For women, especially minority women, education, mentorships, and the availability of resources can mean the difference between long-term success or falling short of career and life goals. As the recipient of mentoring and resource availability that literally changed the trajectory of my legal and entrepreneurial career, I have seen firsthand the transformative power of investing time into female professional development and empowerment.
Women, especially Latinas and other minorities, face systematic barriers when trying to enter fields that men have traditionally dominated, such as the legal field. For decades, a lack of access to education and other resources has led to a stark underrepresentation of female and minority voices. It is crucial now more than ever to uplift women and provide the tools necessary so that all women, especially those in historically marginalized communities, can thrive in fields such as law and entrepreneurship.
A lack of Latinas in the legal field
As the first Latina to open my own law firm in South Texas, I have experienced what other women have found themselves up against when seeking success in higher education or in highly competitive fields like law. Despite a growing awareness of disparity and a lack of equity in some fields, the statistics continue to paint the picture that more work needs to be done to empower females in these fields.
According to the Hispanic National Bar Association, Latinas make up less than 3% of lawyers nationwide. This underrepresentation spreads throughout the legal profession, including in equity partner roles and general counsel positions. Even as the US’s Latino population continues to grow, it’s not uncommon for people to have never met a Latino lawyer, especially one who is a woman. Structural disparities in wealth and education access have kept females from minority groups largely out of these spaces.
Education = female empowerment
Education can be both a shield against future poverty and a springboard for a flourishing career. Top universities can be a gateway to the legal field, but much like the field itself, a shockingly low number of Latinas count among top law school enrollees. Currently, Latinas represent only 9% of law school students.
Even if females gain entrance into university to pursue a law degree, they face major challenges such as a lack of financial support and a lack of mentors who look like them and whom the students can relate to.
To diversify and ultimately strengthen the legal field and other traditionally male-dominated fields such as entrepreneurship, leaders in the fields experiencing disparity need to step up and create programs that are specifically tailored to reaching these marginalized groups. Educational programs are crucial in uplifting women of color. Disrupting patterns of inequity begins with giving Latinas the opportunity to build knowledge, gain access to scholarships, and take part in mentorship programs with other Latino leaders, so that they may see what is possible.
No student, especially those in the Latino community, should have to abandon their dreams because of a lack of financial resources. Young women should see that there are those of us in the community who are openly committed to seeing them educated and who feel that their success matters.
Closing the experience gap through mentorships
Having several influential mentors over the course of my career has allowed me not only to find the encouragement to start my own firm, but to find the drive to mentor others. Education opens doors for those in fields that are traditionally dominated by males, but mentorships help forge careers beyond graduation.
According to studies , 76% of professionals believe mentorships are crucial to professional growth, which is why a whopping 98% of Fortune 500 companies have mentorship programs.
Being an effective mentor is not just about advice or helping someone with networking; it’s about cultivating resilience during challenging times, and giving “boots on the ground” insight into fields traditionally out-of-reach for certain communities.
When women are paired with mentors in their chosen field who have lived experience in that field, they are able to push beyond challenges and have someone in their corner to advocate for them as they navigate uncharted professional waters.
Building a sustainable support system for females in business
Whether they are trying to gain access to the legal field, entrepreneurship, or another field such as medicine or engineering, access to resources for women is a critical piece of the empowerment puzzle.
Hurdles such as a lack of affordable childcare, transportation, or secure housing can stand in the way of women, especially minority women, finding success in highly competitive fields. To address these resource gaps, leaders need to not just talk the talk, but walk the walk, providing adequate support to these marginalized cohorts so that they may have equitable access to the same educational and job opportunities as their peers.
As women continue to lean on the glass ceiling until it breaks, leaders and mentors in fields like law need to keep the pressure on their respective industries to provide access to resources, educational opportunities, and robust mentorship programs. In the years to come, we will begin to reap the benefits of female empowerment and view it not as a far-flung dream, but as an accepted reality.
About the Author:
Leah Wise is a trailblazing entrepreneur and attorney, dedicated to empowering Latinas and advocating for women’s rights. She is the founder and owner of Leah Wise Law Firm, PLLC, the first Latina-owned law firm in South Texas specializing in personal injury cases. With a proven track record of securing millions of dollars in settlements for her clients, Leah has been recognized as one of the best lawyers in the nation for her remarkable achievements. She is also the proud owner of Leah Wise Enterprises, LLC, a real estate investment company, and CrashGal Couture, LLC, a clothing line.