Inspirational Latina Women

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Martha Cotera

After graduating from college and earning her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in history at the University of Texas at El paso, this is where she started seeing herself more as a political activist. After college she moved to Austin Texas with her husband and experienced extreme racism, but they still stayed and wanted to help transform the city.  

Involved in PASSO (political association of Spanish speaking organizations) 

Part of the farmworker's movement  

Herself and other educators formed TEAMS (Texans for educational advancement for Mexican Americans) 

Volunteered in Crystal City to help with the students who were boycotting the high schools  

Then eventually she moved from Austin and went to Mercedes Texas where her and her husband help found Jacinto Trevino college which was a college for Mexican Americans to prepare teachers for bilingual bicultural education programs 

Involved in founding and structuring the Raza Unida party, which eventually led to the Mujeres de la Raza Unida 

She helped bring other Latina women into these organizations 

She and others also founded the Chicana research and learning center in Austin Texas which helped find grant money for research and community projects for women of color  

Founded information systems development and independent research and publishing company which focused on publishing materials on and about Chicanos and Chicanas  

Published her first book called “Diosa y Hembra” for the recovery of lost, erased, and hidden histories of Chicana women  

Published the Chicana feminist in 1977 - series of essays and speeches reflecting on Coteras experiences and observations of the dynamics of feminism within the Chicano/a movement and of racism and classism within the women's movement  

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“I have no quarrel with the concept that Chicanas are mothers and that Chicanos are fathers. That is obvious. But I quarrel with the concept that women have had no other roles ever, or that we should have no other roles. Men have been fathers, and breadwinners and activists. So have women throughout history.”

-Martha Cotera, The Chicana Feminist

1977

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It’s day five of Women’s History Month, and we’ve got “The Chicana Feminist.” Compiled and published by Martha P. Cotera (librarian, historian, writer, activist) in 1977, this series of essays and speeches reflects the experiences of Chicana feminism in politics, policy, and society.

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Elizabeth Martinez

"Revolutionary Chicanas want the   liberation for our people  and all oppressed peoples."  -Elizabeth Martinez 

A writer, activist, feminist, she was one of the women who helped organized the Chicana movement. She used her literary skills as an editor and writer to inspire, provoke, educate, strategize organize, and build cross ethnic and cross racial alliances, to pursue social justice. Her main mission, written in her manifesto, was to destroy hatred and prejudice. Like many Chicanas, growing up she struggled with her identity.  

She:

-confounded El Grito del Norte  

- authored the book “De Colores Means All of Us” which presented a radical Latina perspective on race, liberation, and identity issues 

-helped create the Chicano communication center, which used political street theater, comic books, and other forms of grass roots media to convey the struggles of tradition New Mexico communities  

-edited 500 years of Chicano history in pictures that showed the history of resistance, economic exploitation, and labor struggles 

- wrote a volume “500 years of Chicana women's history”  

-helped found the institute for multiracial justice, with goals to build cross racial alliances like police brutality, immigration, and incarceration 

-confounded El Grito del Norte  

- authored the book “De Colores means all of us” which presented a radical Latina perspective on race, liberation, and identity issues 

-helped create the Chicano communication center, which used political street theater, comic books, and other forms of grass roots media to convey the struggles of tradition New Mexico communities  

-edited 500 years of Chicano history in pictures that showed the history of resistance, economic exploitation, and labor struggles 

- wrote a volume “500 years of Chicana women's history”  

-helped found the institute for multiracial justice, that sought to build cross racial alliances like police brutality, immigration, and incarceration 

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Judithe Hernandez

A Chicana artist, of social realism art, Margarita Nieto says

"Her work speaks of the problematic and ephemeral situation of woman hidden in her masks of roles... Hernandez paintings speak to those masks in an extraordinary combination of darkness and color, enhanced by a subconscious precognition of a mythic past"

Badass Art <3

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Judithe Hernández (B. 1948) - La Madrina, 2009, pastel on paper

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Judithe Hernández (B. 1948) - Mano De Sangre, 2007, pastel on paper

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The Unknown Saint, 2017, by Judithe Hernandez, a founding member of the Chicano Art/Los Angeles Mural movements

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Judithe Hernández (B. 1948) - Sin Fronteras, 2008, pastel on paper

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Enriqueta Vasquez

Enriqueta experiencing segregation at her school led her to speak up even as a young girl for the injustices and inequality that Mexican American children were facing. Being tailed by the police for her activism, this did not stop her, it only made her more determined. She wrote her first letter as a teenager to complain about the injustices she saw growing up. 

“I remember I raised my hand right away [and said], ‘My mother said that they stole all that land from Mexico!’” 

She was the first and only Mexican American working at the justice department. She helped bring fair judges to the Chicana/os that would go on trial during her time in Denver  

Helped organize the GI forum bill 

Was assistant director of SER (service, employment, and redevelopment) which was an organization that helped Chicana/os get jobs and defend their workers' rights.  

Helped Corky Gonzales run for mayor in Denver  

Protested the Rocky Mountains  

Helped run the Vincent Ranch which was an extension of the Denver-based Escuela Tlatelolco and Chicana/o children from the inner city were taught wilderness and survival skills and farm work there 

Founded and started publishing the landmark movement newspaper “El grito del norte” with Betita Martinez and a team of local activists. Her column was “Despierten! Hermanos” which talked about what was happening in the Chicana/o movement, Denver movements, articles in solidarity with U.S based, international and third wordlist movements like the Cuba and their desegregation  

Co-founded the organization Hembras de Colores to celebrate Cinco de Mayo and put on cultural art shows and high school poetry contests  

Writer and painter  

Here is one of her paintings <3

Mural of three women

Chicana por mi Raza

Enriqueta’s advice for readers today is to keep up with what’s going on and get involved locally in your own community. She asks us to do whatever you can do, to express yourself creatively, and ultimately, to “Just keep going.” 

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Gloria Arellanes

Gloria Arellanes, an activist and Chicana, experienced racial tension during her lifetime. Her father didn’t want her to speak Spanish because he didn’t want her to have an accent. In high school she experienced racism. She also saw the injustice of Chicanos getting arrested in high rates. These experiences led her to meet a group that was called the “Brown Berets.” She became involved in it and later became the only women to hold a major leadership position in that organization. During that time, there was a rarely any women in leadership positions, so this was a huge milestone for women, especially Latina women. The Brown Berets goal was better education, adequate health services in their communities, ending police brutality and promoting culture pride. The Brown Berets created “El Barrio Free Clinic” and Gloria was there every day managing it. Not only that, but she also attended a lot of Chicano movement events. She helped bring kids to conferences with her so they can be part of the community. After she left the Brown Berets, she organized a women's group called “Las Adelitas de Aztlan” and even started another free clinic called “La Clinica del Barrio.” Later in her life she reconnected with her Native American heritage. Gloria Arellanes, like many Chicanos and Chicanas, had identity struggles growing up. At school they told her she was American, but her father told her she's a Chicano. She was confused growing up. Even with her mother being indigenous she was told to only say she was Mexican. Gloria and her ancestors went through assimilation and lost all their rights and freedom. Now at 70, she is learning more and more about her indigenous heritage.  

“I understand my power as a woman because I give life, I am a teacher, I am a nurturer, I provide spirituality teachings, and when we collectively come together as women, it's such a powerful thing.” - Gloria

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Helen Chavez

Helen knows the struggle of staying quiet and not speaking up for what is right. Helena Chavez played a key role in forming the United Farm Workers (UFW) organization. Helen Chavez is not spoken enough for the actions she did behind the doors in playing a role for activism. Helena Chavez was there on the front lines protesting. She might not have been a spokesperson, but her actions spoke a lot in helping achieve equality for migrant farm workers. Helena knows what it is like to work on the farm because she experienced the hardships they went through. She was determined to make sure that other people did not go through what she did. Helena was the financial record keeper for the UFW for more than 20 years. That is a huge and significant role to play for a big organization like UFW. Helena helped other Latina women to stand their ground and raise their voice when they needed to. As an activist, she protested peacefully, which some of those protests led to arrests. Even though she was arrested, she still was resilient through it all and continued to use her voice in promoting social justice for all.  

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Francisca Flores

Chicana Hero

“It is the Mexican-American who possesses the ability to enjoy life to its fullest and to find humor in the most trying situations…The Mexican-American has a glorious past and an unlimited, bright and wonderful future. As for self-definition, we can rightfully say that we are that ethnic minority that transcends and rises above all others. We are that ethnic minority that helped to build a strong America and who continue to strengthen and influence the American society on every front.” FRANCISCA FLORES 

Suffering with tuberculosis her whole life, this didn’t stop Francisca from standing up for what is right. Fransica was a fearless Mexican woman. Having to be in sanatorium for her illness, that’s where she met female veterans of the Mexican revolution. With the help of the veterans, she formed the group “Hermana's de la Revolucion” and “Comision Femenil Mexicana Nacional” which was a group of women that talked politics and activism. Flores organized a strike for nurses who were not getting paid enough. This is where her first steps into activism start. This also began her being watched by the government. Flores saw that the Chicano movement was failing in incorporating the Chicanas in the movement. That’s why she worked so hard to organize and create organizations specifically for Chicanas. She wanted them to succeed.  

Flores faced cultural sexism just like a lot of other Chicana leaders did. This led her to become a feminist and organize groups.

She co-founded the Mexican American Political Association, and founded the Chicana Service Action Center (helped provide job training and opportunities to at risk Chicanas)

Founded the Comision Feminil Mexicana (train a new generation of Chicana leaders and promote community programs to help the Chicana community)  

Here are other amazing activism work she has done

She joined the sleepy lagoon defense committee, which was a committee of activists, lawyers, writers, and other citizens protesting and dedicating their work to freeing 12 Mexican American young men who had been falsely convicted of murder of Jose Gallardo Diaz. She played a key role in helping to free these men by being her own investigator. She conducted interviews with those around her and then started writing and editing in Mexican newspapers.  

The film “Salt of earth” was banned in America. This film was about the Mexican miners and the struggles they were facing. The film was destroyed and even the lead actress was deported. Flores saw this injustice and luckily, she had owned a copy. She used that copy and would show it at benefit screenings to provide funding for the filmmakers and the actors legal defense funds 

Started a newsletter called “Carta” which later on when into the magazine “Regeneracion”(support youthful Chicano rights movements like the East L.A walkouts) Her work in Rengeracion was out in the exhibit Vincent Art Museum 

Even older, she was a member of the Chicano press association  

Served on the U.S Civil Rights commission 

Marched for the equal rights amendment in Washington D.C in 1980  

Went to the United Nations conference on women in Copenhagen 

“Women must learn to say what they think and feel and be free to state it without apologizing or prefacing every statement to reassure men they are not competing with them,” Francisca Flores 1971

[empoweringlatinawomen]

Dolores Huerta

“The freedom of association means that people can come together in an organization to fight for solutions to the problems they confront in their communities. The great social justice changes in our country have happened when people came together, organized, and took direction action.” - Dolores Huerta

Dolores Huerta is one of the many inspirational Chicana who advocated for social justice during the twentieth century and till this day. Inspired by her mother Alicia, Dolores wanted to give and help others as much as her mother did. Dolores in her lifelong journey of activism, she fought for improving and put right economic injustice. Starting off her leadership skills in a community service organization, she saw in herself the valuable organization skills she had. Then she soon met Cesar Chavez and created the Agricultural Workers Association. Dolores not only became a grand organizer, but she also had striking negotiation skills. Dolores faced many challenges in fighting for justice from intense arguments with her partners, to suffering a life-threatening assault while protesting, she still came out stronger than ever to fight for equality.  

Here is some accomplishments Dolores had for social justice and some of the organizations she was involved in 

Secure aid for dependent families (“AFDC”) disability insurance for farm workers in the state of Cali in 1963 

Played a key role in enactment of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act of 1975, which was the first law in the United States that granted farm workers in California the right to get together and bargain for better wages and working conditions 

Organizing successful boycotts and ballot boxes for campaigns like the National Boycott of California Table Grapes out of New York, Delano Strike 

Protesting police brutality in San Francisco that changed San Francisco's police department policies and police discipline  

Joined the Feminist Majority Feminization of Power campaign to encourage Latinas to run for office that resulted in increase in the number of women representatives at the local, state, and federal levels.  

Served as national chair of the 21st Century Party where they focused that woman make 52% of the party's candidate and to encourage officers to reflect on the ethnic diversity of the nation  

Founder and President of the Dolores Huerta Foundation where she travels across the country and campaigns and influences legislation that supports equality and defends civil rights 

Speaks to students about organizations that speak about social justice and public policy  

"SI SE PUEDE!" - Dolores Huerta

[wocinsolidarity]

15 Bad-Ass Latina Activists

5 women who have dedicated their lives to unwavering advocacy. September 26 2017.

This story was originally published on March 18, 2016.

To me, Women’s History Month always feels a little contrived—it goes without saying that women around the world make remarkable contributions to their communities every single day, week, and month that deserve to be celebrated. Activism takes many forms. Out of the countless Latinas who have impacted my life and politics, I’ve put together this list of activists who inspire me. In honor of Women’s History Month, here are 15 women who have dedicated their lives to unwavering advocacy and trailblazing.

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Dolores Huerta, 14/30

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Dolores Huerta in “Dolores” (Peter Bratt, 2017)