Closed Borders, Closed Hearts: Systemic Oppression of Latinas in U.S. Politics: Fronteras Cerradas, Corazones Cerrados Opresión sistémica de la Gente de Latinx en la Política Estadounidense

This is Part 1 of a 2-part special edition of Peace and Conflict: The Journal of Peace Psychology, entitled "The Challenge of Being Latina: Personal, Political, and Economic: Social Justice Edition." In this introduction, we introduce the journal and provide a background on the unique intersection of race, sex, and socioeconomic status in which Latinas inhabit. Further, we explore the impact of the Trump presidency, including discussion of coded racist language, twitter "bluster," media bias, "The Wall," the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement office, and the impact this has had on the Latinx people's opinions about their place in the United States. Public Significance Statement Latinas sit at the cross section of two minority statuses, which can be further complicated by issues of class and immigration. This special edition examines the difficulties Latinas face through a lens of structural and systemic violence. We aim to highlight both the challenges and triumphs of Latinas, while attending to the larger sociopolitical context that impacts the entire Latinx population.