While our school does celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, the impact of some amazing Latino figures can be ignored in our community. From Frida Kahlo to Selena Quintanilla, history is filled with influential Latina women. With Hispanic Heritage Month soon coming to a close, it is fitting to honor these women and recognize the impact they have on their community today. 

“To see not only Hispanic people but Hispanic women is the best feeling ever,” senior Yasmine Reyes said. “Especially in recent times when there is a lot of racism going around, so it makes me feel like I am actually one with this country rather than an immigrant no one wants.”

Rita Moreno

Moreno’s career began with the critically acclaimed “West Side Story,” in which she played the role of Anita. Afterward, she had an equally successful Broadway career and eventually became the first and thus far only Latinx to been rewarded with an “EGOT”, the prestigious Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony, according to brittanica.com.

Julia Alvarez

The influential novelist inspired many during times of struggle. Her work often centered around showing the immigrant experience to the world, an example being her book “How The Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent”. She also detailed the death of the Maribal Sisters, who were killed under the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo in the Dominican Republic. Her work has made it so the Latinx experience is better known by those who would otherwise have never known about it, according to juliaalvarez.com.

Rigoberta Menchu

An activist by heart, Menchu has spoken for the rights of the indigenous people of Guatemala. She has run for president twice and has earned a Nobel Peace Prize for her work in activism. The mark she has left for the rights of indigenous people from not only Guatemala, but Latin America as a whole can still be seen today, according to nobelprize.org.