The Power of Latinas Who Shatter Glass Ceilings

I know I’m not alone when I say that I felt a blend of goosebumps and euphoria as I witnessed a group of true powerhouse WOMEN steal the show at the DNC last week. From Hillary Clinton’s historic nomination to Michelle Obama’s iconic speech, the air was filled with the reality of women as the new movers and shakers of our time.

This momentous event made me reflect not only on the great work of these particular women, but also on the incredible achievements of leaders and pioneers in our own community—our fellow Latina trailblazers, those Latinas who also shattered glass ceilings of their own, and as such changed the course of history for all multicultural women.

Just think of the living legacy of Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, the first-ever of Hispanic heritage, and one of the youngest justices on the Supreme Court; and Dolores Huerta, the American labor leader and civil rights activist who was the co-founder of the National Farmworkers Association, which later became the United Farm Workers (UFW). And who can forget the groundbreaking work of women such as Ellen Ochoa, who was not only the first Latina astronaut, but is also the co-inventor of three patents related to optical inspection systems, received her doctorate in electrical engineering from Stanford University, and is currently the director of the Johnson Space Center; and Rigoberta Menchu, the Nobel Peace Prize winning political activist and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador who dedicated her life to publicizing the rights of Guatemala’s indigenous feminists during and after the Guatemalan Civil War, and to promoting indigenous rights in the country. And of course, one of my favorite ladies, Rita Moreno, one of only twelve performers who have won all four major annual American entertainment awards: an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony.

The list goes on and on, which is a testament to the fact that woman, and especially Latina women, are leading the charge as the true leaders of our time. Why are these women not mentioned along all the others? We must keep their names at the forefront and remember that we are who we are because of them.

And speaking of inspiring Latinas, don’t miss our next webinar, “From Micro to Millions,” with Nell Merlino on Thursday, August 25th at 10 am PST / 1pm EST.

Nell created Take Our Daughters to Work Day, founded Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence and launched Make Mine a Million-Dollar Business. She is the author of “Stepping Out of Line: Lessons for Women Who Want it Their Way in Life, in Love, and at Work,” a book for women to speak up in their work and life to get ahead. Nell has seen so many women go from zero to a million dollars in revenue, and shows us all how. Don’t miss this one, and REGISTER NOW!