Real-Life Super Heroines: Latinas Overlooked by Historians

collage design with portraits of incredible Latin American women

In a world abundant with challenges, particularly for the Latino community, these women, burdened with representing millions of voices, but taking on the challenge as best they could, stand out as genuine heroines. They don’t have capes or supernatural powers, but they stand out with their steadfast courage, unwavering dedication, and the remarkable ability to shape the course of history.



Mainstream historians regularly exclude Latina contributions to the development of the United States and its culture. If they won’t tell their stories, the rest of us will because these vibrant and powerful narratives of these extraordinary women deserve to be known and most importantly, learned from.

Helen Rodríguez Trías

Portrait of Helen Rodr\u00edguez Tr\u00edas

Courtesy of the Rodriguez-Trias family

A medical doctor and activist born in New York. Rodriguez Trías carved a legacy through tireless advocacy for the health and reproductive rights of women and marginalized communities.

As the first Latina to preside over the American Public Health Association, her influence transcended the boundaries of conventional medicine.

Rodríguez Trías co-founded pivotal organizations such as the Abortion Rights Committee, the Women's Caucus of the American Public Health Association, and the Committee to End Sterilization Abuse. Her pivotal contributions were evident in the drafting of federal sterilization guidelines, where she played a crucial role in ensuring informed consent was presented in a language accessible to women, coupled with the introduction of a waiting period between consent and the procedure.

Dolores Huerta

Portrait of Dolores Huerta

One of the most well-known workers’ rights advocates, Huerta, a union leader and civil rights advocate born in New Mexico, stands out with her unwavering commitment to labor justice and her inspiring leadership in the struggle for equality for farm workers.

As a co-founder of the United Farm Workers (UFW), she served as a beacon of hope for farm workers and members of marginalized communities. Huerta boldly confronted labor injustice in the fields, spearheading strikes and movements aimed at achieving fair working conditions and farmer rights.

Her motto "Sí, se puede" resounded with those who yearned for change, and became an emblem of unity and empowerment. The motto, often attributed to labor rights leader Cesar Chavez or the UFW in general, was coined by Huerta during Chavez’s 1972 25-day fast in Phoenix, Arizona, which was then famously borrowed by then-presidential candidate Barack Obama in his campaign slogan, Yes We Can.

In addition to her work with the union, Huerta has fought tirelessly for civil and social rights equality. Her unwavering advocacy led to significant progress, such as equitable practices in the agricultural industry.

Ana Mendieta

Portrait of Ana Mendieta

© THE ESTATE OF ANA MENDIETA COLLECTION

Born in Havana, Cuba, a conceptual artist was not only known for her exceptional artistic skills but also for her strong dedication to exploring themes of identity, land, and femininity through her work.

After moving to the United States, she became a significant figure in contemporary art, particularly in representing the Latina experience. Her art was unconventional and dealt with fundamental themes, ranging from the relationship between the body and nature to reflecting on her Cuban heritage.

Mendieta played a significant role in the conceptual and performance art movement, which was mostly dominated by men. She was one of the few women who gained prominence in this field.

Ellen Ochoa

Portrait of Ellen Ochoa

© NASA Johnson

Ochoa is a renowned astronaut and engineer, born in California, who has made notable contributions to the history of space exploration.

She joined NASA in 1988 and quickly made a name for herself, earning the distinction of being the first Latina to reach space in 1993 aboard the space shuttle Discovery.

Dr. Ochoa's contributions to optical systems for information processing were significant due to her degrees in physics and electrical engineering.

She received NASA's most prestigious awards, the Distinguished Service Medal and the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award. Her legacy resonates as a powerful testament to the strength and resilience of women in breaking barriers and forging paths in traditionally male-dominated fields.

Sylvia Rivera

Portrait of Sylvia Rivera

© Valérie Shaff

Born in New York, Rivera was an activist and advocate for transgender rights and dedicated her life to the fight for equality and visibility for transgender communities.

She co-founded the Gay Liberation Front and the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) and played a crucial role in the fight for transgender rights.

Rivera was a strong advocate for the recognition and respect of transgender voices, challenging discrimination, and fighting for equal rights in the LGBTQ+ community. She actively participated in the Stonewall Uprising, going on record to tell the story of her role in the protest. Though she didn’t throw the initial Molotov cocktail, she “threw the second one.”

In the six days of protests, Rivera never went home, staying behind and advocating for trans rights, making sure that the “T” in LGBT wasn’t forgotten.


These Latina women, each a superhero in her own right, have left an indelible mark on the world, proving that courage and dedication can transcend barriers and shape a more equitable and just future for us all. Celebrating their stories reminds us that the true power of heroism lies not in capes or supernatural abilities but in the relentless pursuit of justice, equality, and positive change.

hands holding up yellow protest signs that say Hands Off Our Bodies
Photo Credit: Gayatri Malhotra via Unsplash

Originally published in Common Dreams. Reprinted with permission.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

In November, abortion rights measures will appear on ballots across ten states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, and New York, where Latinos make up a significant portion of the electorate. For decades, pundits and politicians have recycled long-held misconceptions about Latino voters and abortion access, citing our conservative and religious beliefs.

Anti-abortion extremists have long fueled these misconceptions through misinformation and disinformation campaigns targeting Latino communities with egregious lies and inflammatory rhetoric about abortion. Yet, polling, focus groups, and direct interactions with Latino communities have debunked these outdated tropes.

The Latino electorate will prove decisive in securing reproductive freedom and abortion access through ballot measures around the country, particularly in states where Latinos are a significant portion of the electorate.

For Latinos, the freedom to decide, a pillar of our American democracy, is critical. Meanwhile, Latinos are being hit directly with anti-abortion efforts that take away that freedom such as the six-week abortion ban put into effect by the Florida Supreme Court and the 1864 abortion ban upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, people of color and Latinas have felt the impact of a lack of abortion access, an element of basic healthcare.

A 2023 report by the National Partnership for Women and Families estimated that nearly 6.5 million Latinas, or 42% of all Latinas of reproductive age in the country, live in a state that either had or was likely to ban abortion. Ironically, it will be abortion access and anti-choice efforts to restrict freedom of choice that will mobilize Latino voters this election.

In a poll conducted by three national reproductive justice organizations, 87% of Latinas named abortion and women’s rights as one of their top priorities as they head to the polls. Another battleground poll conducted by Somos PAC and BSP Research found that 61% of Latino registered voters expressed a more positive/favorable view of Kamala Harris after hearing that she will protect abortion rights, versus only 19% of Latinos who said they had a more negative view of Harris after hearing that.

In key states to secure the White House and both chambers, Latinos make up large chunks of the electorate: Arizona (25%), Colorado (15%), Florida (20%), Nevada (20%), and New York (12%). In the face of unprecedented attacks on basic healthcare access and targeted attempts by extremists to mislead and divide our community on this issue, this November Latinos will be key deciders on abortion access across the country.

Mari Urbina, Managing Director of Indivisible, Battleground Arizona Lead and former Harry Reid advisor.

Héctor Sánchez Barba is president and CEO of Mi Familia Vota (MFV).

This Viral Video Game Is Changing the Face of Voter Outreach

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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