First, starting in 2017, the Latinas Equal Pay Day Commemoration Project was born. As the founder and former leader of Lean In Women of Color, I remember reaching out to Hispanic/Latinx women in leadership and asking them if I could use their photos and advice they provided for various articles in media. This planted the seeds for a website dedicated to Latinas in positions of influence to inspire other women of color. I believe representation is critical, and it matters.
I remember thinking at the time that there may be more Latinas who are in positions of power than we may know. Yet there is a significant gap between their leadership and getting other women of color there. Sometimes they aren't seen. They may not be visible on the front-page of some of our major magazines and media outlets.
I understand that many of us are growing weary of viewing headlines that may attach one's race and gender in a caption since no headline has ever pointed to a white man's gender and racial identity. For instance, it's more common to see "Latina Making History" than "White Man Making History" in a headline. I understand that women of color should be afforded the type of headlines than men. However, I feel by omitting our unique qualities within a headline, we miss a significant point.
In my opinion, when we omit these critical components of our identity, our stories are less distinguished from the norm. When we tell the stories of women of color, a neon sign should accompany them. I believe this is necessary until there is some semblance of gender and racial parity in all aspects of our society. We want to capture the interest of young women and girls of color and erase any purported doubt about their capabilities. We want to fuel them with untapped, unlimited potential, whether she decides to run for public office, lead a leading research firm, or become some other type of expert.
Learn more about the 2020 Latinas Equal Pay Day Commemoration Project by visiting the following link.
