"Me Cuesta Mucho": Latina Immigrant Mothers Navigating Remote Learning and Caregiving During COVID-19

• In Event: Families and Children Navigating During COVID-19

Abstract

From the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic in March 2021, Latina immigrant women lost jobs at a higher rate than almost any other demographic group. For those with children at home, the pandemic swiftly destroyed the precarious care arrangements that enable low-income immigrant women to participate in the labor force. In this article, we explore the consequences of the pandemic on Latina immigrant mothers, revealing their efforts to renegotiate caregiving responsibilities at home and their roles as economic providers, while navigating an ever-shifting policy landscape of school closures and re-openings. Our research demonstrates mothers’ resilience as the pandemic unfolded while pointing to schools’ responsibilities to support immigrant families’ well-being in the wake of the intertwined health and economic crises.

Authors

• Sarah Bruhn, Harvard University

• Gabrielle Oliveira, Harvard University