Immigration of Latina women to the United States
As the fastest growing minority group in America, Latinas are becoming primary influencers in education, economics and culture in American society and the consumer marketplace.
After they Bay of Pigs failure, many middle class Cuban families sought escape from the newly communist Cuba in the United States.
[5] While the primary reason for immigration into the United States for Latinas is economic improvement, the betterment of family life remains an important factor.
[6] Latina women also migrate with their families in an effort to seek refuge from violence and political instability in their native countries.
[7] Violent events in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras the number of Latinas entering the United States with families has nearly doubled in 2015.
Non-citizen Latinos often avoid hospitals and clinics for fear of deportation, leading to an increased risk of preventable diseases such as tuberculosis and Hepatitis in this population.
These disparities in wage and job availability leave this portion of the United States population more vulnerable to poverty and its implications.
Though it is common knowledge that women in the United States make less than their male counterparts, this wage gap further varies by ethnicity.
[15] In the United States, female employment has become an increasingly important determinant of family economic well-being, especially among disadvantaged populations such as Latinas.
There is a significant lack of literature on the home life experience of Latina women and how it may change with immigration to the United States.
[citation needed] Patterns of female family structure are found to be similar in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, and tend to be more matrifocal.
According to a study published by the National Institute of Health, these patterns correspond with relatively low female participation in the labor force.
In a 2013 Nielson study in the United States, Latinas said they were primary or joint decision makers in the household, giving input in categories such as grocery shopping, insurance, financial services, electronics, and family care.
Additionally, the Latina population is increasingly becoming "primary wage earners and influencers" in the modern Hispanic United States Household.
Moreover, these statistics apply to Hispanics that have not recently migrated to the United States, implying that the American education system is not meeting the needs of Latino students as a population.
However, in Northern Virginia and Atlanta a higher percentage of Latina women complete 5+ years of college than Latino men do.
The Institute for Women's Policy Research explains the workings of organizations aimed to support the struggles of Latina immigrants.
Programs specifically for Latina (and Latino) immigrants now use an adaptation tactic of teaching, rather than an assimilation ideology to help this population adjust to American life.
While Latina women face a multitude of issues in immigrating into the United States, perhaps the most significant ones revolve around basic human rights.
Due to their lack of knowledge of their new surroundings, the English language, and vulnerability to work, these women are more easily tricked, or coerced, into these businesses.
Some of these influential women include Maria Jose Fletcher, Laura Zarate, Rosie Hidalgo, Olga Trujillo, Susan Reyna.
Rosie Hidalgo has used her position as a former attorney in New York City and her current role as the Director of Public Policy for Casa de Esperanza and the National Latin@ Network to help fight domestic violence issues.
[26] Her literary works gave Latina women in the United States a new voice by delving into race, gender, and class of the times.
Maria Irene Fornes, a Cuban immigrant to the United States, created plays that focused on feminism and poverty.
Another Cuban immigrant, Ana Mendieta, created sculptures, performances, and many other art mediums that focused on themes of women, life experiences, and earth.
Celia Cruz, born in Havana, Cuba, was famous for her Cuban-inspired salsa music and many Latin and American Grammy's.
