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HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE www.hnmagazine.com
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
U
nderstanding how racism and sexism directly impact Latinas and women of color is key to solving the barriers Latinas face in the workplace and exceling economically in the U.S. Its also key to ensuring we can build back from the most devastating economic and health crisis of our lifetimes. Latinas make up nearly 1 in 10 Americans and are more than 7 per- cent of the U.S. workforce, holding an important role in the countrys recovery from the pandemic. Theyve also been among the hardest hit economically, making a targeted relief and response all the more crucial. The devastating economic fallout of the pandemic has been called America's first female recession, as women largely make up the low- income workforce most heavily impacted by pandemic restrictions. Mothers also reduced their work hours four to five times more than fathers to care for children who were no longer in school, and with no viable childcare options. The economic gains made by women and Latinas as a group over the past decade were erased in the span of months as the coun- try experienced the worst financial losses since the Great Depression. In addition to economic losses, women are also dealing with discrimi- nation at higher rates than their male counterparts. A recent poll conducted by Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) in collaboration with The Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE) and The Los Angeles Urban League found that women across the board are significantly more concerned than men about racially motivated discrimination, physical violence, harass- ment and other forms of abuse. Latinas in particular were starkly more concerned than their male Latino counterparts. The majority of Latinas (65 percent) worry about being verbally abused, mocked or harassed in public because of their race or ethnicity compared to 40 percent of Latino men, a 25-point difference. Women in other groups also reported higher rates of worry but with less striking differenced compared to men - a nine-point difference between African American women and men, and just a two-point difference between AAPI women and men. Latinas are very concerned about being treated unfairly by law enforcement (71 percent very/somewhat worried compared to 56 per- cent of Latino men), being denied opportunities like jobs or housing (68
The Pandemic Recovery Requires Addressing Racism and Sexism
By Helen Iris Torres, CEO, Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE)
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