money

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

Latina Textile Worker at Sewing Workshop

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.

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politics

Bop the Bigot: Can a Video Game Turn Out Voters?

bop the bigot video game logo

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.

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mental health

Are They Jerks or Narcissists? There's a Disturbing Difference

a woman giving the side eye to a man

Have you ever met someone who seems overly confident, self-centered, or even downright rude? Maybe they constantly talk about themselves, disregard your feelings, or even manipulate situations to their advantage. And, if you're anything like us and countless other Latinas, you might've thought, is this person just a purebred a**hole, or are they a narcissist?

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impact

Nathalie Molina Niño on Why Latinas Belong in Boardrooms—and How to Get There

woman surrounded by colorful illustrations
Image by Sayuri Jimenez.

Nathalie Molina Niño has never been one to shy away from breaking barriers, and now, she’s focusing her attention on a new mission: demystifying corporate boardrooms for women, especially Latinas. Molina Niño is the President of Known, an asset management and financial services firm, a veteran tech entrepreneur and builder capitalist, and a board member at the iconic lingerie Brand, Hanky Panky, and others.

Like many corporate boards, Hanky Panky hadn’t publicly disclosed its board composition until recently. After the brand survived the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Molina Niño decided it was time for more women, specifically more Latinas, to know what it means to be on corporate boards.

Coincidentally, the decision to finally be more vocal about this topic aligned with the start of Hispanic Heritage Month, which served as the perfect kick-off to the work.

"Something that rarely gets talked about and I think almost gets kept opaque by design is boards,” she explains in a recent Instagram announcement. “[This Latinx Heritage Month], that’s what I’ll be talking about.” Her goal? To equip more Latinas with the knowledge they need to navigate onto for-profit boards, where they can thrive and build multi-generational wealth.

For-profit corporate boards often feel like an exclusive club. And in many ways, they are, especially for Latinas, who hold the smallest percentage of board seats in Fortune 500 companies compared to other racial groups. According to the latest report from Latino Board Monitor, while Latinos hold 4.1% of these board seats (compared to 82.5% held by white people), only 1% go to Latinas. Molina Niño, a first-generation American of Ecuadorian and Colombian descent, is part of this boardroom minority.

When asked about her experience as a Latina board member during a recent Zoom interview, she said, “It’s been lonely. There’s not a lot of Latinas on boards.” She went on to explain that even serving on boards of Latina-founded businesses gets lonely because, “A lot of the times, people who serve on their boards represent their investors and, as a result, [...] you still don’t see a lot of Latinas on those boards.”

This lack of representation drives Molina Niño’s determination to increase Latina presence in corporate boardrooms. By sharing her insights, she hopes to give Latinas a roadmap to claim their seats at the table. “If you don’t know where to go, it’s impossible to figure out how to get there,” she says.

The Road to the Boardroom

Getting onto a for-profit corporate board isn’t an overnight achievement, but it’s not an unattainable dream either. People often think you need to be a CEO or have a certain type of background, but that’s one of the biggest myths about boards in Molina Niño’s experience. What they’re really looking for is expertise — whether that’s in finance, marketing, sustainability, or even technology. If you have that expertise, you’re already an asset. It’s simply a matter of which road you should take.

Understanding what boards are and how they operate is key to unlocking opportunities. For-profit boards serve as the governing body for companies, overseeing direction and financial stability, and guiding CEOs and executives in decision-making. But Molina Niño emphasizes that not all for-profit boards are created equal.

“There are two kinds [of for-profit boards] [...]. There’s the publicly traded business board and then, on the privately held side, there are, I would argue, two types of boards [...] the traditional business board and the venture-backed business board,” explains Molina Niño. Traditional businesses are often family-owned or long-established and may only form boards to meet requirements, like securing financing or transitioning through an ESOP. Venture-backed boards, on the other hand, are typically filled by investors who hold major stakes in the company.

According to Molina Niño, understanding the difference between them is how you can create a successful strategy. With publicly traded business boards, the whole world is privy to them, so, “The way that you get in there is a little bit more transparent. Sometimes those publicly traded companies will hire a recruiter to help them find new board members,” explains Molina Niño. For private companies, on the other hand, there’s no legal requirement to make announcements. As a result, most people don’t know anything about them or their inner workings.

“Usually what happens in traditional businesses that don’t have venture-capital investments is that the Founders, Executives, or the board members, if one existed already, they usually go to their friends,” and people they deem experienced to fill board seats. In other words, it’s the founder’s decision, and that’s an entirely different approach than hiring recruiters. When it comes to venture-backed business boards, the seats on the board are filled by whichever investor writes the biggest check.

This is why an understanding of the different types of boards and acknowledgment of their own strengths is what will help Latinas define a sound strategy. Whether that’s working with a recruiter, networking and connecting with founders to build trust, or making the biggest investment.

The Path for Latinas

For Molina Niño, the key to getting more Latinas into corporate boardrooms is education. Knowing what a board looks like and how it functions is how you can position yourself to get on it. In openly talking about this, without the mystique it’s usually shrouded in, Molina Niño is providing women, especially Latinas, with invaluable insights. “If we had Latinas understanding what are the three types of for-profit boards I think that, on their own, they would be able to figure out what their best chance is and adjust their careers to make themselves more competitive,” states Molina Niño.

When asked about the impact of increased Latina representation in boardrooms, Molina Niño flips the narrative. “Boards don’t help Latinas by offering them seats; Latinas help businesses thrive by being on their boards,” she says. “The whole point of sitting on a board is that you have experience and expertise, and as Latinas, you also have some cultural experience that everyone wants. [...] At the end of the day, we [Latinas] have to realize that we have a ton to offer and we have to be selective about where we put that expertise,” she explains.

As demand for access to the Latina consumer rises, Molina Niño predicts that more Latinas will find themselves recruited into boardrooms. But she’s not content to sit back and wait for that moment. By openly sharing her journey and insights, she’s making sure other Latinas know their worth and have the tools to claim their place at the table. “I realized that quietly being on boards that helped me personally is not helping other Latinas. [...] I was lucky enough to have friends who could advise me and share their experiences, so that’s why I’m doing this,” she stated.

With Hispanic Heritage Month as the backdrop, Nathalie Molina Niño’s mission is clear: “My goal is just to give Latinas enough information so they can make a plan for how to eventually get on a board that they’re paid to be on and that will eventually help them build generational wealth.”

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