For generations, Latinas have been the backbone of our families and communities—organizing school fundraisers, leading church groups, mobilizing neighbors when someone is in need. We already know how to lead. But too often, our influence stops at the community level when it should extend into the civic spaces where decisions are made. We cannot afford to let our power remain invisible. Civic influence is not just for politicians or activists—it belongs to every one of us. And the truth is, we have the numbers, the skills, and the drive to shift the balance of power in this country.
Here are five ways we can start, right now.
1. Own Our Power at the Ballot Box
Voting is not the ceiling of civic engagement, but it is the floor. Every election, millions of Latinas are eligible to vote, but too many remain unregistered or absent at the polls. Our votes decide school boards, city budgets, judgeships, housing policies, and national agendas. When we show up consistently, candidates cannot ignore us. So register yourself, register your sisters, register your comadres. Learn the deadlines. Show up for local races as fiercely as you do for presidential ones. The ballot box is where visibility becomes influence.
2. Step Into Local Government Spaces
Civic life is not abstract—it is happening in your neighborhood every week. City councils, school boards, zoning commissions: these rooms may feel intimidating, but they belong to us too. Attend a town hall. Ask a question. Introduce yourself to your alderman, councilmember, or school superintendent. Decisions about policing, funding, and education are being made whether we are present or not. When Latinas walk into those rooms, we remind officials that our communities are watching, and we expect accountability.
3. Volunteer Where Change Is Being Built
Every major policy win starts with volunteers. Advocacy groups fighting for immigrant rights, reproductive justice, climate action, and fair wages are powered by people willing to give their evenings and weekends. Your voice, your presence, your hands—these are the engines of movements. And volunteering doesn’t always mean marching. It can mean data entry, translation, graphic design, voter canvassing, child care during events. Whatever your skill, there is a place where it matters.
4. Invest Time, Skills, and Platforms
Not everyone can give money, but everyone can give something. Your professional skills—whether in finance, social media, teaching, or organizing—can strengthen nonprofits and campaigns that operate on shoestring budgets. Your platform, whether it’s 200 Instagram followers or a packed WhatsApp group, can amplify causes and mobilize turnout. Even your living room can become a civic hub when you host a voter registration drive or candidate meet-and-greet. Influence grows when we stop underestimating what we already have to give.
5. Build Networks That Outlast Elections
Civic influence is not just about one vote or one protest. It is about building relationships that carry weight over time. Create circles of Latinas who share political updates, attend meetings together, and hold each other accountable for action. Join local boards or advisory committees where long-term decisions are shaped. Support Latinas running for office—not just with applause, but with money, phone banking, and introductions. Influence multiplies when we connect our individual actions into collective power.
Latinas are already shaping this country through our labor, our creativity, and our resilience. But now we must shape it through our civic power as well. We cannot wait for others to speak for us when we have the voices, the votes, and the vision to speak for ourselves. Civic life is not someone else’s responsibility—it is ours.
So start today. Register. Show up. Volunteer. Share your skills. Build networks. These are not small actions. They are the threads that, woven together, create a fabric of power strong enough to shift policy, elect leaders, and transform communities.
The future of civic life in this country depends on Latinas stepping fully into the influence we already hold. And when we do, there will be no mistaking it: the decisions that shape our lives will finally reflect the women who have always been shaping history.
