If you have recently been on social media, you’re probably aware of the fact that Hispanic women are redefining confidence and empowerment for a new generation. They continue to set new standards and break barriers across music, fashion, and activism. They create trends, lead movements, and influence the world in ways never seen before. Meet 5 incredible and powerful women who have been changing the game with talent, purpose, and ambitious energy.
1. Paris Rodriguez
Paris is a Colombian designer whose brand includes ready-to-wear, activewear, and couture. She not only uses her designs for celebrities, but also uses her platform to empower other women entrepreneurs. She’s known for featuring women entrepreneurs walking her runway along with models at New York Fashion Week. She also launched a program called “Emprende Hoy” that aims to help Latinas with entrepreneurship, capital access, and business education. She inspires people by using fashion to empower women’s voices, dreams, and economic agency.
2. Shakira
Shakira is one of the few artists of our time who represent fortitude and reinterpretation. In 2025, she once again reminded everyone of the global icon she is by winning a Grammy for Best Latin Pop Album with her album “Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran.” It is an empowering record that celebrates independence, emotional growth, and self-worth. Shakira shows women that it’s okay to be both vulnerable and powerful through her music. Besides her successful music career and the messages she sends along with it, she uses her platforms to help support others, as well, whether it’s through her commitment to education, her support of culture, or her bold authenticity. Although Shakira has done more than just stay relevant after two decades. She shows other women how to rise and change, and she encourages them to do the same.
3. Becky G
Becky G has always been evolving, and 2025 has shown her that it’s only the beginning. She debuted her inspiring documentary, Rebecca, at the Tribeca Film Festival this year. She showed who she is, how she has changed, and how she feels connected to her Mexican background. The documentary demonstrated the artist’s transformation from pop phenomenon to cultural storyteller, exposing a more fragile side of her. The documentary demonstrated the artist’s transformation from pop phenomenon to cultural storyteller, exposing a more fragile side of her. She and Manuel Turizo released their hit song “Qué Haces” around the same time, combining pop and Latin rhythms to honor her heritage and appeal to a worldwide audience. Beyond music, Becky has branched out into lifestyle projects, such as a brand of home goods that she co-founded with her mother and that celebrates the vibrancy and warmth of Latin culture. She continues to encourage young women to be proud of their heritage and identity through every task. In addition to creating music, Becky G is leaving a legacy of self-respect, family, and independence.
4. Joy Huerta
Joy Huerta’s voice has always impacted audiences, but this year, she demonstrated that it can also change the course of history. Joy, who is most recognized for being a member of the popular duo Jesse & Joy, stole the show this year with her work on Real Women Have Curves’ original score, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. It showcases her talent for using song to express personal experiences while combining her Latin heritage with Broadway’s broad culture of theater. The nomination is a moment of recognition, demonstrating how Latina artists can flourish and create in industries where they have been marginalized. Besides her songs, Joy has used her popularity to encourage others to embrace their own lives and has been an advocate for self-compassion and honesty. Her achievements show that passion and skills are limitless and that following your ambitions can impact your life in many ways.
5. carolina contreras
Carolina Contreras, the creator of Miss Rizos, shows that there is so much more to beauty than what we see with our eyes. She empowers people to see the beauty in other things, such as self-worth, heritage, and community. She co-founded one of the first hair care brands made for Afro-Latinas. She expressed herself through her business, and it evolved into empowerment. She owns salons in San Diego and New York City. Women embrace their natural curls in these salons and defy conventional Latin beauty standards. Miss Rizos’s product line grew and became one of the first Dominican-founded brands to be sold in Sephora in 2025. Carolina empowers women through her work and achievements, and inspires those who have been insecure about their hair to embrace their natural hair instead of hiding who they are to blend in with others. She reminds women that their natural beauty is something to show off and celebrate. Carolina is a representation of what happens when one follows their passions and goals, and she continues to do so by inspiring women to love themselves just the way they are.
These five women are just a few of the many inspiring women we see in the media every day. They remind us that empowerment comes in many different forms. Many women show us that success does not only come from getting recognition or breaking records. It comes from breaking barriers. They demonstrate the importance of being proud of who you are and where you come from. As we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, let’s commemorate the inspiring women around us who pursue their passions, empower others, and change the world around us every day.