Latina Success Is American Success: Inside the Game-Changing LDC Initiative

The Latino Donor Collaborative launched the LDC Latina Initiative in New York City on November 19th, 2024. The history-making initiative aims to empower Latinas through cutting-edge reports, impactful events, and transformative programs. It also serves to uplift Latina voices and pave the way for a new era of leadership and innovation. The initiative comes at a crucial time, as recent economic data highlights the immense and growing impact of Latinas on the U.S. economy and culture.

The Economic Powerhouse of Latinas

The Latina GDP 2024 Report reveals a staggering economic contribution by Latinas, with their GDP reaching $1.3 trillion in 2021. To put this into perspective, if U.S. Latinas were their own country, their economic output would surpass that of major economies like Italy or Canada. This figure is part of the broader U.S. Latino GDP, which the 2023 LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report values at $3.2 trillion, ranking it as the fifth largest GDP in the world if it were an independent nation.

The growth rate of the Latina GDP is particularly impressive, expanding by 51.1% from 2010 to 2021, more than doubling the growth rate of the non-Hispanic GDP. This rapid expansion demonstrates that Latinas aren’t just participating in the economy; they are actively driving its growth and resilience.

Some highlights of the ways Latinas continue to make significant strides in the labor market and education include:

- The workforce participation rate for Latinas stands at 60.5%, surpassing that of non-Hispanic women.

- Latinas account for 30.2% of the total labor force growth since 2010.

- The number of Latinas with bachelor's degrees increased by 103% from 2010 to 2021, three times the growth rate of non-Hispanic women.

- Latinos (representing 19% of the U.S. population) were responsible for 39% of GDP growth in the U.S. during 2020 and 2021.

These achievements are particularly noteworthy given the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Need for the LDC Latina Initiative

Despite these impressive achievements, challenges remain. The persistent wage gap and underrepresentation in leadership roles indicate that there's still work to be done to ensure equal opportunities for Latinas. This is where the LDC Latina Initiative becomes crucial.

The initiative aims to address several key areas:

• Addressing Gender Disparities: By focusing on the unique challenges Latinas face in the workplace and entrepreneurship, the initiative can help break down barriers to success.
• Empowering Future Leaders: Nurturing the next generation of Latina leaders in business, politics, and other fields will further enhance the community's impact on the U.S. economy and society.
• Leveraging Untapped Potential: Empowering Latinas can unlock additional economic potential within the already thriving Latino community, potentially accelerating overall economic growth.
• Promoting Diversity and Inclusion: Supporting Latinas contributes to broader efforts of diversity and inclusion in the workplace and society at large.

The Broader Impact on U.S. Prosperity

Supporting Latinas through initiatives like the LDC Latina Initiative isn’t just beneficial for Latinas themselves but is crucial for the overall prosperity of the United States. As Sonia M. Pérez, Chief Operating Officer at UnidosUS, stated in an interview with Harvard Advanced Leadership Initiative, "Latinos are significant contributors to our country’s history, are integral to strengthening our democracy, and it is crucial to make sure that Latinos have a voice.”

The economic data presented in both the Latina GDP 2024 Report and the 2023 LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report underscores this point. With Latinas driving a significant portion of U.S. economic growth, initiatives that support and empower this community are investments in the nation's economic future.

As the data clearly shows, Latina success is American success.

Sol Trujillo, co-founder and chairman of the Latino Donor Collaborative, emphasizes the importance of Latino contributions in the 2023 LDC U.S. Latino GDP Report: "Essentially, in many regions of the U.S., a Latino worker is more often than not filling a new job vacancy. At a time when our nation is experiencing tight labor markets and employment gaps, Latinos have provided the human capital needed to keep the economy running".

By extension, initiatives supporting Latinas are providing the support needed to keep this vital economic engine not just running, but accelerating into the future. The LDC Latina Initiative isn’t just about addressing disparities; it's about unleashing the full potential of a demographic that is already driving significant economic growth.

Ana Valdez, President and CEO of the Latino Donor Collaborative emphasized, “Latinas are transforming the fabric of society—leading businesses, reshaping industries, driving innovation in media, and raising the next generation of Latino leaders [...].” As we look to the future, it's clear that empowering Latinas through initiatives like the LDC Latina Initiative isn’t just the right thing to do—it's an economic imperative. By supporting Latinas, we're investing in a stronger, more resilient, and more prosperous America for all.