5 Trailblazing Latinas Who Paved the Way

Graphic design highlighting 5 Latina activists

Our Fourth Installment of the “Latinas Who Lead” Series

Luz Media

Our summer series “Latinas Who Lead” highlights the myriad of ways in which Latinas have defied expectations, shattered glass ceilings, and paved the way for future generations. Through their hard work, passion for making a difference, and incredible achievements across fields, they’ve opened important doors and provided empowering representation for Latinas in the U.S. and beyond. In this new installment, we celebrate the journeys of 5 trailblazing Latinas who aren’t often in the spotlight but should be.


Katherine Archuleta

Portrait of Katherine Archuleta

Photo by Katherine Archuleta on LinkedIn

Photo by Katherine Archuleta on LinkedIn

Katherine Archuleta's entire career has been dedicated to public service, and her deep commitment to others is an inspiration for Latinas and anyone, really, who wants to work in politics to make a difference. Beginning as an elementary school teacher in Denver, Archuleta quickly transitioned to influential roles in local government, serving under Denver Mayors Federico Peña and John Hickenlooper. Her journey in public administration reached new heights when she served as Deputy Chief of Staff and later Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Transportation and as Senior Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy during the Clinton Administration.

Archuleta's groundbreaking appointment by President Barack Obama in 2013 as the first Latina to lead the U.S. Office of Personnel Management was a significant milestone in her career. In this role, she oversaw the recruitment, hiring, and development of federal workers, impacting the lives of thousands across the nation.

Archuleta is also the co-founder of the Colorado Latina Initiative, and she has been instrumental in implementing voter engagement programs that have empowered Latina and marginalized voters. Her work has been recognized nationally and locally, including her induction into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 2020. Today, she continues to serve on various boards, including the Denver Urban Renewal Authority, Conservation Colorado, and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains. Her dedication to public service is an inspiration to future generations of Latinas looking to pursue impactful careers in public policy.

Rosie Castro

Portrait of Rosie Castro

Photo by UnidosUS on Facebook

Photo by UnidosUS on Facebook

Maria del Rosario "Rosie" Castro’s life is also a dedication to public service and activism. Raised in a San Antonio “barrio,” Castro was deeply influenced by the racial and economic disparities she witnessed growing up. Her passion for social justice led her to Our Lady of the Lake University, where she began her journey in activism with the Young Democrats. Castro's career as a civil rights activist and educator is marked by her involvement in several prominent organizations, including the Mexican American Youth Organization and the Raza Unida Party.

Her dedication to improving her community saw her run for San Antonio City Council in 1971, a campaign that laid the groundwork for future Latina political leaders. In 2023, at the age of 75 and 52 years after she first ran, Castro was appointed as the interim councilperson for San Antonio's District 7. Her appointment is a testament to her commitment to civil rights and activism, which has also influenced her sons Julian and Joaquin Castro, who both pursued careers in politics.

Julian is a lawyer who served as mayor of San Antonio from 2008 until 2014, when he joined Obama’s cabinet. Julian later ran for President in the 202o election cycle, where now President Joe Biden ultimately prevailed in the crowded primary field. Joaquin, Julian’s twin brother, is a Congressman in Texas's 20th district and serves on the United States House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the United States House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.

Castro’s activism and grit haven’t only influenced her sons, but have also inspired countless others in her community. To this day, her work emphasizes the importance of representation and the power of community engagement.

María Elena Salinas

Portrait of Mar\u00eda Elena Salinas

Photo by CPJ Photos on Flickr

Photo by CPJ Photos on Flickr

María Elena Salinas is a trailblazer in journalism. She built a successful career based on her commitment to delivering trustworthy news that resonates with the Latino community. Born to Mexican immigrants in Los Angeles, Salinas' career began at KMEX-TV, the Univision affiliate in Los Angeles, in 1981. She quickly rose through the ranks, becoming the co-anchor of Noticiero Univision and co-host of “Aquí y Ahora.”

Throughout her career, María Elena has interviewed countless influential figures, including Latin American heads of state and U.S. presidents. Her work has earned her the title "Voice of Hispanic America," which reflects her impact on journalism. But her impact doesn’t stop at her work product. Salinas was also a stark departure from the scantily clad, usually white women scattered throughout the network. For young bilingual women growing up with Univision, Salinas was a vivid reminder that women were capable of more than just being paraded around for the male gaze.

Salinas’ departure from Univision in 2017 marked the end of an era, but she continues to make her mark on journalism as a contributor for CBS News and ABC News. Her dedication to journalism and her community also translates into her philanthropic efforts, including her involvement with the National Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. Salinas continues to break barriers in the male-dominated, white-dominated space of journalism, offering an example of journalism integrity and paving the way for future generations of Latina journalists.

Linda Chavez-Thompson

Portrait of Linda Chavez-Thompson

Photo by Linda Chavez-Thompson on Facebook

Linda Chavez-Thompson’s journey from a labor organizer to a national labor leader is nothing short of remarkable. Born to a Mexican-American family in Lubbock, Texas, Chavez-Thompson began her career as a secretary at the Construction Laborer's Local 1253. Her passion for labor rights quickly allowed her to reach leadership roles within the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME).

In 1995, Linda made history as the first person of color elected to one of the top three positions in the AFL-CIO, serving as Executive Vice President until 2007. Her leadership and advocacy for workers' rights have had a profound impact on the labor movement, particularly for Latino and female workers. Chavez-Thompson’s influence extends beyond her union work; she has also served as vice chair of the Democratic National Committee and on the board of the United Way of America.

Her candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 2010 is just another example of her dedication to public service. Linda Chavez-Thompson’s entire career was dedicated to improving the lives of workers and advocating for equal opportunities. Within the labor rights space, she’s a Latina figure who truly stands out as inspiring and impactful. At 79 years old, she continues to contribute to the labor rights movement as a thought leader and trailblazer. Her latest appearance was at the Texas AFL-CIO Women’s Summit 2024.

Maria Contreras-Sweet

Portrait of Maria Contreras-Sweet

Photo by The SBA on Wikimedia Commons

Photo by The SBA on Wikimedia Commons

Maria Contreras-Sweet is another trailblazing Latina leader who has made her mark in both public service and business. Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Contreras-Sweet immigrated to Los Angeles, California, at a young age, and that’s where she would carve out a career based on advocacy and innovation. With a bachelor's degree from California State University, Contreras-Sweet went into public service, entrepreneurship, and corporate leadership.

She founded the ProAmérica Bank in 2006 to empower small to medium businesses, nonprofit organizations, and professional services firms, particularly within the Latino community. ProAmérica Bank was acquired by Pacific Commerce in 2015. Contreras-Sweet also ventured into private equity with Rockway Equity Partners, focusing on technology, manufacturing, and infrastructure investments.

Contreras-Sweet’s impact reached new heights when she was appointed by President Barack Obama as the 24th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) from 2014 to 2017. In this role, she facilitated access to capital, technical assistance, and federal contracts. Her tenure was marked by groundbreaking initiatives that modernized the SBA and expanded its global market reach, resulting in record-breaking achievements in lending and contracting support for small businesses.

Before her federal appointment, Contreras-Sweet held pivotal positions in California state government, notably serving as Secretary of the Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency under Governor Gray Davis. Beyond her corporate and governmental roles, Contreras-Sweet is the founding director of The California Endowment and Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE).

These five remarkable women have excelled in their fields and paved the way for future generations of Latinas who want to follow in their footsteps or choose any path of their own. Trailblazing women are often forgotten in the footnotes of history, but by keeping their work alive, we remind others how far we’ve come and also how much further we can go.

Stay tuned for the next installment of our “Latinas Who Lead” series, where we continue to celebrate the incredible achievements of Latina women of incredible power and impact.


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.