Latinas In the Workplace

Hey babes ❤️ I hope everyone is doing great. Today’s blog is a topic that I am passionate about, Latinas in the workplace. Being a Latina myself, I believe this topic deserves more awareness because as more people become aware of this topic, we, as a society, should voice these inequalities so changes can occur. We women, in general, go through so many obstacles in the workplace like unequal pay, harassment, unconscious bias, etc. In recent studies, it has come to light that Latinas specifically; are the lowest paid segment compared to the average White man. Latina women earn only 57 cents for every dollar earned by a white, non-Hispanic man. In this blog, I will be writing about the few inequalities Latinas go through, but I will also provide tips from research and my thoughts. This blog has been way overdue, but I wanted to post today because it is International Women’s Day. I want to use my platform to educate and inform my readers about important topics which affect women daily.

In the United States, roughly about 11% of Latinos graduate college with a bachelor’s degree; about 6% are Latinas. From my experience, being a first-time generation student, college was not easy. Most of the time, I felt like I had to work twice or even three times harder than the average student because I had to figure everything out by myself. My biggest goal was to walk the stage and receive my diploma, making my family proud, which I know many Latinas can relate to that. Coming right out of college is a super tough situation because now you have to face the real world; most have loans to pay off, so they want to look for a good-paying career based on their degree. Right out of college, I started to work full-time in my family business and took the role of Vice President. I did not have to go through an interview process, but I do know that for many women, especially Latinas, it is intimidating at times. Therefore, if you are reading this and soon will graduate, here are some tips by Yuliana Salinas; in the article, “20 Things Every First-Generation Latinas College Graduate Should Know." She states as one of her tips, “Attend Networking Events in your city by creating, printing and bringing your business cards to the events. Also, dress up for success it will help you swap business cards during the event" (Salinas, 2016). I 100% agree with the quote; you should be your number one advocate; show everyone what you bring to the table despite that little voice in your head or negative thoughts. Being a Latina myself, dressing up for success is one of my favorite things; I love wearing heels and a blazer, I feel like a boss babe and my confidence is at its peak. Always be your best self and never forget your value.

Once you get the dream job you always worked for, there’s an internal voice in our head that we, as Latinas, have to prove ourselves to these big companies or work twice as hard as the average person. It’s hard to believe that we will do our best, and still not get the recognition or pay we deserve. Black Latinas get treated worse than any other Latinas because we experience more discrimination. Colorism has a significant impact in the workplace, especially for Latinas. A recent study by Caroline Fairchild states, “The system of inequality is based on the lightness or darkness of someone's skin. 73% of Latino professionals say that a person’s skin tone has an impact on their career progression, while 82% of Latino professionals with darker skin tones say they believe there is colorism in the Hispanic/Latino community." (Fairchild, 2021). It’s mind-blowing that 73% of Latinos have to worry about this; we are in the 20th century and colorism is still an issue today. We as a society have to do better; bring awareness to become an ally if you see any discrimination towards anyone. I have never experienced colorism in the workplace but as a business owner, my goal is to treat all of my coworkers equally with respect which is my way of making my community a better place. Colorism is not only an issue in the United States but all over the world.

A few weeks ago, I spoke with a journalist I admire, Cata Balzano; she moved from Miami a couple of years ago to the United Kingdom to specialize in fashion journalism. I was curious to see her point of view on this topic; she has lived in the United States and I wanted to know if there were any differences or similarities of working in the UK. She talked about that in London, it’s so difficult to get work in her field; if you are a Latina and if you are not white. They are actively and very openly colorist and racist, which is; reflected in the number of people of color and Latinas they have within the media, which are very few to none. Unfair treatment of Latinas in the workplace is a global issue; that is rarely ever talked about. Many Afro-Latinas also get underpaid because of their skin color. Many Afro-Latinas feel underrepresented and do not feel comfortable in their work environment because of discrimination. Little do these companies know they are losing at the end because so many Latinas, in general, are creative and have many incredible ideas but do not have the support to make them feel valuable enough to share them. An uncomfortable work environment only hurts the business because it increases turnover and lowers productivity. Always address mistreatment or discrimination to your human resource department. One thing I love about our generation; is that we are becoming more aware of our value. We fight for what we believe in, and we do not settle for less. I commend any women that voice their opinion, this requires a special type of strength, which is admiring.

Latinas in the workplace go through so much; at times, working gets super exhausting. I have high expectations for myself; I always want to do my best and do it all; I think many of you women can relate to me because I was raised to not depend on anyone. It frustrates me when I see studies that show Latinas get paid less than the average non-Hispanic, White male. Almost 6 out of 10 Latina workers are mothers; some Latinas cannot afford childcare because they do not make enough. Unequal pay is why Latinas have to work twice as hard; due to this, most Latinas experience burnout in the workplace. No one knows the hardships that we had to go through to get our degree or just put food on the table; so we can live our dream life. So, if you ever have the chance to negotiate your hourly pay or salary, add a few more zeros, you will be surprised at what they will accept, do not settle for less. Many Latinas do not have the privilege to quit their jobs or voice their opinions because they are afraid to lose their job. This is your reminder that God always has something better planned for you, do not let anyone humiliate you or treat you poorly. Many of our parents crossed the border for us to live the life they never had, so continue to fight for that dream that you desire and never give up.

To the Latinas that did not go to college or graduate high school; please do not feel like you are not doing enough. Success does not depend on a degree; it depends on you and your willingness to succeed. Another thing that I love about our generation is we are so creative and talented. Throughout the years, I have seen so many Latinas go after their dreams and become business owners. Starting a business is not easy; it requires a lot of consistency, hard work, and determination. I promise you all the hard work is worth it in the end. I hope that when your business grows, you hire different types of women and uplift one another by creating a friendly and safe work environment. Our job as a society is to be the change we want to see, be the boss, friend, ally; we would like to have.

There are so many obstacles that Latinas go through daily in the workplace like harassment, inequality pay, discrimination, lack of recognition, etc. Despite these barriers that we face, we continue to give it our all to one day have the life of our dreams. As a woman myself, there are days that I feel unmotivated, tired, overwhelmed, etc.; I try my best to take breaks and cater to myself by doing self-care or not doing anything at all. If you ever feel unmotivated or overwhelmed, this is a reminder to please take care of your mental health. In many Latinos households, mental health is usually never discussed. If you feel burnout from your job or life in general, take a break or seek help; there is nothing wrong with getting help professionally. Being a Latina, being a woman in general, is a blessing and empowering because we are resilient. Women are capable of anything as long we set our minds to it. Today we are celebrating International Women's Day; please try to empower and support women every day, not just today. I would also like to thank everyone who has read my blog; I am so passionate about this topic, and I am so blessed to have a platform to talk about Latinas in the workplace. I hope you enjoyed reading this blog as much as I did writing it.

Love,

LC ✨