Send Latinx Speakers to SXSW
It’s that time of year to vote on what SXSW panels are making it to the conference next year. SXSW attracts tens of thousands of influencers to Austin each year to learn the latest in trends and technology, so even for those of us who aren’t attending, voting to make sure Latinx in tech are adequately represented helps us all.
Each year, people submit panels to be featured at SXSW and the public votes on the most relevant panels for that year. I’ve gathered some of the most interesting panels featuring Latinx in tech, but there’s plenty more.
If you see another panel worth including here, email me at [email protected].
The myth-busters and diversity all-stars
Several technology companies have blamed their poor diversity numbers on a lack of available candidates and “pipeline problems”. CODE2040 is teaming with Pandora, Management of Leadership for Tomorrow, and technology journalist, Salvador Rodriguez, to bust that myth wide open.
Vote for Myth Busters: The Not-So-Broken Pipeline
CODE2040 isn’t stopping at the pipeline myth. Karla Monterroso and Github’s Danilo Campos will be talking about how the technical interview can introduce bias that excludes groups from tech.
Vote for The Technical Interview, Bias, and What We Learned
Once employers have rejected the pipeline myth and want more feedback on improving their technical interviews, Udacity’s Ana Diaz-Hernandez is ready with a presentation on hiring technical staff with techniques that work and won’t negatively impact a company’s diversity.
Vote for Science or Art? The Alchemy Behind Tech Hiring
Another related panel, Dev Bootcamp is part of a panel with other training camps and technology companies on non-traditional paths into the technology industry and how coding boot camps can diversify tech.
Vote for Hacking the Traditional Tech Talent Pipeline
Latinx entrepreneurs
The Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative is hosting a panel on how they’re helping Latino business owners scale. Although Latino-owned businesses grow at a faster pace than non-Latino owned ones, they lack access to the same venture capital available to other businesses. SLEI is partnering with other entrepreneurs to discuss programs to help them succeed.
Vote for Latino Entrepreneurs’ Opportunities
Education panels
SXSW also has a separate conference SXSWedu focused on education issues. There’s a few panels on promoting role models for Latinas in tech and encouraging more women of color to pursue STEM fields that look interesting.
Vote for STEM Volunteers? Latina SciGirls, FabFems & More
Vote for Beyond Black/ Brown Girl Magic: Diversity Reloaded
Awesome Latinas in Tech
There’s also a few panels with notable Latinas speakers. The women who organize the Latinas y Brasileiras in Tech group are leading a panel on being Latinas in Tech.
Vote for Latinas in Silicon Valley: A Force in Tech Talent
Sara Inés Calderón is also doing a panel on accessibility and inclusion. She’s a Latina web developer, writer and editor of Más Wired.
Vote for Baking Inclusivity & Accessibility Into Software
Zhalisa Clarke at Udacity is doing a panel on how companies and people can start investing in skills in new emerging fields like the Internet of Things, Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.
Vote for IoT, VR & AI, Oh My! The Impending Tech Skills Gap
Bonus panel: Latinas in zines
This one isn’t really about tech, but looks amazing anyway. St. Sucia is a San Antonio-based Latina print zine making space of Latina writers. Their panel is all about how zines claim space for marginalized stories that need to be told.