Shadowed Latinas

Authors: Emily Martinez, Lizette Monroy, Sofia Potter, and Zoe Guerrero Ruiz De Chavez

While history often holds spotlight and credit, the untold stories of countless brave Latinas remain in the dark shadows, their powerful contributions waiting to be discovered and we are just scratching the surface. These are the latinas who shaped our world.

We believe anyone that has made historical changes should be recognized for their hard work. However, how would you feel if you were shadowed from the spotlight because of your gender, race or background? This has been happening to these courageous latin women for decades. Some don’t even have the opportunity to see themselves get credited for their hard work because they sadly pass away. We should never take this long to credit a historical figure. Dolores Huerta was one of them, she’s a latina activist who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) and fought for farm workers rights alongside Cesar Chavez. However, these aren’t the only things she’s involved in advocating for: women’s rights, immigrants rights, and education reform. Dolores Huerta’s legacy shines a light on the countless shadowed latinas that have shaped history.

Ellen Ochoa made history as the first Latina astronaut, breaking barriers in the field, where women and people of color were rarely represented. Beyond her space mission, she later became director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, showing leadership and one of the most important institutions in space exploration. Her groundbreaking research in optics and space flight contributed to scientific advancements, yet she is often overlooked in discussions about space history. Similarly, María Amparo Ruiz de Burton made her mark in literature as the first Mexican American woman to publish a novel in English during the 19th century. Her novels directly critiqued racism, colonialism, and the limited roles forced on women, offering bold perspectives that challenged the society of her time. However, just like Ochoa's achievements were sometimes overshadowed, Ruiz de Burton’s powerful voice was ignored for decades before being rediscovered by scholars. Both women represent trailblazers in their fields who used their talents to push boundaries and challenge stereotypes. Their accomplishments highlight the importance of Latina pioneers in shaping both American culture and history. Together, Ochoa and Ruiz de Burton remind us how vital it is to recognize celebrations that might otherwise be overlooked. 

Ellen Ochoa, Dolores Huerta, and Maria amparo Ruiz de Burton, all these latinas have once strived for recognition, Huerta’s advocacy was actually striving for  farmworkers  rights (UFW). Ochoa journey was actually the first woman who would travel and be in space, Ruiz de Burton has also challenged societal norms through literacy, all these great women with great accomplishments have never really got enough recognition as latinas, and yet each of these women have made a mark in the United States  and their stories deserve to be known. Together, their stories are amazing and empowering yet society often overlooks their contributions and we need to change that by putting shadowed Latinas into the spotlight.