The Fatigue Of Being The First Latina To Break Barriers

“Being a Latina comes with a lot of beauty and color when it comes to our culture, but it also comes with a lot of inexplicable pressure, especially being the first,” explains Lupita Martínez, a licensed therapist based in California who specializes in first-gen clients and imposter syndrome. “In daily life, this may look like second-guessing what you say, being afraid of raising your hand or sharing your opinion, comparing yourself to your counterparts, feeling alone, or feeling anxious. Oftentimes, these feelings stop us from applying to jobs because we ‘aren’t good enough or ready enough,’ influences us to not ask for help, or creates this innate habit to overwork ourselves to the bone because, honestly, that’s what we’ve been taught.”