SAN DIEGO — A local group of successful Latinas is working to inspire more women to join the tech industry.
Being a Latina in tech brings resourcefulness and strength to the industry.
“I’ve always loved tech; I’ve always had an affinity for tech. And I was always trying to figure out how do I break into tech,” said Claudia Huerta, Vice President of Business Engagement San Diego Workforce Partnership.
One of the founders of Latinas in Tech San Diego said she had to break barriers to get in the tech industry.
“There are times where I’ve felt the stereotype, 'are you techie enough to be in tech or not.' And so really having to break those barriers, and show them that I do know tech and that I have what it takes to be in that space,” said Huerta.
The National Latina Business Women Association reports that despite Latinas being 45% of San Diego County’s female population, there’s a huge disparity locally and nationally.
“There’s about 2%, right now of Latinas that are in technology, 28% right now are women,” said Tina Searcy, Regional Manager Customer Success, Linewize by Qoria. “There’s a huge, huge need.”
She leaned on Latinas in Tech, a national non-profit that empowers and connects women of color in the industry.
She discovered there wasn’t a chapter in San Diego County that has a 30% Latino population and is a world leader in tech innovation.
That’s when Searcy and other successful Latinas got together and founded Latinas in Tech San Diego chapter, which officially launches this Friday at Mujeres Brewing.
“We want to create a support system for other Latinas so that they can access opportunities to commensurate about some of the challenges that they feel and like, uplift each other, so that we can build some bridges,” said Huerta.
Cristina Madrigal says wants to build more opportunities in the multi-faceted tech industry.
“I work with our engineering team and our legal team and, but I don’t code," said Cristina Madrigal, Senior Operations Analyst, Verizon.
Whether it's marketing, sales, customer service, there’s a tech role for every Latina.
“I think there’s also a myth that if you’re not techie, or if you don’t code that maybe tech isn’t for you. And that’s just simply not the truth,” said Huerta.
What these Latinas do know is that they can find strength in each other to help blaze a trail in tech.
“We’re going to break that barrier to be able to see more Latina women being represented in technology where we are no longer the minority,” said Searcy.
To learn more about becoming a member of Latinas in Tech or sponsoring or program visit Latinas in Tech.
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