The glass ceiling remains firmly in place for many Latinas in America, but steady progress and a spirit of optimism propels us upward each year. Celebrating this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month with the theme “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together” is an ideal time to recognize the strides Latinas have made while acknowledging the necessary work to shatter systemic barriers holding many back.
According to Pew Research, 22.2 million Hispanic women are currently in the U.S., accounting for 17% of the total adult female population. This represents the most significant increase of any major racial or ethnic group of women in recent years. Educationally, 23% of Hispanic women now hold a bachelor’s degree, up from just 16% a decade ago. This is undoubtedly progress, yet Hispanic women still trail behind non-Hispanic women in educational attainment. Additionally, while Hispanic women’s workforce participation has grown by four percent in the past decade, the gender pay gap among Hispanics remains stagnant. Hispanic women earned 85 cents for every dollar earned by Hispanic men in 2023.
Veronica Calderon
On one hand, these statistics showcase the tenacity and achievement of Hispanic women in the face of adversity. Yet the findings also illuminate the depth of the remaining challenges. Latinas are pushing forward and ascending but continue facing concrete ceilings that limit their ascent.
To truly achieve equity, we must actively invest in their education and building belonging for them in the workplace. We all share the responsibility to build places and spaces for Latinas to thrive. Most importantly, we need to foster a culture that values and elevates Hispanic women’s voices and insights.
Empowerment Through Education
Education is the ticket to achieving the American dream for many immigrants and first-generation Americans. My mother abundantly instilled in me that education is the pathway to empowerment and breaking barriers. When my family moved to the U.S., from Ecuador, I knew finishing high school and obtaining a college degree would be crucial to building a bright future.
