Latina Institute In the News

Today is Cinco de Mayo. It is not, contrary to popular belief, Mexican Independence Day. It's actually a celebration of the Mexican victory over the French in a battle in 1862. Many also point out that the holiday is more celebrated in the US than in Mexico. But either way, it's a day that is associated with Latinos, and often celebrated through cultural appropriation and eating things like guacamole and drinking tequila. But that's another post. Read more »

With Mother’s Day approaching, in many immigrant communities, it begins to feel like every woman in the neighborhood is having a birthday at the same time. Strangers proclaim, “Happy Mother’s Day!” to every woman who passes on the street; colorful balloons and roses are ubiquitous: tied to strollers, purses, wrists and canes.

What’s happening in these ethnic enclaves on Mother’s Day is an outpouring of appreciation for the central role immigrant women play in their families and communities, a role reflected by the recent data. The U.S. Census Bureau indicates more than half of all immigrants are women, and the New America Media identified a trend of immigrant women as primary breadwinners and family caretakers. In addition, while 90 percent of Hispanic children in the U.S. are American citizens, 62 percent of Hispanic children in the U.S. have at least one immigrant parent. Data also show that immigrant women are often the ones to initiate the citizenship process for their families.

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