Latinas In Tech - Moving The Needle Towards Diversity & Inclusion
Self-identifying Latinas in tech make up only 1% of the technology workforce at large technology corporations like Google, Facebook, Twitter, to name a few. That is a diversity stat, we have to change. This is why organizations like Latinas in Tech are imperative to the diversity and inclusion conversation.
As Cecilia Corral co-Founder & VP of Product of CareMessage noted and set the record straight with a list, “Latinas often fall through the cracks” in the ‘women’ and ‘women of color’ categories based on our names and skin color – you can’t tell who we are so we are easily forgotten. Not visible. Cecilia is right, the tendency for us to walk into a room and seek out ‘Latinos’, could be difficult. What we must do is put each other on the radar of others, support Latinx businesses as consumers and/or employees. Your future boss could be Latina – at the fast rate we’re building businesses.
Lastly, the black and brown communities need to be innovators, be the technologists employed at technology companies, where the highest-paid wages are now. It is a myth that you have to become a ‘coder’, you can definitely strive for this top-earning career path. Other desired skill sets are needed in the tech industry too including marketing, design, business development and customer service – all transferable skill sets. So how does one get started to join one of these fabulous technology companies, be part of an early stage and/or startup team?
In 2014, Gretel Perera and Rocío Medina, two ‘Latinas In Tech’ gathered and invited a handful of others for Happy Hour informal meetups in the Silicon Valley. Gretel and Rocio recognized a need for community and support and how it was lacking for Latinas. Soon enough, they experienced event demand, outgrowing the bars and restaurants. Fast forward four years and many meetups later, a much bigger meetup, an inaugural 2017 Latinas In Tech Silicon Valley Summit brought the community together with an impressive speaker roster of top Latinas in tech. Latinas In Tech’s (LiT) grander vision– to become a leading non-profit organization built to connect, support, empower Latinas who want a career path in technology or already working in tech.
“Latinas in Tech’s mission aligns perfectly with Comcast’s commitment to investing our resources in ways that help communities realize the transformative potential of media and technology to solve problems, improve lives and to create opportunity. Comcast is proud to partner and invest in Latinas in Tech for their ongoing strategic focus on empowering and educating Latinas,” said John Gauder, Regional Vice President of Comcast’s California region. “We believe this investment will help create a more diverse workforce in the technology industry .”
So if you are a Latina seeking a career in tech or already in tech, join up with over 2000 nationwide, like-minded Latinas breaking barriers in the technology industry.