Latinos Are Powering the U.S. Economy—Now It’s Time to Power Your Wealth

Let me break this down simply: Latinos are no longer the “sleeping giant” of the U.S. economy. We are wide awake—and we are driving the future of America’s prosperity.

The latest data from the Hispanic Star team blew me away—and I want you to hear it straight from me. As someone who has spent decades helping Latino families build wealth, protect their assets, and shift mindsets, I can tell you that the time is now to own our power.

The research reported that the Latino economic power totals $4.1 trillion, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into wealth and power. I talked about on my episode of Wealth Gap Warriors with Latino Leadership Institute leadership Joelle Martinez, CEO, and Harry Hollines, Chief Development Officer, we need to translate that economic power to sustaining wealth. 

You might have heard me say it, but the real Golden Rule is he who has the gold rules. That’s why the current administration is so emboldened to implement policies that are harmful to our communities—because we haven’t translated that economic power to wealth and power for the whole community. 

More Than Just Numbers—This Is About Power

In 2019, the size of the Latino economy was $1.6 trillion. Today? It’s $4.1 trillion. If we were our own country, we’d be the fifth largest economy in the world. By 2029, we’re projected to be the fourth.

Let that sink in: While some are still overlooking us, we are outpacing the economic growth of China and India—and far surpassing the general U.S. economy. Latinos are the number one growth engine in America. 

What does this mean for you and your family?

It means we can no longer afford to think small. It’s time to build wealth intentionally and to protect the assets we work so hard for, and we need to plan for many years and for future generations. Consider these statistics from the Hispanic Star: 

• 85% of net new workers in the last five years were Latino.
• Latinos are starting businesses faster than any other group in the U.S.
• We’re buying more, living longer, and building generational power.

And we’re doing this despite being underpaid and underserved.

We’re young, too. The median age for Latinos is significantly lower than other demographics, meaning our community is young and positioned to drive consumption and innovation for decades to come. The average Latino consumer has 12 more years of spending power than their non-Latino peers. That’s a wake-up call for us to be more intentional about turning that spending power into generational wealth. 

So What Do We Do With This?

We take our seat at the table—starting at our own kitchen tables.

• Educate yourself on your finances. Know where your money is going and how to make it work for you.
• Start building wealth, even if it’s one step at a time. Start where you are. Open that retirement account and start with consistently putting away as much as you can every pay period. Start that side hustle. 
• Protect what you’ve earned. Estate planning and asset protection are not just for the wealthy—they’re for the wise.

The economic uncertainty we’re all feeling? The volatility? It’s real. But so is the opportunity. We can no longer wait for someone else to see our value—we need to build the case for ourselves, for our families, and for our communities.

Let’s Shift the Narrative

This isn’t about pride. It’s about progress. It’s about rewriting the story of what Latino wealth can look like in America. And we need more voices, more leaders, more everyday families stepping into that story.

We are not just the future—we are the now. And with the right tools, mindset, and community, we can transform this $4.1 trillion spending engine into personal, generational, and collective wealth.

Let’s go build what’s ours. If you have questions on how to get started, email me at info@louisbarajas.com. 

Want to see the full Hispanic Opportunity Toolkit mentioned in this post? Visit HispanicStar.org/toolkit.