Since 2017 Latinas in Tech have hosted their annual conference Latinas in Tech Summit, the largest gathering of Latina professionals in technology. Latinas in Tech is a non-profit organization with the aim to connect, support, and empower Latina women working in tech. They work hand in hand with top technology companies to create safe spaces for learning, mentorship, and recruitment for Latinas in the technological field.
This year’s summit, Leading with Purpose, will reunite virtually more than 2,000 Latina technologists, business leaders, philanthropists, investors, developers, innovators, designers, and content creators from May 18th to 20th. This conference aims to explore the state of Latina leadership in tech, bridging disparities, breaking down barriers, and providing resources and opportunities for Latinas to thrive, innovate and lead in tech (Jimenez, 2022).
According to the article “Latinas in Tech – Moving the Needle Towards Diversity & Inclusion” self-identifying Latinas make up only 1% of the workforce at large technology corporations like Google, Facebook, and Twitter, to name a few. Organizations like Latinas in Tech are changing the statistic by hosting events and conferences to gather the Latina population in the tech industry to increase numbers.
During the annual conference of Latinas in Tech, it will include the 2nd edition of their Tech Startup Competition, as a response to the capital gap that Latinas encounter. A recent report from Bain & Co. found that in spite of their rapid growth, Latino-owned businesses are not getting their fair share of capital from the investment community. The Latinas in Tech Startup Competition is aimed at supporting the Latina tech founders ecosystem by awarding non-dilutive cash prizes of $20K, $10K, and $5K to its top three winners (Latinas in Tech, 2020).
The 3-day online conference is sponsored by Comcast, Intuit, Salesforce, Cisco, Google A, among others, and will include pre-recorded and live online streaming sessions featuring more than 40 speakers, community and technology leaders such as Dolores Huerta, Iris Castro, Kim Rivera, Mariana Matus, along with other Latinx experts. The conference program will hold multiple workshops including a special track designed for senior employees looking to grow to Executive Director positions, ERG leaders, and members striving to drive their ERG towards excellence (Jimenez, 2022).
By recognizing the need for diversity and inclusion in the tech field, Latinas in Tech help bridge the gap of Latina women in the field by promoting a summit where those in the field can share their experience and mentor other Latinas starting/ or interested in pursuing a career in tech.
For more information about Latinas in Tech Summit 2022, visit https://latinasintechsummit.org/press
Work Cited:
Jimenez, P. (2022, April 14). Latinas in Tech Summit 2022 will bring Latinas representing 758 different companies, to connect and join industry leaders, and the most powerful network. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/latinas-in-tech-summit-2022-will-bring-latinas-representing-758-different-companies-to-connect-and-join-industry-leaders-and-the-most-powerful-network-301526209.html
Latinas in tech – moving the needle towards Diversity & Inclusion. BoldLatina. (2020, January 15). Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://boldlatina.com/latinas-in-tech-one-bold-organization-moving-the-needle-towards-diversity-inclusion/
