May 10 should feel full of joy, but this Mother’s Day arrived marked by anguish for many Latino families. I cannot stop thinking about so many mothers who lived this day with fear of being separated from their children by deportations. Nor those who face the anguish of a physical and mental health crisis in their families or live with the stress of unpaid bills and how to keep their homes afloat.
Being a mother has always meant protecting, caring for and sustaining the family even in the most difficult moments. And this year, many mothers have felt that threats come from everywhere at once: from fear, economic uncertainty and also from a climate crisis that can no longer be ignored, because it is felt in the home, in health and in daily expenses.
The Wisdom of Dolores Huerta: Change Starts at Home
In From the Root, Dolores Huerta said it in a very powerful way: change begins in our families and in our communities. She reminded us that women are the caretakers of the world. Her words came at a time when so many mothers are doing exactly that, trying to protect their children amid a future that feels increasingly unstable.
Pollution and global warming are not distant problems. In many Latino communities, families live near highways, factories or industrial zones where the air is more toxic and children have higher rates of asthma and respiratory diseases. When a mother takes her child to the doctor for respiratory problems, pollution ceases to be a political debate and becomes an everyday concern.
The Family Budget Against External Crises
At the same time, families continue to face rising energy costs. While major oil companies obtain million-dollar profits, many families have to choose between paying for electricity, filling up their gas tanks or covering other basic expenses. Each heat wave also means higher bills because many families have no choice but to use more air conditioning to protect their children and elderly adults.
What is frustrating is that more economical and cleaner solutions exist that could ease some of this pressure. The expansion of renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has shown that it is possible to produce cheaper and more stable energy, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels whose prices rise whenever there is an international crisis or political decisions that favor oil companies.
The Power of Community Organizing
But as Dolores Huerta also warned, we cannot expect change to come only from above. Latino communities have always known how to organize, support each other and fight for our families when institutions fail us. That strength is still needed today, especially when we see policies that continue to put our health and our future at risk.
This Mother’s Day was also a moment to recognize the enormous burden that many women are carrying in silence. Latina mothers do not only care for their children. They also care for entire communities, face unjust systems and continue to find ways to keep their homes afloat even when everything seems more uncertain.
A Commitment to the Future of Our Children
After flowers, calls and hugs, it is worth asking ourselves what kind of future we want to leave for our children. Because protecting our families also means demanding safer communities, cleaner air and policies that put the health and well-being of everyone above the profits of multimillion-dollar industries.
