Inspirational quotes are wonderful and we love them all, but we have a particular kind of love for inspirational quotes by powerful Latinas. Why? Because these women's insight provides a cultural context and perspective that rings true and represents our own realities in ways that don't always get represented in what is considered mainstream media. And as we all know, representation matters. It always has, and it always will.
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Keeping a running list of inspiring quotes to refer to during those moments when we need a boost is never a bad idea, which is why we want to share the following inspirational quotes from famous Latinas with you. We hope that these wise words remind you of your own strength and wisdom. Words have so much power, and these women know how to use that power for good. Add these quotes to your inspiration board, or post them where you can see them regularly and draw strength from them.
Thalía on stereotypes.
There are stereotypes—it's like an invisible line, but somehow you have to find the energy to be strong, to be super-confident, no matter if you are in front of the president of the U.S. or anyone else.
—Thalía, singer and actress
Gina Rodriguez on limitations imposed on us by others.
I felt very limited by the opportunities I had in Hollywood to play the maid, the pregnant teen, the drug addict. Those all exist, but they all exist in every ethnicity and culture.
—Gina Rodriguez, actress
Maria Hinojosa on being an example to our children.
Our children are looking to us, and we need to show them that we are survivors, and we are vulnerable too.
—Maria Hinojosa, journalist
Shakira on our shared responsibility.
I believe that every single one of us, celebrity or not, has a responsibility to get involved in trying to make a difference in the world.
—Shakira, singer
Selena Gomez on growth.
If you are broken, you don’t have to stay broken.
—Selena Gomez, singer and actress
Zoe Saldaña on owning our feelings.
There's nobody on this earth who can tell you that what you're feeling is wrong. They can tell you it's different to what they're feeling.
—Zoe Saldaña, actress
Jennifer Lopez on telling the truth.
Whenever it feels uncomfortable to tell the truth, that's often the most important time to tell it.
—Jennifer Lopez, singer, dancer, actress, and businessperson
Rita Moreno on never mellowing.
People say that when you get to a certain age that you start to mellow. I have no idea what these people are talking about.
—Rita Moreno, actress, dancer, singer
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on being polite versus being quiet.
Justice is about making sure that being polite is not the same thing as being quiet. In fact, often times, the most righteous thing you can do is shake the table.
—Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, US representative
Sandra Cisneros on how tiny things can change the world.
The older I get, the more I'm conscious of ways very small things can make a change in the world. Tiny little things, but the world is made up of tiny matters, isn't it?
—Sandra Cisneros, writer
Isabel Allende on our hidden strength.
We don't even know how strong we are until we are forced to bring that hidden strength forward. In times of tragedy, of war, of necessity, people do amazing things. The human capacity for survival and renewal is awesome.
—Isabel Allende, writer
Selena Quintanilla on being a leader.
If you’re gonna be somebody, you need to be a leader not a follower … be strong-minded, the impossible is always possible.
—Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, singer and songwriter
Selena Gomez on finding strength after being hurt.
I found strength in what hurt me. And in my family—that's my strength as well. I'm truly grateful to be hurt as many times as I have, because I'm happy!
—Selena Gomez, singer and actress
Jenni Rivera on not doing what she thought she "had" to do.
Usually, when a young girl is pregnant, she drops out of school and concentrates on being a mother. I thought that's what I had to do, but my counselors told me there was no way they would let me drop out. I had too much promise.
—Jenni Rivera, singer and songwriter
America Ferrera on perspective.
As a child, I didn't know what I didn't have. I'm thankful for the challenges early on in my life because now I have a perspective on the world and kind of know what's important.
—America Ferrera, actress
Dolores Huerta on why women need to be at the table.
We do need women in civic life. We do need women to run for office, to be in political office. We need a feminist to be at the table when decisions are being made so that the right decisions will be made.
—Dolores Huerta, activist
Gloria Estefan on the dangers of silence.
As an immigrant, I appreciate, far more than the average American, the liberties we have in this country. Silence is a big enemy of morality. I don’t want our blunders in history to get repeated.
—Gloria Estefan, singer and songwriter
Sonia Sotomayor on adversity.
There are uses to adversity, and they don't reveal themselves until tested. Whether it's serious illness, financial hardship, or the simple constraint of parents who speak limited English, difficulty can tap unexpected strengths.
—Sonia Sotomayor, US Supreme Court justice
Salma Hayek on claiming your kingdom.
You can be a thousand different women. It’s your choice which one you want to be. It’s about freedom and sovereignty. You celebrate who you are. You say, ‘This is my kingdom.’
—Salma Hayek, actress
Gina Torres on the importance of seeing strong women represented.
It's important to have strong images of women out there, women who aren't afraid of expressing themselves, women who aren't afraid of taking chances, women who aren't afraid of their own power.
—Gina Torres, actress
Eva Longoria on not dismissing someone because of their occupation.
I find it irresponsible to go, 'She's an actress, what does she know?' That means if you're a dentist, what do you know? If you're a lawyer, what do you know? It's our profession, it's what we do. It's not who we are.
—Eva Longoria, actress
