In this powerful episode of Let’s Talk Rollos, Ana and Fer sit down right in front of the U.S. Capitol after attending the Hispanic Heritage Awards in Washington D.C.—and things get real.

Ana argues that the Latino community must shift away from empty, symbolic protests and start focusing on real strategy: education, economic strength, and showing up where decisions are made. She calls out internal division, complacency, and the lack of long-term vision.
Fer claps back, passionately defending the power of protest—the louder, the more disruptive, the better. She critiques America’s “toxic patriotism” and calls out Latinos who forget where they come from once they “get their papers.” But both agree: the real crisis is the lack of unity.

This episode is raw, unapologetic, and unfiltered—a deep dive into the tensions within the Latino community and what it truly takes to build power and legacy.

Let’s Talk Facts: Where We Stand as a Community

1. Latino Economic Power Is Booming

In 2023, the U.S. Latino GDP reached $4.1 trillion, making it the 5th-largest economy in the world if it were its own country.
(Sources: UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute, El País)
Latino economic output has grown at 4.4% annually since 2010, outpacing the overall U.S. economy.
Latino consumer spending reached $2.7 trillion in 2023.
We are not a “minority market”—we are a driving force in America’s economy.
(Sources: CNBC, NBC New York)

2. Educational Attainment Is Rising — But So Are the Gaps

The share of Latinas with a 4-year college degree jumped from 5% in 2000 to nearly 20% in 2021.
Latinas with degrees increased from 1 million in 2000 to 3.5 million in 2021.
(Sources: UCLA Latino Policy & Politics Institute, Axios)
Latinos with master’s or doctoral degrees increased from 710K in 2000 to 2.5 million in 2021, but still only make up 8% of all U.S. postgrad degree holders despite being 19% of the population.
(Source: Pew Research Center)
Wage gaps persist: Latinas with college degrees earn just 59 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men with similar education.
(Source: Axios, AP News)

3. Political Power? Still Playing Catch-Up

Latinos make up about 20% of the U.S. population—but only hold 11% of House seats and 6% of Senate seats.
(Source: UCLA LPPI)
Nationally, Latinos hold only 2% of elected offices—a stark underrepresentation.
On a positive note, over 40% of Latino state legislators are women, showing a rise in Latina leadership at the state level.
(Source: Axios)

4. Voter Power Is Surging

In 2024, Latinos made up 14.7% of the eligible U.S. electorate—the highest ever.
That’s 36.2 million eligible Latino voters, up 4 million since 2020.
(Sources: Pew Research, UCLA LPPI)
Between 2020 and 2024, eligible Latino voters grew by 12%—but turnout and candidate support remain inconsistent.

Your Turn: What’s Holding Us Back?

This episode isn’t just about venting—it’s a wake-up call. Our community has the numbers, the money, the brilliance. But without unity and long-term strategy, we’re leaving power on the table.

📩 Drop your thoughts in the comments
🎧 Listen to the full episode below

Latinos in Power: Why Aren’t We There Yet? (LIVE from Washington D.C.)