Latino and Hispanic people have played a significant role in struggles for racial, economic, and climate justice. In observance of Hispanic Heritage Month, our Senior Policy Analyst for Climate Justice, Catalina Gonzalez, reached out to several Latino advocates and organizers working on the frontlines of climate justice campaigns. The first post in this series, a reflection on the history of Hispanics and Latinos in social movements, can be found here. Today, we are sharing a response from Amy Tamayo of Alianza de Mujeres Campesinas.
Amy Tamayo
National Policy and Advocacy Director, Alianza de Mujeres Campesinas
What does your heritage mean to you? What are you reflecting on this month, and how do you observe/celebrate?
As the daughter of Mexican immigrants to the U.S, my heritage guides me in the way I move through the world. I was raised in a small town in Idaho by two parents who were very proud of their Mexican culture and traditions and who courageously passed it down to me, even in an environment that was not always welcoming of it. Although it is something that I always draw strength and motivation from, during Latine/Hispanic Heritage Month especially, I take immense pride in the struggles our Latine leaders and predecessors have overcome to make it possible for us to freely express our culture today. It brings me deep joy to stand in community with my fellow Hispanas and Latinas, celebrating our traditional foods, music, language, and — most importantly — our ability to come together.
What is an issue affecting the Hispanic/Latino community that you work on?
An issue that heavily affects Latinas is gender and sex discrimination. As the National Policy and Advocacy Director at Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, the first national organization in the U.S. founded and led by campesinas, or women farmworkers, and who advocate for farmworker women’s rights, I am constantly reminded of the many ways women are mistreated and undervalued. Whether it’s the rampant harassment, gender discrimination, wage gaps, or even violence in the workplace, women are subjected to so many challenges in just a single part of their day. Many also endure violence at home, are dismissed when seeking help, and bear the responsibility of being the primary caregivers and housekeepers for their families. Farmworker women confront all of this, while also being exposed to extreme heat, harmful pesticides, and for nearly half — the added challenge of living without immigration status.
How can others be better allies to the Hispanic/Latino community? Do you have a call to action for Hispanic Heritage Month?
I encourage others to educate themselves on our lived experiences and contributions and to support our calls for equity. Latina farmworkers are among some of the most impacted by the climate crisis, and yet are often not considered or included in important environmental justice discussions. I challenge others to make sure key voices and perspectives are being included and represented in this work and to recognize how much can be learned from farmworker women, many of whom have been movement building and creating change in their communities for decades.
Is there anything else you would like to share — about your heritage, or about this moment in history?
This year Latina Equal Pay Day fell on October 3, the day on which Latina women caught up to what non-Hispanic white men earned last year. The average Latina woman earns just 52 cents for every dollar a non-Hispanic white man earns, marking the largest wage gap in the U.S. — a gap that is even wider in many professions. This lack of economic equity has a lifelong impact on our ability to provide for our families, prepare for emergencies and retirement, and support our families’ next generations. We have a long way to go for Latinas to have the equality, resources, and mobility that they deserve, and I encourage others to reflect on their own biases that could be perpetuating this systemic issue that is hurting us.
