Despite anti-immigrant and anti-Latino slander from the Hater-in-Chief, Latinas are persisting, resisting, and “outpacing the rest of the nation” in economic and social influence, according to new Nielsen data. U.S. Latinas now represent 17 percent of nation’s total woman population, experiencing a nearly 40 percent growth from 2005-2015. By overwhelming numbers, Latinas are likely to immediately pursue higher educational opportunities, entrepreneurial goals, and create massive sales:
- 77% of US Hispanic female population growth over that ten-year span came not from immigration, but from Hispanic girls born in the U.S.
- 41% of Hispanic women have completed at least some college, and 74% of recent high school graduates are enrolled in college (vs. 72% of non-Hispanic females)
- Latina-majority owned businesses totaled nearly 1.5 million, representing 87% growth over the past five years, far outpacing the 39% growth by Hispanic male-majority owned firms and the 27% growth by total female majority-owned firms
- Latina majority-owned firms make up 44% of all Hispanic-owned firms, and 15% of all female-owned firms
- Sales of Hispanic female majority-owned firms grew 41% during the period –to $78.7 billion, while sales of all female majority-owned U.S. firms grew by only 19%
Latinas are also brand and cultural influencers, “more likely than non-Hispanic white women to use social networking sites, such as YouTube, Instagram, Google+, Snapchat and Twitter,” and “use social networking sites to recommend or review products and show their support for brands and companies more than non-Hispanic white women.”
"Latinas are coming into their own, and this newfound confidence will have an undeniable impact on our consumer-driven society," said Stacie de Armas of Nielsen. "Hispanic women are increasingly the catalysts in an intercultural marketplace. Not only are they the cornerstone of the Latino family, keeping language and traditions alive, but they are also forging a wider path in the mainstream and using technology to serve as brand and culture influencers. Marketers need to know how to tap this cohort in order to stay relevant and drive consumer engagement in the future."
“Trump claims he can run the country because of his business acumen and experience,” wrote Marlena Fitzpatrick last year. “Well, maybe one of these Latina entrepreneurs changing the spectrum and filling the gender gap in business, should be running instead.”