September 15 is the beginning of National Hispanic Heritage Month. This time of year is dedicated to celebrating the history, culture, and influence of Latinx (people from or descended from a Latin American country)and Hispanic (people from or descended from a Spanish-speaking country) members of our country who have contributed to many advancements and accomplishments.
Here are some amazing Latinx and Hispanic women who are creating history that every kid (and adult) should learn about.
Diane Guerrero
Diane Guerrero is an actress and immigration activist. She was born and raised in the United States and was only 14 years old when her parents were deported while she was at school. Guerrero was able to build a life for herself, becoming a successful actress who has since won three Screen Actors Guild awards. She uses her platform to advocate for immigration reform. In 2015, the actress and activist was nominated to be a White House Ambassador for Citizenship and Naturalization by President Obama.
Ellen Ochoa
Ellen Ochoa is a scientist, inventor, and the first-ever Hispanic female astronaut. She joined NASA’s astronaut program in 1990 and officially became an astronaut in 1991. Over the years, Ochoa has won many different awards and recognitions, including NASA’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal, and the Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award. She is even included in the Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Monica Ramirez
Monica Ramirez is an activist, civil rights attorney, and author, to name just a few of her titles. Ramirez created the first-ever legal project in the United States that focused on gender discrimination against female farmworkers that later expanded into workplace sexual violence against migrant women. Ramirez is an advocate for worker-led movements and serves as the President of Justice for Migrant Women and the Director of Gender Justice Campaigns for the National Domestic Workers Alliance.
Isa Noyola
Isa Noyola is a transgender activist and an ardent leader in the LGBTQIA+ immigrant rights movement. Noyola currently works as deputy director of the Transgender Law Center and is working toward changing laws and policies so that people can live free from discrimination regardless of their sexual or gender identity.
Dolores Huerta
Dolores Huerta is a civil rights activist who fought alongside Cesar Chavez and helped to establish the United Farm Workers organization. Huerta has won numerous awards for her activism, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama. She continues to fight for workers' rights as well as women’s rights around the world to this day.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — or AOC as her fans like to call her — is the youngest woman to have ever served in the United States Congress at only 29 years old. Representing New York's 14th congressional district, AOC has helped make progress on many different political issues, such as establishing the Green New Deal, and is constantly fighting for immgiration rights among other progressive platforms.
Shakira
Shakira is famous for her amazing music, but what many people don't know is that she also does humanitarian work with the Pies Descalzos Foundation to help with efforts to achieve universal education. The singer has also been appointed by former President Obama to the President's Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, which supports the educational success of Hispanic students. In addition to writing and performing award-winning songs and her humanitarian work, she is also the mom of two young children.
Indya Moore
Indya Moore is an actor, model, and activist who does humanitarian work that focuses on transgender youth. In 2020, Moore launched TranSanta, which aimed to let users anonymously gift presents to in-need trans kids and adults.
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno is a true trailblazer, as she was the first Hispanic actress to win an Oscar for her iconic role as Anita in West Side Story in 1962. She is also the first Hispanic actress to achieve an EGOT — which means winning an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony. In addition to her six-decade-long acting career, she has also advocated for Latinx representation in the arts. She has won numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom as well as the National Medal of Arts.
