From congress women, to artist, meet the latinas who shaped our Latinx history today.
Ellen Ochoa
On April 8th, 1993, Ellen Ochoa became the first Latina in the world to go into space. Ochoa was aboard the discovery shuttle for a total of 9 days while conducting important Research into the Earth's ozone layer. as a first pioneering Mission wasn't enough, in 2013 Ochoa became the first Hispanic director and female director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
As a first pioneering Mission wasn't enough, in 2013 Ochoa became the first Hispanic director and female director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas.
Dolores Huerta created the United Farm Workers in 1965. The organization focused to improve the working conditions of farmers.
She became an instrument in bringing legislation that helped to protect the most vulnerable group in society. She created this organization to help farm workers doing back-breaking work for below-poverty-level wages.
Selena Quintanilla
Born on April 16, 1971, in Texas, she is known as a pop superstar who brought Mexican music to the masses. She won several awards including a Grammy Award in 1993 and a Gold Record in 1994. Moreover, she became one of the most influential Latinas during her time.She was expected to be the next, Madonna, unfortunately, she was shot by her best friend who was the president of her fan club over a dispute of Selena's company money. It led her to a tragic death that was not expected to happen.
Her success in the field of politics was greatly admired because she always had the "Firsts" as a politician. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen was the first Latina to serve the house of Florida, first Latina in the Florida Senate, first Latina to serve the United States House of Representatives, first Latina in Congress, and the first woman to chair a standing committee in the House.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
Maria Elena Salinas served as a news anchor for more than 30 years.
She is the longest female news anchor in the United States and the first Latina to receive a Lifetime Achievement Emmy. Before she decided to depart from the Univision she said, "I am grateful for having had the privilege to inform and empower the Latino community through the work my colleagues and I do with such passion." As a news anchor, she used it as a tool to discuss the issues that Latinos are facing today, including the plight of immigrant children, being an active philanthropist, and helped to increase the voter registration of the Latino community.
Sonia Sotomayor was the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the history of the United States. Before she achieved the peak of her career, she served as the first District Court Judge in the U.S. She once said: "There are uses to adversity, and they don't reveal themselves until tested "whether it's a serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, the difficulty can tap unexpected strengths."
Sonia Sotomayor