Assembly Committee Examines COVID-19 Inequities Among California Latinas

On Thursday, the California Assembly Select Committee on Latina Inequities convened an informational hearing entitled, “Unseen Latinas: Economic and Health Impacts on Latinas During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Thursday’s hearing was the select committee’s inaugural hearing and featured two panels of expert witnesses to discuss the economic and health implications of the ongoing COVID-19 public health emergency on the state’s Latina population.

In opening comments, Select Committee Chair Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez discussed the status of Latinas in the state prior to the pandemic, including significant health disparities and pay gaps. Assembly Member Gonzalez touched on the experiences of Latinas during the pandemic and urged the select committee to take actions to address health and economic inequities exacerbated by the pandemic. The hearing’s panels featured all-Latina witnesses and included representatives from research and higher education, organized labor, and public health and health entities.

The hearing agenda is available here. A video recording of the hearing is available here.