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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.

Elena Rodríguez aka Yo-Yo or Slingshot

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.