The Matriarchs of a New America: Exercising Our Influence & Leadership

Today, one out of every four children under 18 years of age in the United States is Hispanic. And please let’s not get it twisted. I want to be clear about this – the Latina moms who are literally birthing a big chunk of the next generation of U.S. citizens are for the most part American citizens themselves. And when you take into account that the other three-quarters of the newborn U.S. population is a combination of all the other ethnic groups under the sun, we can point blank declare: America will soon be a brown nation, whether some folks like it or not.

 As a woman of color, I feel this huge responsibility upon my shoulders to instill in my kids all of those wonderful values that are embedded in our culture. They are transferred from generation to generation through the collective parenting of large extended families who are under the tough and vigilant rule of our matriarchs – las mamás. My favorite Hispanic culture value proposition is ‘mi casa es su casa’ because in these polarizing times it highlights our tradition of embracing others and our yearning to create a welcoming environment and sense of belonging – my home is your home. It’s a beautiful custom that permeates throughout Hispanic households, expressed by women and men alike, regardless of country of origin.

 But what really lifts my spirit is the promise of Latina entrepreneurs who are fearless as they juggle being the matriarchs of their families while also establishing viable businesses that favorably impact the economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Latinas are starting businesses at a rate six times faster than the population at large, and I’m not surprised. Why is this happening? I can only speak from experience. Here are the first five reasons that come to mind:

1. We realize that working for the corporate sector doesn’t pay off for most Latinas. A 2012 study by the American Association of University Women (AAUW) unveiled that Hispanic women earn on average 53 cents for each dollar earned by a White male to perform the same work. This is muy malo, and many of us get fed up and decide to invest our talents in launching our own businesses.
2. We need to feed and take care of our babies. Let’s face it, when you are unemployed for a hot minute and realize that you have a better chance of generating more than the minimum wage while spending more time with your family by starting your own thing, entrepreneurship is a no brainer. Taking care of la familia es número uno, and business ownership allows us more flexibility to do what we want to do.
3. We are able to help our extended families when they are in a pickle. There is this support system that you automatically have when you are part of a Latino network comprised of close friends and relatives, where you just know that everyone has each other’s back. In a moment of crisis, the rule of ‘hoy por ti, mañana por mi’ (today I help you, tomorrow you help me) always prevails. As a successful Latina business owner, you have the ability to tap into your resources to make things better for the people you care about.
4. We know that education is our passport to being recognized as an equal in mainstream America so we have invested time in obtaining our degrees and instilling in our children the notion that not going to college is NOT an option. Latina moms, abuelas, aunts, godmothers, neighbors, girlfriends literally pour themselves into the children in their lives. Childrearing is a collective experience and we rely on this sisterhood we have to get our kids to reach their fullest potential. As business owners we wind up mentoring and hiring the youth we are helping raise!
5. We are guided by our faith in a Higher Power and the wonderful sense of satisfaction after a good day of well-earned work. Lord knows that starting your own business is not for the faint of heart, and Latinas have a special confidence that they will succeed contra viento y marea – against all the odds; confidence that is sustained by a strong belief system and unwavering core values.

A 2017 Nielsen report, entitled Latina 2.0: Fiscally Conscious, Culturally Influential & Familia Forward confirms some of my experiences. Some of the report highlights are that we are “Catalysts for Cultural Exchange”, “Part of the Entrepreneurship Boom”, “Large and Increasingly Matriarchal Families”, and “Continuing Educational Advancement”.

I am very happy to share that we signed the #HispanicPromise initiative of the organization We Are All Human, along with 44 corporations and over a dozen Hispanic organizations that recognize the importance of creating opportunities for this community in the U.S. As a business leader, I aim to hire, promote, retain and celebrate Hispanics as employees, customers and citizens. I do my best to exercise my influence in sharing and celebrating what Latinas bring to the table because it’s time to claim our truth: we are the matriarchs of a new America, birthing the next generation of U.S. citizens and birthing new businesses faster than anyone else. 

 And this I pray…that the growing number of Hispanics in positions of leadership are able to make a positive impact across all industries. I pray they leverage what they have learned at home to help break the cycle of unfair practices and ensure that in the future the oppressed don’t become the oppressors. Dropped the mic.