On Oct. 21, Latina Equal Pay Day will be commemorated, marking the day when Latina pay catches up to that of white, non-Hispanic males from the previous year.
According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the median wealth of a Latino household in 2019 was around $14,000, which is just 9% of the median wealth of white families, which was $160,200. It’s a chasm that can have long-term consequences for Latino families.
Organizations like #WeAllGrow Latina, the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, and Vela are striving to assist, elevate, and finance Latina workers as they battle for fair wages and opportunity across the country.
According to Patricia Mota, CEO of Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, systemic racial and gender discrimination is at the foundation of the wage disparity.
These organizations, on the other hand, are working hard to build a strong Latinx network while also providing professional development training, talent acquisition services, and grants or fellowships to entrepreneurs, enterprises, and students. They also provide mental health and self-care resources.
Since its inception, #WeAllGrow has taken various shapes. What began as a tool for Latina bloggers has evolved into a multimedia environment with forums, breakout sessions, and chat rooms that bring Latinas from all over the world together in one online home.
To commemorate Latina Equal Pay Day, #WeAllGrow and the Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement are joining up with professionals from a variety of sectors to host a cohort of future leaders for seminars, panel discussions, and talks on various skills to aid them on their path.
Creating a safe environment for Latinas to open up about their experiences helps equip other Latinas with the tools they need to fight prejudice, according to Vela creator Vanessa Nevarez.
Nevarez is just one example of how effective the support system and community have been and will continue to be.
“[Vela] will grow into a center, where we value community above competitiveness,” added Nevarez. “We’re not a monolith… but we do share a common bond in that we care about our town and want to see it thrive.”
In the meanwhile, as Latinas continue to break glass ceilings throughout the world and groups battle to alter the system that keeps Latinas at the bottom of the wage scale, these professionals offer some advice.
When it comes to negotiating compensation or promotion, Mota advises doing your homework: find out how much others in your sector are paid for similar work, how much your coworkers make, and what chances for advancement are available.
“It’s a market for employees, a market for job seekers,” Mota added. “Right now is the time to leverage it and truly enhance what you’re bringing in in terms of income — whether it’s in a different area or a different opportunity.”
They also suggested making contacts, expanding your network, and utilizing groups like theirs to guarantee that you have a Latinx force to support your objectives and needs.
“It’s not your fault — this system wasn’t built for us,” Flores added, “but we’re here, showing up together, to make sure that we change it and that the gatekeepers listen to us.”