Centering the voices and lived experiences of Latinas

Amy Urzua
Santa Cruz, CA

What does Latina Action Day 2026 represent? It represents the millions of Latina women who are paving the way for younger generations. It’s a declaration of “We are here and we will be heard”. The conference was a multigenerational event, where we looked not only into the past but also to the future and what is to come. We will not be middle management.  Instead, we will be leaders in not only our communities, but in the fields we decide to specialize in. Knowing that Latinas get paid 55 - 42 cents on the dollar that white men make (CCSWG n.d.), it is time we got paid our fair dues.

In a time where there is uncertainty about where we stand as a community in this nation, we continue to choose to push forward in hopes that the next generation does not need to be the first. To be able to see ourselves in positions of leadership and to know that we are powerhouses wherever and in whatever we decide to pursue. Getting to see congresswomen, educators, PhD recipients, etc., is an incredible message that the younger generation rarely gets to hear. Many Latina women are often left behind due to lower socioeconomic status, immigration status, geographic isolation, language barriers, and lower education levels (Sampson, McClain, et al., 2017). Still, we continue to push past these barriers and are on the rise of being bachelor degree holders (UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute 2024).

Latina Action Day is a powerful conference in which we not only see the growth of fellow Latina women, but as a declaration about how we will never quit, for both ourselves and anyone who looks like us. It’s a conference that tells us we belong, and our demands about not being left behind in both education and politics; it also reminds us that hating on a certain thing is not the answer but rather holding each other and government officials accountable. In order for there to be a better future, Latinas will not be left behind, whether it be in education or management.

During the event, we also lobbied about bills, AB 1871, AB 2161, SB 1237, SEED 4.0, these are important to the community, because if one member of our community is left behind that means all of us are. We cannot truly be liberated until we are all equal. To create a better future for all migrants, it needs to start here, and we are all capable of becoming amazing leaders. Many Latinas possess great leadership characteristics but they need someone to believe in them and to see someone like them on that stage. 

Latinas will never give up, it is in our blood to hustle, we will be there and we will be heard.
​¡Nunca se rindan! Never give up!
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1. Latina Equal Pay Day | CCSWG. women.ca.gov/latina-equal-pay-day/
2. ​Sampson, McClain, et al. “Latina Immigrants’ Cultural Beliefs about Postpartum Depression.” Affilia, vol. 33, no. 2, 28 Nov. 2017, pp. 208–220, https://doi.org/10.1177/0886109917738745
3. “UCLA LPPI Data Brief Examines Latina Education Attainment in the U.S.” Latino Policy & Politics Institute, 29 Feb. 2024, latino.ucla.edu/press/ucla-lppi-data-brief-examines-latina-education-attainment-in-the-u-s/.