Latin-American 'Green Wave' Gains Momentum Amongst Worsening U.S. Conditions for Abortion Access

Miriam Zoila Pérez

26 September 2023

United States, Central America, and South America as large green cut outs on a concrete floor

_{This reporting was produced with the support of the International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF) as part of its Reproductive Health, Rights, and Justice in the Americas Initiative.}

For many advocates in the reproductive rights and justice movement in the United States, June 24, 2022 was a day of disbelief, grief, and anger. Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court case that had guaranteed legal access to abortion across the country, had been struck down just six months shy of its 50th anniversary.

Even though Donald Trump and his right-wing supporters explicitly told many that this was their goal all along, it was still a day of shock.

“The U.S. is one of the few countries in the world that have actually gone backward on abortion rights,” explains Giselle Carino, director/chief executive officer of Fòs Feminista, an international alliance for sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. The U.S. is one of just four countries, alongside Poland, Nicaragua, and El Salvador, to regress on abortion rights in recent years. The result is a varied legal landscape extremely dependent on the state one lives in. In 14 U.S. states, abortion is now illegal, and in ten more, the legal climate is described as “hostile” by the Center for Reproductive Rights.

By contrast, there have been a number of recent wins on abortion rights in Latin America. Since 2006, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, and most recently Mexico have legalized abortion. In El Salvador, in the same time period, advocates have been able to get at least 65 women released from prison who had been incarcerated for alleged abortions—prison sentences ranged anywhere from a few years to a few decades. While the laws have not improved there, these releases have shown the power of feminist organizing and brought more resources to prevent prosecutions based on pregnancy outcomes.

Many of these wins have been propelled by what’s being called the Marea Verde or the Green Wave, named for the green bandanas many of the activists have adopted. It’s an intersectional and transnational feminist movement that began with Argentinian women protesting the high rates of femicide and has spread across the region to protests for legalizing abortion and other gender justice issues.

While a simplistic comparison between the political situation in the U.S. and the situation in any country in Latin America is going to miss a lot of nuance, there has been a prevailing misconception that we would never see better access to abortion in extremely conservative Catholic countries in Latin America than we would in the U.S. That myth has been dispelled, and these recent successes, coupled with the setbacks domestically, have some advocates in the U.S. looking to Latin American activists for inspiration, hope, and lessons about the challenges they might face and the tactics that might turn the national tide toward access once again.

Looking South for Inspiration

For U.S.-based Latinx reproductive rights and justice activists, connecting with movements in Latin America has looked a number of ways.

Limayli Huguet, helpline counselor at If, When, HowLinkedIn Photo

For Limayli Huguet, helpline counselor at If, When, How, a legal advocacy organization working in the U.S., her family ties to Mexico and Peru have kept her connected to movements in those countries. “So I'm a first generation American, my mom is an immigrant from Mexico and my dad is an immigrant from Peru,” shares Huguet on a recent zoom interview with Luz Media. “So all of my family is still in Mexico and Peru. I've spent a lot of time in both countries and just have always admired the movements in these countries where at times it can feel a little hopeless.” Huguet says she sees the cultural barriers to public opinion on these issues, but also the perseverance of activists, especially in Mexico where the Supreme Court recently decriminalized abortion nationwide. “It's just always been really inspiring,” says Huguet.

Ena Suseth Valladares, former director of programs for California Latinas for Reproductive Justice (CLRJ) recalls seeing a billboard when visiting family in Nicaragua. “I remember there was a letrero, a billboard. And it was like, el Aborto es Vida, or something like that, where they were reclaiming that language.” Valladares reflected on how much of a contrast that was to the pro-choice language she saw in the U.S. “I was super curious, so I did a little digging. And of course, there are networks. And of course, there's activism happening.” Valladares also learned more about reproductive rights and justice campaigns in Latin America when looking for Spanish language resources about abortion to use in her organizing in the Los Angeles area with CLRJ. “It [was] very intersectional, how they're talking about this [issue]. What was also very striking is their call for not only un abortion seguro [a safe abortion], but also gratis [free].”

While the 1973 Roe vs. Wade decision guaranteed legal access to abortion in the U.S., other anti-abortion laws like the Hyde Amendment prevented coverage under federal Medicaid policy, meaning that for many low-income people seeking abortions, cost is a huge barrier. A large grassroots network of abortion funds have cropped up in response, but reproductive justice groups like CLRJ have long wanted to see a push for universal funding, an agenda that was often seen as too radical by mainstream groups. “I was just very inspired honestly,” reflects Valladares. “Super inspired by these very patriarchal societies where the Catholic Church still has a stronghold in this region, and yet you have all these folks turning out, really united under their messaging.”

Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, New York State Assemblywoman from Queens and former executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice

Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, New York State Assemblywoman from Queens and former executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice, remembers a gathering with Argentinian activists about 20 years ago. “In the mid 2000s,” Gonzalez-Rojas says, “we got to connect with the Argentinian reproductive justice group who came to the United States. It was really interesting because they were looking to the U.S. to try to figure out how to change the hostile policies that they have in Argentina.”

In 2021, the Argentinian President signed a law permitting abortion up until 14 weeks. “It's wild to see how they've been successful in moving the needle, ultimately decriminalizing and liberalizing abortion, while the United States has eroded our rights over the last couple of decades. Now we're in the worst place I can imagine in my generation. The idea that they would say, look North, and now we have to look South, because to see the ways in which they've organized for reproductive justice, but also for gender justice, has been really powerful.”

Preparing for the Worst

It’s not just inspiration that advocates are looking for when they connect with movements in Latin America. It’s also an understanding of what may lie ahead for the U.S. if the current political trajectory continues.

Paula Avila-Guillen, executive director of the Women’s Equality Center

“I get [so frustrated] when I see what is happening in the United States,” says Paula Avila-Guillen, executive director of the Women’s Equality Center (WEC). “Something that we have seen in so many other places in the world, and people in the United States keep telling you ‘Oh, no, no, we are not going to head that way.’ And you're like, ‘No, no, you're heading that way, trust me.’” This attitude might be attributed to a false idea of American exceptionalism, but Avila-Guillen thinks the worst may be yet to come.

At WEC, Avila-Guillen is connected to this work across Latin America. Originally from Colombia, Avila-Guillen has lived in the U.S. for almost 20 years, so she understands the different contexts well. “Yes, we are in crisis,” she says. “But we have not touched bottom yet. The changes in Latin America didn't happen out of pure optimism. They happened out of desperation, out of the need to do something different, because whatever we are doing is not working. So I think that we’re going to arrive to a moment in the United States where we do hit bottom.”

One of those potential bottoms is already unfolding, and has been for some time—the criminalization of women for their pregnancy outcomes. This is something that Avila-Guillen knows well from her work in El Salvador, where she supported the campaign that helped release 65 women from prison while working for the Center for Reproductive Rights. Someone not very close to this issue might think that women in the U.S. would never be put in jail for an alleged abortion, but the reality is these kinds of cases have been occurring even before Roe was overturned. In 2011, Bei Bei Shuai was charged with murder after she miscarried following a suicide attempt in Indiana. Just this summer, a Nebraska teenager was sentenced to 90 days in jail for ending a pregnancy using medication. The criminalization of abortion puts many more women at risk, but what people may not realize is that in the worst-case scenario, even women who have natural miscarriages or stillbirths could be at risk of prosecution.

That was the scenario that Avila-Guillen encountered when she arrived in El Salvador to support the campaign to release women from prison. “I was convinced I was visiting women who were in prison because of abortion, which already was hard enough. But when I heard the stories, I realized that they were imprisoned for miscarriages and stillbirths, something they had no control over whatsoever because they were poor. Because they couldn't have an attorney [to] defend them.”

In a climate where abortion is criminalized, any pregnancy outcome could lead to suspicion about the cause and attempts to criminalize the pregnant person. One commonality between the situation in El Salvador and the cases we’ve already seen here in the U.S. is they are driven by prosecutors who are looking to use any legal pathway to charge these women with crimes.

Huguet manages a helpline run by If, When, How, which provides free and confidential legal services about reproductive health and rights. Since the Dobbs decision last year, Huguet says they’ve seen a huge increase in call volume. “We have gotten a lot of calls asking about the fear and risk of criminalization of abortion, whether it is somebody who is self-managing their abortion and is concerned about their criminalization, or somebody who's experiencing their pregnancy loss and they're afraid because of what they've seen in the media. They're afraid about going to the hospital or sharing with their doctors that they're experiencing a pregnancy loss. And also we have a lot of confusion, people asking about the abortion laws in their state.”

In both El Salvador and the U.S., instances where women are criminalized for their pregnancy outcomes often come from prosecutors applying laws that aren’t about abortion at all–such as child welfare laws. “In most states, other than Nevada and South Carolina, self-managed abortion is not a crime,” explains Huguet. “So it is prosecutors being creative with applying different laws to situations of self-managed abortion. It's important to make sure that people are aware that that is not a crime and so that prosecutors don't overuse their discretion to criminalize self-managed abortion.”

Building Bridges Across Borders

Beyond the organic connections that advocates in the U.S. reproductive rights movement make with movements in Latin America, there have also been a number of intentional international gatherings to facilitate learning and building. The most recent was in February of 2023, organized by Avila-Guillen’s organization, alongside IPAS and the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Justice. It brought 40 activists from across Latin America to Washington, D.C., to gather with 80 U.S.-based advocates. “When we organized the green wave gathering,” shares Avila-Guillen, “we didn't know what to expect. But the level of conversation that got to happen was beautiful. And it was extremely powerful.”

▲

▲

▲

▲

▲

Valladares also attended. “The piece that was really inspiring was folks from the Dominican Republic and El Salvador. Countries that have no exceptions and [abortion is] completely banned. Places where you have people being jailed for these crazy amount of years. And just hearing their hope that things are going to change. They still get together, they still do demonstrations, they still advocate. And I think for us, it was really raw, right? Because it had just been like six or seven months since the Supreme Court struck down Roe. A lot of people were feeling very despondent and I think it was just really inspiring to hear that even in the face of impossibility almost, they were still building those networks and trying to get the care that people need.”

Huguet had a similar experience of feeling inspired by the gathering. “It was a really emotional, powerful experience to witness and also to be able to connect with people in other countries. To be able to learn from them and lean on them in times that feel really heavy and like crisis and knowing that they have experienced similar things and being able to share words of wisdom and support was really powerful.” For Carino, who is based in Argentina, the gathering was also important. “It was a very special moment,” she reflects. “Because coming together, when you have almost never done it, is pretty special. And coming together in recognition of the things we have done, and the things we have won and the things we have lost. It was a really great first step.”

As the new post-Roe landscape continues to unfold in its second year, the cross-border connections offer a larger perspective on this domestic struggle. ”I would say that our battle for abortion access is intertwined,” explains Huguet. “Their win is our win. And so you know, even though right now we are still in a dark point in the U.S. where it is a struggle in some places to access abortion care, that doesn't mean that we are in a worse position. It just means that we're in a position where we are going to work towards getting back that abortion access and learning from our partners in Latin America.”

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web

Lost Childhoods: The Impact of Child Incarceration

Years ago, during a Democracy in Color podcast appearance, I had a conversation with then-host Aimee Allison about my adolescent years growing up in a single-parent, low-income household and the challenges that came with it. My story is well-documented, having told it time and time again for almost a decade, but during this interview, it was different.

For the first time during an interview, Host Aimee Alison interrupted me when I was describing my time in the juvenile justice system.

Normally, in our sound-bite world, I try to get through that part of my life as quickly as possible while still keeping it substantive enough to make my point. The interviewers are happy to oblige the quick pace. But this time around, Aimee said to me, “I want to go back to those cinder-block walls.” For a moment, I was startled but then also hesitant.

At that point in my career, I had talked often about what it was like to be treated like just another number going through the criminal justice system, what it was like to be treated like discarded, worthless cattle to be identified, recorded, and cataloged. But I had never really talked about it, and surprisingly, or maybe not surprisingly, I found it profoundly difficult to do.

The School to Prison Pipeline

I was 12 when I was first tracked into the juvenile justice system — just a little girl, as Aimee pointed out. It started out with acting out behavior like ditching school, shoplifting, and running away as a result of not understanding what was going on at home. Not understanding why my dad beat my mom, and understanding, even at the age of 9 when this was happening, that she had to leave, but never understanding why she chose not to come back for us like she said she would.

I was a good kid. I got good grades. I was in gifted and talented education and even made 1st chair in the orchestra. But my young mind concluded that my mom simply didn’t want me, or my baby brothers, and I didn’t understand why. So I ran away from home. I cut classes. I shoplifted. I turned to the only form of stability that made sense at the time that was available to me— gangs.

The circumstances of my young life were less than ideal — and I say that from the perspective that even though I experienced trauma that no young person should ever know, I also recognize that there are hundreds of thousands of young people who have experienced and are currently experiencing, much deeper and troubling trauma than I ever did. Much like these kids who are growing up in environments that are over-policed and under-resourced, when I cut classes and ran away from home and was caught, the police could have taken me back to school, or done any number of things, but instead, they handcuffed me, threw me in the back of the police car, and took me straight to juvenile detention.

The staff at the detention center could have done any number of things, but instead, I was processed like everyone else was — from murderers to curfew violators, the process was the same. Every last point of contact in the justice system could have done something differently if, in fact, they thought of the children going through the system as young kids with their own stories instead of just files to process.

The process can vary from place to place, bur normally, when you arrive at juvenile detention facility, you're placed in a holding area. Cinderblock walls and cold cinderblock benches line the room. Once someone is available, you're pulled out and taken to a desk where you're fingerprinted, photographed for your mug shot, and asked various intake questions. If you’re lucky and your parents can pick you up quickly, you sit in the holding room until someone picks you up.

I can’t remember a time when those rooms weren’t ice cold—and good luck if you got a blanket. Asking for some comfort never worked. It’s like the rooms were designed to be ice-cold torture rooms, and the staff were happy to carry out the mission. Most of the time my dad couldn’t be reached to pick me up, and when too much time passed, you were changed into an orange or tan inmate jumpsuit in preparation for a longer-term stay. That meant they had to inventory your belongings and strip search you.

The Trauma that Endures

I remember being strip searched. I was old enough to know that my body was private but not old enough to have much to be private about. Another cinder block room and cold floors. “Take off your clothes.” “Hand them to me.” “Do you have any contraband?” “Put these clothes on.” “We’ll be back to get you.” Metal fortified door slammed shut. The slam reverberates.

The process of being institutionalized does something to you. It chips away at your sense of self. Your sense of humanity. Slowly but surely your status begins to feel less than human. Some would argue that it’s supposed to be that way. Some would argue that it’s supposed to be uncomfortable and traumatic. Others would argue and demonstrate that harsh treatment and out-of-home placement of young offenders fails to produce positive outcomes for offending youth. In fact, decades of research prove that our tough on crime policies that produced a generation of felons and shot the U.S. to the number one global spot in prison population are actually costing usmore money and producing less societal benefits.

But statistics and policy aside, how much time do we spend talking about, and thinking about the day-to-day decisions that could possibly change the outcome of the lives of the people who are going through our system? How often do we hear about the prosecutor who treated the defendant like a human being with dignity instead of labeling them “bad guys” before they even got a hearing? How often do we think about the extenuating circumstances of offenders before we assume that all forays into the justice system are as simple as good choice vs. bad choice? How often does the media cover crime stories in the context of indicators that predict a child’s life outcomes? Not often at all.

Why? Because we live in a sound bite world. We live in a world where even my own story has been whittled down to a feel-good, pick yourself up by your bootstraps (a terrible saying, that by literal definition is impossible to do), good ‘ole American success story. A story where “personal responsibility” reigns supreme.

The Bootstrap Myth

In response to the potential for “personal responsibility” co-opting, I spend a lot of time highlighting the decision that my parole officer made not to revoke my parole and send me back into the system that chewed me up and spit me back out many times over. I spend a lot of time highlighting the resource and time investment that people made in me plusmy own desire to break the cycle I finally realized I was in.

I do that because it’s honest.

It’s also the situation that so many young people and adults are facing every day as they churn through our modern justice (or more accurately, injustice) system. Almost no one wakes up one day with no support, intervention, or mentorship and says to themselves, today is the day I become someone else.

We are in dire need of systemic change to our criminal justice system, but we are also in dire need of decent human beings who have the courage and compassion to treat arrestees (because yes, everyone is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty) and offenders like human beings. My parole officer had no idea that when she took into account my abysmal life circumstances and made the decision to give me another chance, she extended me another lease on life. She had no idea that I would end up writing this piece from a scenic waterfront cafe as I sip on coffee and contemplate my thoughts in the serenity of the flowing river and the cool passing breeze.

The coolness of the passing breeze couldn’t be more different than the harsh cold of the cinder block bench surrounded by the cinder block walls that once confined me - a memory that will plague me forever. How many others could also be in different situations if only someone had shown them some compassion and understanding, as my parole officer showed me? What might possibly become of this family after Judge Amber Wolf decided to let this defendant see his newborn baby while in court despite the no-contact order in place?

Time will tell, but if you asked my parole officer 25 years ago what she thought was going to happen to me after she decided to give me a chance, she probably wouldn’t have described my waterfront location or the list of honorifics that precede my name. "Inmate" would have been the likeliest guest by expectation standards. “Inmate” certainly would have been what most people I encountered would have guessed — and that's the crux of the problem.

We can expect more from our kids who are in troubled conditions when we meet our duty to change those conditions. Expecting change without this means we will just continue to let our children's futures waste away, creating a societal expense that's so vast it can't even be quantified.

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web

Trailblazing Latinas in the Cannabis Industry

Luz Media

Growing up, many of us heard about the awful ways in which weed would ruin your life. It was la planta del diablo. That negative (and mostly false) perception of cannabis is becoming less prevalent as more and more individuals embrace the plant for its healing properties. As States continue to legalize both the usage and possession of cannabis and approve it for both recreational and medicinal use, the industry continues to legitimize itself while consumers discover the myriad of uses.

Image shared by perfectunion on Instagram

Image shared by perfectunion on Instagram

With the industry being legalized in so many states, we are left to wonder where the Latine community stands. We know brown and Black individuals were, and continue to be, disproportionately criminalized for being consumers of cannabis, and as legalization becomes a reality in many states, we are fortunately starting to see less impact on these communities.

As states also attempt to address disproportionate access to wealth-building opportunities in the industry for those who were unfairly targeted and convicted of marijuana crimes, we are also seeing some semblance of hope as more people of color entrepreneurs enter the industry. Whether people of color are taking advantage of these new opportunities as entrepreneurs or as professionals in the space, the increase in diversity numbers is a win for everyone.

These five Latinas are making strides in the cannabis industry, and we hope that after them, come many more.

Roshelly & Shanelly Peña

Photo by latinas_cann on Instagram

Photo by latinas_cann on Instagram

Sisters Roshelly and Shanelly Pena, founders of Higher Dining Experience, have transformed their unexpected journey into cannabis-infused chefs. Their lifestyle cannabis brand combines Latin flavors with a touch of high times, offering savory power dishes, desserts, and mocktails. Higher Dining has become a sought-after destination for both cannabis enthusiasts and newcomers seeking flavorful experimentation. From THC-infused chimichurri with carne asada to guava chicken wings made with canna oil, their menu tantalizes the taste buds. The culinary series also provides a social and interactive experience, allowing guests to explore different strains, enjoy handmade pre-rolled joints, and indulge in microdosed creations.

Priscilla Vilchis

Photo by hollyweedqueen on Instagram

Photo by hollyweedqueen on Instagram

Priscilla Vilchis, a native Californian, recognized the potential of cannabis as an alternative to highly addictive prescription medications during her time in a physician's office. Becoming the first Latina in the US to obtain a license for cannabis production, she established Premium Produce, a Las Vegas-based cannabis facility where she serves as CEO. Vilchis has further expanded her entrepreneurial ventures by founding her own cannabis business, Reina.

Ruth Jazmin Aguiar

Photo by zamoravisuals on Instagram

Photo by zamoravisuals on Instagram

Ruth Jazmin Aguiar, a cannabis industry veteran, brings nearly a decade of experience in regulation, advocacy, licensing, strategy, and social equity. With expertise in business development within Spanish-speaking markets, she bridges the communication gap between entrepreneurs and government officials in California and beyond. In 2021, Aguiar joined Locatora Productions as the cannabis business manager for their podcast, Marijuanera: a Podcast for Potheads, expanding her career into mainstream media.

Frances González

Latinas Cannapreneurs

Latinas Cannapreneurs

Growing up in Puerto Rico, Frances González was told a lot of things about weed. Mainly, that it was a harmful drug not to be abused. After trying it at 22, González realized the misinformation around cannabis, and she went on to start Latina Cannapreneurs to combat the misinformation about the industry. Latina Cannapreneurs is a nonprofit organization that works to educate and empower Latinas about the cannabis industry and works to promote Latina entrepreneurship within the industry.

Susie Plascencia

Photo by Susie Plascencia on Facebook

Photo by Susie Plascencia on Facebook

Susie Plascencia is a multifaceted Latina journalist, entrepreneur, and cannabis advocate. As the founder and CEO of NightShift Digital and NightShift Cannabis, she utilizes her expertise in PR, social media marketing, and the cannabis industry. Plascencia's dedication to Latina representation led to the creation of Latinas in Cannabis, an influential online community that empowers and connects Latina entrepreneurs, content creators, educators, and advocates. Furthermore, she holds significant positions as the co-founder and CMO of MOTA Glass.

From Your Site Articles

The All-Natural Remedies Our Abuelas Knew About First ›

Related Articles Around the Web

May Day is Worker’s Day, and It’s Highlighting How Far U.S. Workers Have Fallen Behind

May 1 is referred to as May Day, International Workers’ Day, or simply Worker’s Day. It’s a day for working-class people to celebrate their achievements and reflect on how much progress has been made for everyday workers. However, it’s also a reminder of how much further U.S. workers still have to go regarding workers’ rights and overall quality of life.

The U.S. ranks dead last in worker benefits among all developed countries, and the wage gap is still a major issue, especially for women. Latina women working full-time in the U.S. find that the wage gap is even larger for them. According to the National Women’s Law Center, Latinas only make 57 cents for every dollar a man makes year-round. Of course, the Latina wage gap varies greatly by state. Latinas in California get the shortest end of the stick by earning 44 cents for every dollar a man makes.

Working hard but earning half has been a reality for many Latinas in the U.S., and having a college degree isn’t a shield from that. The National Women’s Law Center has reported that, compared to white men, Latinas may lose over $1.2 million over a 40-year career because of the wage gap. For Latinas with progressional degrees, that figure rises to nearly $2.5 million. The disparity is undeniable.

In a country where labor exploitation is high, and worker satisfaction is low, this day is a good reminder for everyone, especially Latinas, to continue to advocate for better wages and better working conditions.

International Workers’ Day and Why It’s Needed

International Workers’ Day, or May Day in other countries, is rooted in the labor movement of the late 19th century, which gained momentum after the Haymarket Affair. This happened in Chicago in 1886, when workers went on strike on May 1 to demand an 8-hour working day. They rallied peacefully but were met with police brutality. On May 4, during a rally at Haymarket Square, someone threw a bomb at police officers who were dispersing the crowd, leading to chaos and violence. Police officers and civilians were killed, and up to 40 people were injured.

The Haymarket Affair became a symbol of the struggle for workers' rights. While it led to more government crackdowns on labor organizations, it also inspired solidarity among workers in the U.S. and beyond as they continued to push for labor reforms. In 1889, The Second International, a federation of socialist and labor groups, designated May 1st as International Workers' Day to commemorate the Haymarket Affair and celebrate workers. Since then, May Day has been associated with the labor movement and the fight for workers' rights, including demands for fair wages, safe working conditions, and the right to organize.

It’s worth noting that, during the Cold War, the holiday was embraced by communist countries like the Soviet Union. May Day became a major holiday not just in the Soviet Union, but in other Eastern Bloc countries. As a result, the holiday became associated with communism, so anti-communism led to the suppression of May Day’s association with labor movements in the U.S.

This is why even if May Day has roots in the American labor movement, the U.S. doesn’t officially celebrate May 1st as International Workers’ Day. Instead, the U.S. established Labor Day in 1894, which is observed every year on the first Monday of September, and Canada followed suit. Similar to May Day, Labor Day resulted from a violent clash between workers and police during the Pullman strike, which triggered a crisis. This prompted President Grover Cleveland to sign the holiday into law, presumably to maintain the support of the working class.

The day is now recognized around the world with marches and demonstrations. The holiday serves as a poignant reminder of the progress achieved through relentless activism and solidarity. From the implementation of the eight-hour workday to the establishment of labor rights, workers’ movements have won significant victories for the working class. However, the stark reality is that there are still persistent issues to address. One of those persistent issues is the gender wage gap and how it affects Latinas.

The Ongoing Challenges for Latinas

There’s no denying that the fight for gender equality in the workplace has generated more interest in recent years, but the battle is ongoing. In 2023, women were still paid 21.8% less than men on average, even when things like comparable education and work experience were accounted for. For Latinas, the challenges in the workplace are even more formidable because there are more harmful systemic barriers in place that affect them disproportionately.

Statistics reveal a persistent truth: Latina women earn substantially less than men and white women. According to the Lean In Institute, Latinas make 46% less than white men and 26% less than white women.

May Day reminds U.S. workers to confront these injustices head-on and continue demanding fair pay and benefits that improve their quality of life. Addressing the wage gap requires legislative reforms and changes in workplace policies, but it also requires a cultural shift. Any meaningful change to policy that occurred in the U.S. happened only when there was also enough public pressure to get politicians to move in that direction.

Fostering solidarity in the Latino community and standing together is key to amplifying the collective voice and engaging in transformative action. For example, sharing stories highlighting the disparity for Latina women can be a powerful way to pressure employers and policymakers. It’s also a great way to empower and inform one another.

Before social media, the public didn’t have as much access to information about market salaries, negotiation techniques, etc., and more as is available today. There also wasn’t easy access to communities that provide guidance and support when it comes to navigating job opportunities, salary negotiations, and career advancement. Today, this kind of support is only a few clicks or taps away, and it does make a difference.

A version of a U.S. economy where Latina women are compensated fairly for their work and are also treated with dignity and respect in the workplace does exist. Latinas are a powerful, talented community that’s fighting its way towards change. As the community continues to evolve, it won’t be surprising to see these harmful statistics begin to shrink.

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web

Parentification in the Latino Community: Growing Up Too Fast

In Mexico, Día del Niño (Children's Day) is a commemorative day that honors children and promotes their well-being. Since 1925, the country has been celebrating children on April 30 through many different activities and events to entertain, educate, and bring joy to little ones. This day recognizes how important children are in society and also how essential it is to provide them with a healthy, well-adjusted childhood they can look back on. Día del Niño is also committed to promoting literacy through cultural activities and parent involvement.

On the topic of a healthy, well-adjusted childhood, we have to talk about the fact that not all children get that privilege. The ideal parent/child dynamic consists of parents providing the care children need so they can focus only on learning and enjoying the process of growing up. However, not all parents have the mental stability, emotional maturity, health, and/or resources to provide that, resulting in parentification.

Parentification 101

Parentification happens when parents rely on children for emotional and/or practical support. In other words, the roles are reversed; the child becomes the provider of emotional, physical, and/or mental support. Parentified children often take on adult responsibilities like caring for siblings or parents, housekeeping, household chores, paying bills, and more.

Image share by latibulecounseling on InstagramImage share by latibulecounseling on Instagram

Parentified children also assume the responsibility of listening to parents vent about their problems, offering advice, mediating between parents or family members if the relationship is volatile, and, generally, providing emotional support. Parentified children do all of these things before they’re even developed enough, but they have to. This is known as “growing up too fast,” and while this level of adaptability can seem impressive, it often leads to trauma.

Parentification in the Latino community

In 2015, a study set out to examine the implications of race/ethnicity and gender on parentification. They worked with 977 college students who had a history of parentification and found that males had a higher level of parentification than females across all racial/ethnic groups. Moreover, they found that Latinos and Blacks had a higher level of parentification than white Americans.

Unfortunately, parentification is very common in the Latino community, especially among first-generation children of Latino immigrants. The most common example of parentification in the Latino community is the “translator child,” who serves as the language mediator between parents and the outside world. In this role, children get exposed to issues and information beyond their years. That may include legal problems, medical problems, debt, bills, and so much more.

The unavoidable result of parentification is that children develop trauma that can manifest in many different ways. For example, they may develop an insecure attachment style due to the lack of support and structure at home. This has repercussions later in life because our attachment style affects how we approach relationships. In the case of insecure attachment, it can make it difficult for them to develop deep emotional connections as adults.

Parentified children may also suffer from anxiety, depression, and even anger management issues throughout their lives. Moreover, because they didn’t have anyone to turn to for help during their formative years, they may develop ineffective coping skills, which affects how they interact with the world around them. Not just as children, but also as adults.

Healing your parentified inner child

While the trauma of parentification is difficult, it doesn’t have to be a lifetime issue. The journey to healing from parentification is through inner work and therapy. In the Latino community, mental health is often stigmatized, but it’s important to break the code of silence around it and break the pattern to find healing.

The first step is the most difficult because talking about your childhood as a parentified child makes many feel guilty, ungrateful, and critical of their parents. However, loving and respecting your parents doesn’t mean it’s wrong to acknowledge the things they did that hurt you. Acknowledging them will allow you to understand your experiences in a way you weren’t able to as a child.

Image shared by realpixc on Instagram

▲

Image shared by realpixc on Instagram

▲

Image shared by realpixc on Instagram

▲

Image shared by realpixc on Instagram

▲

Image shared by realpixc on Instagram

▲

With understanding often comes the need for open communication with your parents. If you’re able or willing to seek those conversations, understand that they won’t be easy. Your parents will have a different perspective and they may (often inadvertently) try to invalidate your experiences by saying that they had it worse. If they do that, avoid seeing it as an attack and take it as an opportunity to ask them about it.

More often than not, parents also have trauma they need to heal from, and approaching the conversation with grace can help them as much as it can help you. Moreover, it’s important to create healthy boundaries with your parents. Parentified children often continue the role well into adulthood with their parents being highly dependent on them. Setting limits is part of your healing and breaking the habits you’ve been maintaining your entire life.

It’s also essential to let go of the guilt of wanting to heal from parentification. It may feel like you’re abandoning your parents or being selfish or a bad daughter or son, but you’re not. You’re just working on balancing the scales, fixing your codependent relationship with your parents, and seeking your own freedom so you can live your life as an adult to the fullest.

On this Día del Niño, we encourage you to seek healing by acknowledging your parentified inner child and holding space for it. Also, we encourage you to celebrate children and champion their childhood in any way you can, whether you’re a parent, sibling, aunt or uncle, grandparent, godparent, etc.

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web

It’s International Dance Day! Here Are 10 Reasons to Dance More Often

Luz Media

When people think of exercising, their minds might immediately go to running, indoor spin, a HIIT boot camp, pumping iron at the gym, and more. Dancing rarely makes the top 5 when searching for top exercises, but it should! It’s not just an art form, it’s a whole-body exercise that can make you feel amazing. But dancing doesn’t just benefit your body, it also benefits your mind and even your soul. Not to mention that it’s a valid form of exercise for people of all ages that’s so fun, it doesn’t even feel like exercise.

Dancing promotes better brain health

Photo by Diego Rosa on Unsplash

Dancing isn't just a workout for your body; it's also a workout for your brain! Research shows that busting a move can actually boost your memory and keep dementia at bay. Imagine getting better at remembering where you left your keys! Wouldn’t that be great? Plus, challenging yourself to master choreographies works your brain in all the right ways, improving your planning and organizing skills. Who knew shaking your booty could make your mind sharper too? The more you know…

It can make you more flexible

Photo by Brannon Naito on Unsplash

Say goodbye to feeling stiff as a board! When you dance, you learn to move your body in ways you didn’t think possible for you. Dancing loosens up the joints and stretches the muscles, so it can improve your flexibility overall. It can also improve your mobility, which is particularly important as we get older.

Dancing melts the stress away

Photo by Michael Dam on Unsplash

Feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or grumpy? Just dance it out! It’s amazing how quickly a little dancing session or workout can give you a boost of feel-good hormones. Sometimes, that’s all you need to get through the day or just give your mind a break. Dancing can be liberating, and it can feel like hitting the reset button in your mind. Once you’re done, you’ll have a bit of a clearer head and a better disposition to tackle whatever made you stressed or grumpy in the first place.

It can help with depression

Photo by Olivia Bauso on Unsplash

The thing that makes dancing so effective as a stress management strategy also makes it helpful if you’re dealing with depression. Dancing to upbeat songs is a natural way to increase your levels of serotonin. That’s why this activity never fails to lift our spirits, whether we’re doing it alone in our rooms, with a partner, or with a group of people. Combined with therapy work and other strategies, dancing can help you manage depression and other forms of mental health conditions.

Dancing can help you reach your weight loss goals

Photo by Mike Von on Unsplash

If you’re working on shedding a few pounds and you often get bored with cardio workouts on the treadmill, dancing is a good alternative. For example, Latin dance classes may look easy, but you’ll work your entire body, and you’ll be sweating as much as you would on a stationary bike, treadmill, or stair master—if not more! Combined with good nutrition and a healthy lifestyle, your weight loss goals will be easier to achieve.

You’ll get a burst of energy

Photo by Levi Guzman on Unsplash

Sometimes, we need a little pick-me-up, but we’ve already had too much coffee. Instead of having another cup of joe, why not play your favorite songs and get moving? Regular dance sessions will not only boost your physical performance but also give your energy levels a boost. When you’re done dancing, you’ll feel ready to take on the world or, you know, to just finish your work for the day, which is also a big feat.

Dancing can improve your cardiovascular health

Photo by Luke Chesser on Unsplash

Dancing is good cardio and a form of endurance exercise, so it’s linked to improving heart health. Studies have found that dancing makes it likely to die from cardiovascular disease because it improves cardiovascular endurance. If you want to have a stronger heart, adding dancing to your daily routine is one of the habits that will help you achieve better heart health.

It will improve your coordination, balance, and strength

Photo by Drew Colins on Unsplashwoman standing on dock

When you’re dancing, you’re feeling the music, and you’re just in the zone. You don’t realize that with every twist and turn, you’re working on your coordination, balance, and strength. Dancing works your body from every angle, so all your muscle groups get involved in one way or another. Improved coordination, balance, and strength will help you in your everyday life because they’re essential for movement.

Dancing offers artistic expression

Photo by Keenan Constance on Unsplashperson hand standing on concrete road

Dance isn't just about following steps; it’s interpreting and feeling the music, it’s telling a story with your body. Whatever music genre you prefer to move to, dancing will allow you to express yourself in an entirely different way. Whether you're into urban, ballet, cumbia, ballroom, or anything in between, there's a dance style for everyone, and every style has a unique expression. We recommend you explore as many styles as possible to find the one that makes you feel the most alive.

It gives your self-esteem and confidence a boost

Photo by Matthew Hamilton on Unsplash

Because dancing is all about learning how to move your body to express yourself, it’s a great way to improve your self-esteem and confidence. Every time you master a new dance move, you will feel great about yourself and your abilities. With that comes a sense of self-assuredness and confidence in your body. That will feed and strengthen your self-esteem, and even help you overcome body image issues.

From Your Site Articles

Latina Superheroes: Few but Mighty

Luz Media

It’s National Superhero Day. Whether you’re a fan of superhero comics, movies, or TV shows, you’ve probably noticed there isn’t much Latino flavor to speak of. That’s not because Latino and Latina superheroes don’t exist, it’s simply because their stories don’t get much of the spotlight. Things are changing on that front as audiences seek more diversity in their media. To highlight that, here are 15 Latina superheroes you should know about:

Elena Rodríguez aka Yo-Yo or Slingshot

Character of Marvel

Elena Rodríguez, also known as Yo-Yo or Slingshot, is one of Marvel’s superheroes. She appeared for the first time in 2008 in the comic “The Mighty Avengers” and then she was interpreted by Natalia Cordova-Buckley in the show “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” This character is of Colombian descent and she’s kind of a reluctant hero because she’s much more interested in helping her community than the world at large. However, she has a compelling journey where she becomes one of the best S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Inspiring, especially for Latina girls!

Yolanda Montez aka Wildcat

Character of DC Comics

Yolanda Montez, also known as Wildcat, was part of DC’s attempt to diversify its lineup of superheroes in the 80s. In the comics, she’s a legacy superhero and took up the mantle of Wildcat after the death of Ted Grant. However, there was no consistent place for the character in the comics, and she was eventually killed off. Wildcat was brought back for DC’s “Stargirl,” a 2022 show where an unlikely group of young superheroes come together to defeat a villain. Montez’s character battles with Catholic guilt and gets caught between her Mexican culture and her friends’ culture; a struggle that many young Latinas in the U.S. can relate to.

Anya Sofía Corazón aka Spider-Girl

Character of Marvel

We know that with great power comes great responsibility. Of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, Anya Sofía Corazón was the first Araña and the third Spider-Girl in the Marvel comics. As Spider-Girl, she got her powers after being caught in a fight between two mystical clans called The Spider Society and the Sisterhood of the Wasp. She was fatally wounded, but a sorcerer from The Spider Society transferred some of his powers to her, which included enhanced strength, agility, and the ability to grow a blue exoskeleton to protect herself. Anya briefly appeared as Spider-Girl in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” and most recently, she had her first live-action appearance in the film “Madame Web,” played by Peruvian-American actress Isabela Merced. We hope to see more of her in future films.

Kendra Saunders aka Hawkgirl

Character of DC Comics

Kendra Saunders, also known as Hawkgirl, is another DC superhero and she comes from a line of reincarnations from the angel Shrra. Kendra is a Latina (rebooted as Afro-Latina in 2011) who gets her powers after she dies by suicide and becomes a vessel for the soul of Shiera Sanders Hall, the Golden Age Hawkgirl. When Kendra comes to, she has all of her memories but none of Sheira’s memories, only her powers. She was brought to life by Ciara Renée in “DC's Legends of Tomorrow,” and Isabela Merced will play her in James Gunn’s “Superman: Legacy.” It will be fun to see another Latina superhero on screen!

Molly Hernandez

Promotional image of Runaways (TV series)/Season Three

Molly Hernandez is a character in “Marvel’s Runaways,” and she’s a reimagined version of the comic book character Molly Hayes. This new version of the character makes Molly Latina, but her exact ethnicity is unknown because her parents died when she was young and then she was adopted. It’s important to acknowledge the lack of effort put into her Latinidad for “Marvels’ Runaways,” but there’s potential for development in future projects. Molly is played by Allegra Acosta and she has superhuman strength and durability. She’s as strong as the Hulk or Thor, and her story is very compelling because she joins the Runaways, a team of fugitive superheroes, after discovering her adoptive parents are villains. Because she doesn’t know anything about her origins, the theme of connecting with her Latina culture and navigating her duality is a big part of her character arc.

Marisol Ríos De La Cruz aka La Borinqueña

Character created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez

Marisol Rios De La Luz is a Latina superhero created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez. Marisol is a Columbia University undergrad student majoring in Earth and Environmental Sciences. While she takes a semester abroad at the University of Puerto Rico, she explores the caves of Puerto Rico and finds five crystals that untimely give Marisol her powers — strength, the power of flying, and control of storms. Her story is one of self-discovery as she connects with and embraces her Afro-Puerto Rican identity. As a superhero, she focuses on solving environmental issues in Puerto Rico and the people embrace her as their vigilante.

Claire Temple

Character of Marvel

Claire Temple is a character from the show “Marvel’s Daredevil” and she’s played by Rosario Dawson. She’s loosely based on Night Nurse, a character from the Marvel Comics. In the show, Claire Temple is a former night shift nurse of Cuban descent. She provides medical assistance not only to Daredevil but also to Jessica Jones and Luke Cage, other characters who also defend and protect the city. She doesn’t only provide medical attention, she’s also the moral backbone of the group, helping characters be better. She’s a kind of quiet hero and she represents all those people who work late hours to make sure we get help when we need it most.

Renee Montoya aka The Question

Character of DC Comics

Back to the DC Universe, we have Renee Montoya, one of the most interesting Latin superheroes in recent years. Her journey began on “Batman: The Animated Series” and she became so popular that she was introduced to the Batman comics as well. She’s a great detective, but there’s a dark side to her due to her destructive behavior. Following the death of a work partner, she seeks spirituality with The Question, a mystical entity. When The Question dies, he leaves the costume and name to Montoya. She provides representation for queer Latinas and is quite a complicated character in her ambiguity.

Jalisco

Character of Latinasuperheroes

Jalisco is one of the more creative Latina superheroes on the list because she’s a crime-fighting folklorico dancer on a mission to save her mom from the violent femicide happening in Mexico. Created by Chicana writer and Director Kayden Phoenix, Jalisco is a graphic novel that follows a young girl as she’s taken under the wings of a band of Adelitas, who prepare her to fight against Malinche, the fictional character behind the femicide. Phoenix has created an entire universe of Latina superheroes, the first of its kind, where each Latina superhero fights for a specific social justice cause. They also band together and create the “A La Brava” team. Kudos to Phoenix for bringing much-needed diversity to the space of graphic novel superheroes!

Jessica Cruz aka Green Lantern

Character of DC Comics

Jessica Cruz is half Mexican-American and half Honduran-American, and she’s one of the sworn protectors of the Earth. She's the first female representative of the Green Lantern Corps on Earth, which is pretty cool. Jessica’s story is quite compelling because she deals with intense PTSD due to a traumatic incident in her past and her character arc is all about overcoming that fear so she can do good for other people. It’s a very inspiring story in DC comics, and we hope it gets an adaptation someday.

Maya Lopez aka Echo

Character of Marvel

Maya Lopez, also known as Echo, from the Marvel Universe. She’s one of the few deaf characters and her powers are pretty cool because she can mimic any physical action, hence her name. She’s a highly adaptable character, so she can take on powerful enemies by adopting their fighting style. Her mother is Latina while her father is Cheyenne, representing Latino and Indigenous communities, as well as the deaf community. Echo will have her own series on Disney+ later this year, so keep an eye out for that.

Supergirl

Character of DC Comics

Supergirl is a DC superhero and she was introduced to the universe in 1959. Supergirl is not Latina, but one of her precursors was. In the comic Superboy #5, Superboy meets Queen Lucy, a monarch from Borgonia, a fictional South American country. She flees to Smallville to escape the control of Count Norvello. There, Superboy befriends her and one day she helps him handle some crooks, prompting people to believe there’s a Supergirl. The story takes off in the newspapers, so Superboy uses his powers to make her seem superhuman. Eventually, she goes back to Borgonia to reclaim her throne. Most recently, Supergirl was portrayed by Colombian-American actress Sasha Calle in the film “The Flash,” a refreshing break from the white blonde women who usually bring the character to life in adaptations.

America Chavez aka Miss America

Character of Marvel

Miss America, Marvel’s lesbian Latina superhero, first appeared in 2011 in a limited series titled "Vengeance." Born in a Utopian Parallel outside of time and reality, Chavez was raised by two superpowered mothers. By absorbing the energy of a being called the Demiurge, Chavez can travel in time and to different dimensions, fly, and enjoy super speed and strength. After her mothers were killed protecting Utopia from destruction, America ran away to Earth, where she was adopted by a Puerto Rican family in the Bronx. Miss America is one of the most powerful female superheroes in the Marvel Universe and she provides representation for queer Latin Americans. She was brought to life for the first time by Mexican-American actress Xochitl Gomez in the film “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” and we can’t wait to see more of her.

Lúz La Luminosa

Character created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez

Lúz La Luminosa is a Chinese-Dominican superhero, and she’s La Borinqueña’s best friend. Also created by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, this character goes on solo adventures and has the power of bioluminescent energy, which allows her to create force fields. Lúz also has endometriosis, a condition that affects 1 in 10 women and is characterized by symptoms like pelvic pain, painful periods, pain during sex, and even infertility. We see Lúz managing her condition as she goes about her life and patrols the streets to protect people, making her a symbol of resilience and female empowerment. Her endometriosis is a big part of her identity, providing much-needed representation and visibility for a condition that’s often misunderstood and overlooked.

Bonita Juarez aka Firebird

Character of Marvel

Last but not least, we have Bonita Juarez, also known as Firebird. She’s one of the most notable Latina superheroes in the Marvel Universe and one of the most prominent Latina characters in the comics. Bonita is a social worker and a devoted Catholic who comes into contact with a radioactive meteorite while walking the deserts of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She survived the encounter, but the radiation altered her DNA, giving her the ability to fly and the power to generate heat and flames. Believing her powers were a gift from God, she named herself Firebird and dedicated her life to protecting people in the Southwest.

From Your Site Articles

Related Articles Around the Web