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This (Virtual) Conference Aims At Closing Gaps For Latinos In The Tech World
(Photo by Christina @wocintechchat.com via Unsplash)
Latinos may be a dominate force in labor, consumer spending and the U.S. population but they are largely left behind by the tech industry. That digital divide is fueling an effort to close the gap.
The annual LTX Fest — virtual this year due to the pandemic — wants to remove barriers for Latinos to the rapidly growing tech industry. Organizers say that means:
- Encouraging interest in STEM majors
- Creating systemic change among tech companies to hire and promote Latinos
- Clearing a path for entrepreneurship
Lilibeth Gangas, a founding member of the conference, says there must also be digital equity:
"But if you don't have access what's happening, right? And so that can create a disparity between the communities that have already been suffering from all of these barriers and racism."
When it comes to the tech world, LTX Fest organizers said Latinos "are the least represented demographic in technology, totaling just 8% percent of the total high-tech workforce and 3% of tech leadership, despite being the country’s largest ethnic community."
Thank you @LTXFest for doing so much for the comunidad pic.twitter.com/87RODjDr1Q
— J Ferreyra (@thehomiechuy) October 14, 2020
Last year, when the conference was held in-person in San Franciso, organizers said more than 1,300 members attended.
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Today is the third of four days of panels for this year's virtual LTX Fest.
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