The National Women’s History Alliance (NWHA) has announced the 2025 Women’s History Month theme: “Moving Forward Together! Women Educating & Inspiring Generations.” This year’s theme recognizes the powerful impact of women who have dedicated their lives to education, mentorship, and leadership. Their influence has shaped past, present, and future generations, paving the way for greater opportunities and lasting change.
Women have played a critical role in shaping society across all fields—from art and civil rights to science, politics, and technology—yet their contributions often go unrecognized. While many people know that Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb and Neil Armstrong was the first man on the moon, few realize that Hedy Lamarr developed the foundational technology behind Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Latinas have also made extraordinary contributions throughout history, many of which remain overlooked. This Women’s History Month, we’re shining a light on remarkable Latinas whose impact in the U.S. deserves to be celebrated.
Dolores Huerta – Labor & Civil Rights Activist
A tireless advocate for workers’ rights and gender equality, Dolores Huerta co-founded United Farm Workers (UFW) alongside César Chávez and dedicated nearly 40 years to improving working conditions, legislative representation, and employment benefits for farmworkers. She was a driving force behind historic labor laws and remains a passionate activist for social justice and women’s rights well into her 90s, rallying for the Violence Against Women Act. She remains an activist to this day.
Dr. Antonia Novello – First Latina U.S. Surgeon General
Dr. Antonia Novello made history in 1990 as the first woman and first Latina to serve as U.S. Surgeon General. A Puerto Rican physician, she focused on healthcare access for women, children, and minorities, particularly advocating for HIV/AIDS awareness, pediatric healthcare, and the reduction of tobacco use among youth. Her leadership helped shape national health policies that still impact public health today.
Faith Florez – Tech Innovator for Farmworker Safety
Faith Florez, a descendant of farmworkers, developed Calor, an app designed to protect agricultural workers from extreme heat exposure by monitoring their health while in the fields. She successfully crowdfunded over $60,000 as a teenager to develop the software, which provides training materials, a resource network, and emergency prevention tools, including a built-in hotline. Today, many employers invest in this technology to safeguard workers in the fields.
Dr. Ellen Ochoa – First Latina Astronaut
In 1993, Dr. Ellen Ochoa made history as the first Latina astronaut in space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. A granddaughter of Mexican immigrants, she is also a co-inventor of optical analysis systems which enable flaw inspection technology in manufacturing. She later became the first Hispanic and second female director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, leading space missions and international collaborations.
Felisa Rincón de Gautier – Political Trailblazer
Known as Doña Fela, Felisa Rincón de Gautier was the first female mayor of a major city in the Americas when she was elected in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1946. A staunch advocate for women’s suffrage, she transformed public welfare programs, launched childcare centers to support working mothers, and laid the foundation for the U.S. Head Start program, which still serves over a million low-income children each year through a variety of services, while also empowering parents to engage in program operations and promoting family wellbeing.
Laurie Hernandez – Olympic Gymnast & Mental Health Advocate
One of the “Final Five,” Laurie Hernandez is a gymnast and U.S. Olympic gold medalist. She is a second-generation Puerto Rican and was the youngest female competitor from the U.S. at the Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. She was also the first Latina gymnast to represent the U.S. at the Olympics in 32 years. Her athletic achievements are just one aspect of her talents, as she also went on to author two books and became a vocal advocate for mental health, bravely speaking out against emotional abuse in sports.
Sonia Sotomayor – First Latina U.S. Supreme Court Justice
Official Portrait of Justice Sonia Sotomayor
Born to Puerto Rican parents in the Bronx, Sonia Sotomayor made history in 2009 as the first Latina Supreme Court Justice in the U.S. She has played a pivotal role in civil rights, criminal justice reform, and educational equity, often using her platform to advocate for marginalized communities. Known as “the People’s Justice,” she is an inspiring force for equity and justice.
María Hinojosa – Award-Winning Journalist & Storyteller
A Mexican American journalist, Maria Hinojosa is the host and executive producer of NPR’s “Latino USA,” which she helped launch in 1992 and the longest running national Latino news and cultural public radio program. As the founder of Futuro Media Group, she has dedicated her career to amplifying diverse voices and covering stories often ignored by mainstream media. A former journalist for CNN and PBS and author of three books, she continues to break barriers in the industry.
Dr. France Córdova & Dr. Adriana Ocampo – Latina Scientists Changing the World
Dr. France Córdova, a renowned astrophysicist, was the first Latina to lead the National Science Foundation and has made groundbreaking contributions to X-ray and gamma-ray astronomy.
Dr. Adriana Ocampo, a planetary geologist from Colombia, led NASA research confirming the Chicxulub crater as the impact site of the asteroid that caused the extinction of dinosaurs. Her work has been instrumental in shaping our understanding of planetary science.
María Teresa Kumar – Civic Engagement Leader
Colombian American activist Maria Teresa Kumar is the founding President and CEO of Voto Latino, a grassroots organization dedicated to empowering Latino voters while creating a more robust and inclusive democracy. Under her leadership, Voto Latino has registered over a million Latino voters over the last decade. In 2010, Kumar and her team partnered with the U.S. Census Bureau to launch the “Be Counted” campaign, which leveraged technology to encourage Latinos to participate in the U.S. Census, a key component of civic engagement.
Pura Belpré – Literary Pioneer & Advocate for Spanish-Language Books
In 1921, Pura Belpré became New York City’s first Latina librarian, championing Spanish-language literature and bilingual education in public libraries. She launched bilingual story hours, introduced Spanish-language books, and pioneered outreach programs around Hispanic culture and holidays. She also actively worked to preserve Puerto Rican folklore. Today, the Pura Belpré Award honors Latino authors whose works celebrate Hispanic heritage.
Sylvia Rivera – LGBTQ+ Rights Activist
Born to Venezuelan and Puerto Rican parents, Sylvia Rivera was a transgender rights activist and one of the youngest participants in the 1969 Stonewall Riots. She co-founded STAR, a shelter supporting transgender youth, and is credited with pushing for transgender inclusion in the larger LGBTQ+ movement. It is said that her activism played a key role in getting the “T” added to the LGBT acronym.
This is just a small glimpse into the countless Latinas who have shaped history. The 2025 Women’s History Month theme reminds us that mentorship, representation, and education are key to building a more empowered future. By celebrating these women, we ensure that their legacies continue to inspire future generations.
Blog updated on February 2025
Image: ©[Alexey_Hulsov from pixabay] via Canva.com
Ellen Ochoa: NASA on The Commons, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons
Dolores Huerta: Montclair Film, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Maria Teresa Kumar: yashmori, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Sonia Sotomayor: Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States, Steve Petteway source, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
