As Latinas in the United States, we have the great privilege of living in a country where freedom and opportunity make it possible to thrive. But with that privilege comes a responsibility to carry forward our shared legacy and protect America’s founding principles of freedom. As we prepare to celebrate 250 years of American independence in 2026, this truth feels even more urgent.
More than 63 million Latinos now call the United States home. By mid-century, Latinos are projected to make up almost one-third of the U.S. workforce. Latinas, specifically, are now the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States, outpacing their non-Hispanic counterparts. This growth makes celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month more than symbolic. It is a reminder that the American promise of freedom, dignity, and opportunity must continue to be preserved and expanded so the next generation of Latinas can dream bigger, build stronger, and serve proudly.
Latinas have been present since the earliest chapters of our national story. In the 19th century, women across the Southwest sustained families and communities through immense change, managing ranches, farms, and households, and playing key roles in maintaining community life and cultural traditions as the U.S. expanded.
In modern times, Latinas have broken barriers in politics, business, education, and the arts. From the election of the first Latina in Congress to a historic seat on the U.S. Supreme Court or pioneering space flight, Latinas have helped redefine what American leadership looks like.
But most contributions happen quietly every day in classrooms, clinics, small businesses, and homes. To keep advancing the American Dream, we need policies that work for everyone.
For many families, education is the bridge to opportunity. This is why education choice is so vital. Surveys show Hispanic parents overwhelmingly support it. We must also defend Title IX and women’s spaces, protections that opened doors for generations of women, including Latinas, in sports and education. Preserving fairness in women’s sports and safeguarding privacy in women’s facilities ensures that the next generation of Latina students can pursue their dreams safely on a level playing field.
Economic freedom matters too. Latinas are natural entrepreneurs, but we face barriers when outdated policies restrict flexibility and growth in the workplace. Protecting the right to independent work—whether freelancing, contracting, or gig work—empowers women to balance careers with family responsibilities. Latinas often carry professional ambitions alongside caregiving responsibilities, constituting 12.6 pecent of all caregivers in the U.S., and independent work allows them to pursue both.
Latinas are keenly aware of the urgent need for affordable, accessible in-home care. Yet outdated federal regulations—specifically the 2013 Home Care Rule—have made it more difficult and expensive for seniors to get the care they need at home. The Trump administration’s Department of Labor proposed reforms to ease these burdens, but more must be done to ensure families can care for aging parents with dignity.
These are not “Latina issues.” They are American issues; shared challenges that call for shared solutions. When we defend parental choice, fairness for women, flexible work, and affordable care, we strengthen the foundations of freedom that benefit everyone.
As voters and civic leaders, Latinas are a growing force. They often guide household decisions, shape community outcomes, and their voices are increasingly decisive in elections. Listening to Latinas is not about spotlighting one group; it is about understanding America itself.
Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the contributions of Latinas past and present, but it must also remind us that this story is still unfolding. The legacy of Latinas has never been about standing apart; it has always been about standing together, shoulder to shoulder, with our fellow Americans, because when Latinas succeed, America succeeds.
