers have access to paid parental leave, and while under FMLA, families are entitled to at least 12 weeks of parental leave, all this does is guarantee that they won’t be fired from their jobs. If they decide to take family leave, it’s unpaid, and most families can’t afford to be unemployed for three months.
Even when paid parental leave is offered, paternity leave is even less accessible than maternity leave. New dads are still expected to fulfill the “breadwinner” role, while moms are left to fulfill their childbearing and child-caring role, despite a significant amount of research confirming the many positive effects paternal newborn bonding has on both the dad and the newborn.
Changing Media Narratives About Dads
The portrayal of dads in media has a massive impact on how they are expected to behave in real life. Studies have found that there are two main ways in which dads are portrayed in media. On one hand, men are rarely portrayed as nurturers and are relegated to the hard, cold, but steadfast stereotype of protector and provider. On the other, they are shown as incompetent, foolish, and emotionally disconnected parents, where competent, wise, emotionally connected mothers must often come to the rescue of those fathers.
Latino dads are portrayed even more negatively because of the severe lack of Latino representation in the media. There are so few roles for Latino men that they haven’t even made much of a dent in fatherhood portrayals, much less changing those roles to address machismo and reflect any positive change that’s occurring in Latino culture.
Just as it is imperative to change media portrayals of Latinas in media, the same has to be done for Latino men, especially as it relates to family gender roles and dynamics.Supporting Community Spaces and Men’s Groups
No, we’re not talking about the incels who hate women and blame them for all their problems. We’re talking about the exact opposite.
Men’s groups are popping up all over the country and are a place where men and dads can swap stories, pick up tips, and have each other's backs. Like any group, they all have their own dynamic and focus, and sometimes a few have to be tried until a good match is made, but accepting these groups as part of a healthy community is critical to getting men the support they need.
Digital communities like Bloom Homie, as well as organizations like the National Compadres Network, and their Fatherhood & Family Initiative are contributing to the ecosystem that’s helping to dismantle harmful narratives and also build community amongst men who want to break harmful patriarchal cycles.
While none of these solutions will produce instant improvements, they are all things that everyone of any gender can help implement. While it may not be easy to reduce the amount of absent fathers in Latino households, research shows that it’s attainable, and that alone makes it worth pursuing.
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In the United States, societal attitudes toward marriage are evolving, evidenced by a significant decrease in marriage rates – dropping from a robust 76.5% in 1970 to a more modest 47% as of 2022 – this trend spans various communities, including the Latino community, which is actively challenging conventional norms, reshaping roles, and forging new paths in their conceptions of love and family.
Challenging the Status Quo
Although there have been some changes in recent decades, Latino culture still holds onto many outdated traditions and rigid gender roles. Many Latinas report still feeling pressured by society and even their own families to get married early and start a family. These expectations are sometimes pushed by older women in the family who insist that their daughters embrace the roles of marriage and motherhood, even when their daughters have entirely different goals in mind. These women end up backing the patriarchal system without even realizing it; a phenomenon referred to as marianismo.
The marriage rate for Latinas has decreased significantly since the 1950s. Today, approximately 43% of U.S. Latinas are married, representing a 33% decline in marriage rates over the past 70 years. It's worth noting that there are differences in marriage rates between U.S.-born and foreign-born Latinas. Among U.S.-born Latinas, the percentage of those married decreased from 51% in 1990 to 36% in 2017. For foreign-born Latinas, the marriage rate has remained relatively stable, declining only slightly from 62% in 1990 to 58% in 2017.
That the marriage rate has dropped so much in recent years is a clear indication that Latina women are challenging traditional gender roles, choosing to focus on their personal development, education, and career, sometimes before or even instead of marriage.Independence and Choice
The decision of younger generations to not get married is meaningful, particularly when considering the significance of marriage in Latino culture for many years. The declining marriage rate mirrors how Latinas are reconciling their cultural traditions with more progressive ideas, leading to the creation of new collective views and realities.
Latina women are achieving unprecedented levels of education and workforce participation, giving them greater economic independence. This autonomy has expanded their life options. For new generations, marriage is no longer seen as the only route to stability and success, but as one of many options on a broader spectrum to achieve personal fulfillment.
Breaking this paradigm is also influenced by the multicultural environment of the U.S., where Latino traditions are merging with new ideas and dialogues that challenge traditional and outdated systems based on patriarchy, creating a contemporary reinterpretation of what it means to be a woman and being Latina in today's society.
There are a few additional factors at play that have led to a decrease in marriage rates. One significant factor is the declining religious adherence to marriage. There's also a growing trend of reduced enthusiasm for marriage among the general public that has contributed to this decline.
A Ripple Effect on Men and Society
As women gain more autonomy and redefine their roles, Latino men are also experiencing a change in their traditional roles. So, how are Latino men adapting? Are their views on marriage, family, and gender roles in these areas shifting too?
The answer tends to lean towards no. Men, in general, aren’t faring too well as women continue to increase their life and dating standards. A recent study of 46,054 people in 237 countries found that men are now more likely to be "lonely and single" than women, which wasn’t the case 30 years ago.
Greg Matos, PsyD, a couple's therapist, wrote in “Psychology Today” that men are struggling to bridge the "relationship-skills gap" as women search for partners who are "emotionally available, good communicators, and share similar values."
As men find new ways to participate in family life and relationships, the shift could lead to a reevaluation of masculinity within the Latino community. This change creates opportunities to challenge gender stereotypes and foster more equitable and collaborative relationships in maintaining a home and raising children.
The Future
The fact that fewer people are getting married than ever before indicates that social norms are changing. As a result, we are seeing the emergence of new family structures. The big question is: how is it going to affect the whole Latino cultural identity down the road?
We are already starting to see more single-parent families or non-traditional family arrangements. This shift could influence several aspects of daily life, including parenting, community support, and social safety nets.
The increasing participation of Latina women in higher education and the workforce is having a considerable impact on the domestic economy. The Latina GDP 2024 Report showed that Latinas contributed $1.3 trillion to the U.S. GDP in 2021 alone. This shift might make Latino families start to rethink how they handle their money, make investment choices, and decide on their spending priorities.
A New Latino Identity
The low marriage rates in the Latino community reveal a shift in gender dynamics, educational empowerment, and an ongoing interplay between traditional values and modern viewpoints in a multicultural setting. All these factors are shaping a new Latino identity.
The Latino community in the United States is not only adding to the country's cultural diversity but also taking a lead in some of the most important discussions of our time regarding gender, culture, and identity. In an ever-changing world, adaptability, resilience, and the willingness to challenge the status quo are not only valuable but essential. And in this scenario, Latina women in the United States are, undoubtedly, at the forefront.
Now, more than ever, is the time to support independent Latina-owned media—your source for trustworthy news, authentic stories, and combating misinformation about our community. A gift of $25 or whatever you can will help us keep these stories alive.
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