"Being a Latina in general in the United States and beyond the United States honestly is really having to put on this matriarchal role in societies that are really not. You have to be tough in a certain sense, and not really show too many weaknesses. And that can be tough when you're neurodivergent because the whole thing about neurodivergence is neurodivergence is claiming that you have a disability straight up. Point period blank." The latest CDC tally shows that one in six Latinos nationwide have a disability. This includes the less visible disabilities that fall within neurodivergence, experts say.

Excerpt... A pioneer in the community health network, Ilda considers her advocacy and community building as part of her life’s purpose. "Now it’s my turn. I say, they helped me and now it is my time to help the community." In 2024, she won a Community Health Worker of the year award. The glass trophy is featured near a caricature of her and another promotora. Their nickname: “Las Sunshines” – which would be a great name for a Tejano music group.  As an advocate, Ilda has gone to the state house to demand that Illinois expand medical assistance for immigrants, regardless of legal status.

Beatriz "I know they called me a lesbian. They actually looked at me and said, oh, you are a lesbian. That just helped me bury it. And of course then after that I was over the top boy. Crazy. Partly because I was boy crazy, but also because I needed to show everybody that No, no, no, no, no. I wasn't a lesbian. I definitely liked boys." Carmen "How did this affect your mental health in those early years?" Beatriz "I hated myself. I mentioned I developed an eating disorder when I was 15. I wasn't diagnosed with anything, but I remember I ate quite a bit and I was overweight. I think now the therapist in me now thinks I was burying my feelings and I was eating my feelings."

She served for almost six years. The work was hard on her body, and the physical labor hurt her back, much of it due to her need to fit in. "Especially being a female, I think we have to kind of prove ourselves to be at the level of the guys. … I feel that I definitely had to grow a thick skin." Carolina recalls the jeering from male sailors, and the unwanted attention she received simply for being a woman. But she believed she had to endure it all. The push to power through is common, says Dr. Pamela Fullerton, a bicultural clinical counselor with Puerto Rican and German heritage. "We see this story line in us Latinas … constantly trying to prove our worth." 100LatinaBirthdays.com

Excerpt... Celina’s office in Chicago’s Irving Park neighborhood is a studio loft, with high ceilings and an open, airy feel. It’s clear that this is a place where healing begins. It’s bright, filled with plants, and has a peaceful ambiance. Celina Huerta: A lot of women are also learning that if they don’t want to have sex, and you know, their partner still wants to they’re learning like oh that’s sexual assault, I didn’t know that. Even with that, that's domestic violence. You were forced or you were pressured and now they’re feeling guilty and shameful for not wanting to have sex. Johanna found herself trapped by overthinking. "I'm the problem. This is why he sleeps around. This is why he cheats. Because, porque si no, que necesidad tiene to look for it somewhere else, right? If it was good, he would be here at home. Getting it from me." 100LatinaBirthdays.com

Excerpt... Hilda mostly works in neighborhoods with higher Latino concentrations, such as Cicero, Pilsen and Berwyn. Half of the work is driving around the city to talk to people about what they have, where to go and to help people make the appointments. The other half is learning.  "O sea, tengo muchas actividades." ("In other words, I have a lot of activities.") Add to all that — caring for her family. Hilda is the mother of four. She is among the 86,000 community health workers in the U.S. and part of the 1,200 in Chicago. Nearly a quarter of these frontline workers in Chicago are Latina. Many of them between 40 and 60. Health navigators like her build trust across all areas related to health, she says.  100LatinaBirthdays.com

Excerpt... Back in the small community room in Enlace Chicago, the group of women continues chatting about how menopause can take a toll on their intimate relationships. And then there’s a celebrity twist. "El ex de Shakira qué dijo? Que estaba con la muchacha, con Clara Chia, es que con ella tengo sexo diario… que dio a entender? Que con Shakira no, no? Shakira es más grande. A lo mejor Shakira estaba en la menopausia." ("What did Shakira's ex say? He was with the other woman, Clara Chia, because he had sex with her everyday… What did he mean with that? That with Shakira he didn’t, no? Shakira is older, maybe she was going through menopause.") 100LatinaBirthdays.com

Excerpt... Ana explains that guilt around sex is deeply ingrained, especially for women who’ve been taught to view their bodies as shameful or something to be hidden. "It’s sinful to even think about your body, and even things such as basic, as your genitalia, which is just another body part, your arm or your vagina or what have you." She says that stories passed down generationally keep women from questioning those narratives. That’s where her work helping women identify these damaging beliefs, and gently challenging them, begins. 100LatinaBirthdays.com

From healthcare to home care, education to service industries, Latinas are at the forefront of essential labor—but their contributions come at a steep cost. With one of the highest labor market participation rates in the U.S.—even surpassing pre-pandemic levels—Latinas are critical to the workforce, but their stories are often left unheard. How do overloaded schedules, burnout, and workplace safety issues impact not just health but mental well-being?  Reporter Julia Binswanger dives into the often overlooked work hazards, injuries, and environmental risks faced by Latinas in the workforce today.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Between 2015 to 2019, unsheltered homelessness increased among two populations: women and Latinos. Homelessness carries a social stigma, and getting help is difficult because people do not disclose how much they’re struggling. But housing insecurity—overcrowding, doubling up, and moving often—can be traumatizing and have life-long impacts on a person’s health and well-being.  In this episode, reporter Vicky Diaz-Camacho explores the cultural taboos of homelessness and the link between housing instability and overall health of Latinas.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.