Page 17 - Latinas Powering Forward Whitepaper

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
21
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.
22
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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