There is much to celebrate in March, which is Women’s History Month, especially for Latina women in the United States in this election year.
Because if civic participation among the Latino community were a competition, there is no doubt who the winners would be.
Latina women would beat men, hand on hip.
There are consistently more Latina voters than men, they have higher percentages of voter registration and higher levels of voting, especially in the important 18 to 24 year old segment.
Simply put: Latina women are the engine of growth and electoral influence of the Latino community in the United States.
The figures confirm it. Right now we have 19 Latinas in the House of Representatives, some in the Senate, Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto of Nevada and the governor of New Mexico, Michelle Luján Grisham.
It hasn’t been an easy road since Gloria Molina became the first Latina in the California state legislature in 1982 or since Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was elected the first Latina to Congress in 1989.
We must not forget that it was not until 1975 when Congress approved the extension of the Voting Rights Act, to require linguistic assistance at voting centers, so that Latina, Asian and Native American women could effectively exercise their political rights.
But a paradox remains: Latinas continue to be underrepresented in the US female vote, especially compared to the voting levels of non-Latina white women.
“A significant investment in outreach and critical voter mobilization is required to realize the full potential that both Latinas and Latinos have to influence the American political landscape and, therefore, the policy outcomes that impact their lives and communities”, maintains a study by UnidosUS.
The good news is that many organizations are dedicated to mobilizing Latino voters in general, but especially Latina women.
For example, the organization Poder LatinX maintains the “Poderosas” scholarship, as part of its community empowerment programs, to provide leadership development and inspire Latinas in key electoral states, and use civic participation tools to increase voter participation in their communities
At La Red Hispana we launched the “Votamos” campaign to motivate Latinas and Latinos to register to vote and actively participate in the elections, as well as to educate the community about the importance of voting and how to exercise their right effectively.
Voting is the most powerful tool to drive change and promote equality and equity.
By participating in the electoral process—as voters or as candidates for elected office—Latinos can influence public policies that directly impact our lives, such as health, the economy, education, immigration and social justice.
Every vote counts and every voice matters. And Latina women are leading the way with their dignified example as workers, mothers and full citizens.
