Page 17 - Latinas Powering Forward Whitepaper
P. 17

Latinas Powering Forward





        Civically Engaged




        Projections indicate the 2020 election will mark the
        first time that Hispanics will be the largest racial
        or ethnic minority group eligible to vote at 13.3%,
        surpassing African Americans at 12.5%.  If history
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        repeats itself, Latinas will lead the 2020 Hispanic
        electorate as they did in the 2016 presidential election,
        when 35% of adult Latinas voted compared to 30% of
        Latino males. Once Latinas were registered to vote in
        2016, 84% of them voted, but registration rates are low
        compared to non-Latinas. 18

        Of the 20 Latinas who have ever served in the U.S.
        Congress, 14 are serving today, demonstrating the
        recent gains in Latina representation in federal                    The 2020 election
        government. In 2019, Latinas represent a greater
        proportion of all Hispanics in the U.S. House of               will mark the first time ever
        Representatives at 33%, compared to 24% of all House             that Hispanics will be the
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        congress members who are women.  Latinas’ civic                         largest racial
        engagement is likely the result of key issues that strike
        a personal chord like inclusivity, equality, healthcare,         or ethnic minority group
        immigration and growing negative rhetoric against                eligible to vote at 13.3%.
        Hispanics.



        In the Game


                                                              The popularity of sports is quickly growing in the U.S.
                                                              Americans who named soccer as their favorite sport
                                                              to watch rose from 2% in 2007 to 7% in 2017,  and for
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                                                              Latinas, soccer is key. Of Latinas, 32% are fans of soccer
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                                                              and 39% of Hispanic 2018 FIFA World Cup viewers were
                                                              Latina. Latinas also comprised 44% of the Hispanic
                                                              viewership of the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2019.
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                                                              Going from watching to playing is a big leap in a culture
                                                              where girls are seldom encouraged to participate in
                                                              team sports. However, Latina girls have grown up
                                                              watching soccer and sharing in the passion for the
                                                              game, and this may be one of the best opportunities to
                                                              increase their participation. From 2010 to 2016, there
                                                              was a significant increase in female participation in high
                                                              school sports programs from 41% to 44%, while there
                                                              was no change for males.  This suggests increased
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                                                              sports interest among the next generation of minority
                                                              females.

        17       An Early Look at the 2020 Electorate.” Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends Project, 2019.
        18       United States Census Bureau CPS Voting and Registration Estimates. PUMS Files. 2017.
        19       “Women of Color in Congress.” US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives.
        20       Gallup Sports Poll. 2017.
        21       2018-2019 NBCU ADNA 6.0.
        22       Nielsen, L+SD, based on W18-49 (000).
        23       “The State of High School Sports in America: An Evaluation of the Nation’s Most Popular Extracurricular Activity.” Women’s Sports Foundation, 2019.

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