Latinas represent an expanding pool of potential future leaders that is largely untapped by America’s largest companies. They outpace Latino men in college graduation rates, a development that is fueling their increasing workforce participation rate. And while they haven’t reached the heights of Gálvez and Sheinbaum, U.S. Latinas have also demonstrated their leadership capabilities in the U.S. public sector.
Latinas have achieved near-parity with their male counterparts in the ranks of elected state legislators in the U.S., something their non-Latina peers have not. A 2022 study by the National Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators found that 43% of all Latino elected state legislators in the U.S. were women, compared to 31% overall. This is compelling evidence that contrary to cultural stereotypes, Latinas hold positions of authority and leadership within the community.
Since most Latinas don’t work in desk-based jobs, flexibility means more than the ability to work remotely. Creative approaches are needed to identify how to give workers more control over when and how work gets done. Especially important is how shift schedules are determined, as irregularity in scheduling creates child care challenges as well as earnings uncertainty.
Three-quarters of Latino caregivers are women, and they spend more time per week providing care than non-Latinos, revealed a 2008 study by, one of the few studies of its kind. While Latinos are more likely to be in intensive caregiving situations than non-Latinos, they are less likely to consider their caregiving responsibilities stressful.