LATINAS RISE
L If you take a moment to notice, you’ll see we are at a place in our history where more women of color are stepping into leadership roles in the workforce, and it’s no surprise this growth is being felt in real estate.
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They have also emerged as a motivated group of connected decision makers, making 86 percent of the buying decisions in their households, according to a 2013 Nielsen study.
Many Latinas, while discussing their participation in the Historically, real estate has been an accessible career field workforce, have noted that male colleagues and supervifor women for many reasons, including its flexibility when sors have often inspired them to put their best foot forward. balancing the requirements of a thriving business with an Male partners have also stepped up their domestic particiequally demanding home life. pation, encouraging Latinas to The National Association of prosper in their careers. More REALTORS (NAR) reports women and men are making that women comprise 58 pergreat strides to change the cent of their total membership, workforce for the better. and, according to the Women’s Council of REALTORS (WCR), While it’s important for Latia women’s division was creatnas to engage in equality, we ed in the California Real Estate must recognize that Latina Association as early as 1924. entrepreneurs face stronger More female real estate pracchallenges than their male “Real estate has been an accessible catitioners are rising to the top counterparts. For example, reer field for women for many reasons, and Latinas are the fastest the Bureau of Labor Statistics including its flexibility when balancing growing contingent. affirms that Latinas earn less than 60 cents for every dolthe requirements of a thriving business Besides the fact that real estate lar a white male earns in the with an equally demanding home life.” has been traditionally inclusive, same occupation. The Shriver Latinas are drawn into the profession for a plethora of other Report, a nonpartisan organization advocating for women’s reasons, particularly the flexible schedules that accommo- equality, notes more than one-quarter of U.S. households date child rearing, as well as the ability to network in their with children under 18 are supported primarily, if not solely, communities. Latinas are leading the trend as entrepre- by the income of a single mother. In addition, women take neurs, with the U.S. Census Bureau reporting that they are on the majority of child care duties, and often care for family launching new businesses at a rate of six times the national members that are elderly, sick or disabled. The U.S. Census average and eight times the rate of male-owned businesses. Bureau recorded women clocking in more than 110 million
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| NAWRB MAGAZINE