Latinas Represent has been nominated for GAIN Power’s “Powerful IDEA Awards” for our work throughout 2022 to train and recruit Latinas to run for office.
GAIN Power created the Powerful IDEA (Impact on Democracy, Elections, Advocacy) Awards to recognize the most impactful organizations, people, technology, communications, and other resources that power progressive politics, advocacy, and democracy.
The Powerful IDEA Awards aim to elevate and shine a spotlight on organizations, workers, and programs that focus on engaging and promoting democracy through running for office, organizing, elections, civic engagement, participatory events, and public communications.
We are honored to be nominated, but we need your votes to get us to the finish line! Follow these quick and easy steps to cast your vote for Latinas Represent on GAIN Power’s platform before voting closes on May 15th. Vote using this link.
Thank you for voting and supporting Latinas Represent!
If you have any questions about the nomination or are interested in partnership or mentorship opportunities, please fill out our interest form at the bottom of this page.
Latinas Represent is the national, nonpartisan home for Latinas seeking public service
opportunities.
We aim to track Latina elected officials at all levels of government. If you are a current elected official
who identifies as Latina and are not currently listed on our map, please submit your information below. Your
submission will be reviewed prior to being added to the map.
The word Hispanic is closely tied to the U.S. government and its efforts to identify groups of people, which defines it as “Americans of Spanish origin or descent.” Under this definition, Hispanic only refers to people who are originally from Spanish-speaking countries. This term includes people from Spain but excludes people from Brazil. Although this term is widely used to describe a pan-ethnic Spanish-speaking group of people, it is not universally embraced by the communities who have been labeled as such. Due to its connection to Spanish colonization, some view the term Hispanic as a Eurocentric label that erases the Indigenous and Afro-Latino heritage of people from Latin America.
The terms Latino, Latina, Latin@, Latine, and Latinx refer to a person or group of people of Latin American or Caribbean origin or descent; this includes people from all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean but excludes Spain. When used in the singular form, Latino refers specifically to a man or boy, which is why it is necessary to use the term Latina when referring to women or girls of Latin American origin. The term “Latino” applies to a broader group of people in Spanish because the language is gendered and the masculine forms of words may also be considered gender-neutral, which means that the language itself sets a baseline that is both heterosexual and masculine and by default exclusionary. The term “Latinx” arose out of a desire to have a gender-neutral term and is used to refer to people of Latin American or Caribbean origins and is inclusive of those who identify along a gender spectrum and diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Latinx term began appearing on the Internet in queer communities in the United States; however, it is not always considered the perfect response to the search for a postcolonial word because it requires an understanding of the English language and tends to highlight people of mestizo identity while erasing Indigenous and Afro-Latino identities. Some also have used the term “Latin@” to be inclusive, using the @ symbol to represent both an O and an A. More recently, “Latine” has emerged as an alternative to Latinx as a gender-neutral term rooted in the Spanish language. It is starting to be used in some parts of Latin America and the Caribbean and is also starting to gain some recognition in the United States.