There is so much to love about May!
The weather is nicer! 🌞 The days are longer! 🌷 The flowers are blooming!
đź’— And we dedicate time to celebrate the important women in our lives.đź’—
In honor of Mother’s Day, we’d like to celebrate the amazing mothers and caregivers at Hanna
by sharing their stories and discussing the challenges women face in the workforce.
About Mother’s Day
Did you know that the ancient Greeks and Romans held festivals honoring mothers and motherhood? It began as a way to honor their mother goddesses Rhea and Cybele, respectively. In the Middle Ages, Christians would visit their mother church – which is the location of their baptism – on the fourth Sunday in Lent, referred to as “Mothering Sunday.” In the 19th century, the celebration was expanded in some parts of the world to include Mother Earth, the Virgin Mother (Mary, mother of Jesus), and all motherly figures.
In modern society, Mother’s Day is a secular celebration, meaning it no longer has a religious or spiritual basis. It is an opportunity for people to celebrate and honor the sacrifices women, mothers, guardians, and caregivers make to support and lift up those they love.
This Mother’s Day, we’d like to celebrate the mothers and caregivers at Hanna by telling their stories. But first, we’d like to share some information about mothers and women in the workforce.
Women in the Workforce
Approximately three-quarters of all women ages 25 – 54 (“prime-age women”) have returned to the workforce post-pandemic, with around 84% of those women working full-time. Despite women’s contributions to family, society, and the workforce, gender-related disparity in job prospects and salary between men and women still exists.
Prime-aged women experience 16% lower compensation than their male counterparts, and the inequity increases as women age. At some point in their lifetime, women will be 8 times more likely to hold caregiver responsibilities than men.
Hanna Interpreting Services is committed to equity in the workplace.
As a company policy, we affirm that men and women
in similar roles are hired at the same pay rate.
The number of mothers in the workforce is higher now than pre-pandemic (2019). While women with children (under age 18) have seen improvements in their employment situation, opportunities for women with children younger than five are disproportionately low.
At Hanna, we offer our full-time employees a flexible schedule that includes
hybrid, remote, and split-shift opportunities. We believe this supports
a healthy balance between work and family obligations.
Estefa’s Story
Estefa became a mother in 2019, prior to joining Hanna.
“It was one of the most exciting, wonderful, complex, and challenging experiences of my life.”
Estefa returned to work her beautiful daughter Oliva turned six. Struggling to find childcare, Estefa’s manager at the time was understanding and allowed Estefa flexibility to care for her daughter and stay on as an employee. When the pandemic hit, Estefa was challenged with job loss and her daughter’s significant health issues. With government benefits, Estefa was able to get medical care for Olivia including a life-saving surgery.
“After two years of enjoying time with my baby, I had to look for work again to ensure our financial stability. I found a remote job working with a covid testing agency. I had to learn to balance work and entertaining Olivia simultaneously. Thankfully I was able to master being a mom and working at the same time.”
When she experienced job loss again after Covid, it was a challenge for Estefa to find a job that accommodated being the primary caregiver of a daughter with health needs.
While working at Hanna, Estefa has the flexibility to care for her daughter while working with a company she believes in.
“I eventually found Hanna, which allowed me to spend time with her. This job has a purpose and culture that I find fulfilling, and I’m grateful to work for such an organization. Being a mom is the most beautiful gift I could ever have. Despite the difficulties, I learned so much and I wouldn’t change a thing. And having a job also gives me a sense of purpose which helps me immensely with my self-esteem.”
Jessica’s Story
Jessica is an expat living in Mexico with her children, who are Mexican-American.
“Being a single mother is never easy, and it can be particularly challenging in a foreign country.”
Jessica shared that she has at times experienced a sense of dislocation or isolation, especially since she doesn’t have a strong support network in the area.
“It was still hard facing the cultural barriers at first, but speaking Spanish helps.”
Jessica created a home environment where both English and Spanish are spoken. She finds that a bilingual home is an incredibly enriching experience for herself and her children.
Providing for her children and creating a loving environment is Jessica’s main priority. Being a single mother can be tough, but Jessica relies on her resilience and dedication to make things work. She must balance her family obligations, career aspirations, and educational endeavors. Her job Hanna will make things a bit easier, as she’s able to spend most of her time working from home.
Hanna’s hybrid model allows Jessica to work from home three weeks each month so she can be with her kids more.
“Being able to spend more time with my children will undoubtedly be a huge relief, and it will also allow me to be more present in their school activities which are numerous in Mexico. I will finally be able to find some balance between my work and personal life. I would like to think that my experience can be a testament to the strength and determination of single mothers everywhere and that our children will no doubt benefit from all of our hard work and perseverance.”
Other May Celebrations: Cinco de Mayo | Star Wars Day | May Day | World Bee Day | Running of the Roses | The Kentucky Derbey | Memorial Day | National Bike Week | National Police Week | Nurse’s Week | Wildflower Week | National Bike Week | Be Kind to Animals Week | Emergency Medical Services Week | Asian American Month | Foster Care Month | Lupus Awareness Month | Older American Month | Pacific Island Heritage Month | National National Barbecue Month | National Bike Month | National Blood Pressure Month | National Hamburger Month | National Photograph Month | National Recommitment Month | National Salad Month
Author’s Note: Fact sheet: The State of women in the labor market in 2023 was accessed via the Center for American Progress website as a resource for workforce statistics. Mother’s Day 2023 (History.com) and Mothering Sunday (Wikipedia) were used as resources for the historical content. Special thanks to Estefa and Jessica for sharing their stories!
