Here is a brief round-up of information and news that crossed NCWIT’s radar recently and which we think will be of interest to you. The practices or content of the news gathered (while not endorsed or vetted by NCWIT) is meant to spark new conversations and ideas surrounding the current diversity statistics and trends in the tech workforce. We encourage you to add your two cents on this month’s topics in the comments below.
Did You Know NCWIT is Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month 2021?
National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 through October 15) honors the contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans and celebrates cultural heritage rooted in all Latin American countries. NCWIT and its member organizations offer a variety of ways to get involved.
Follow @NCWIT, @TECHNOLOchicas, and #HispanicHeritageMonth on Twitter for updates, highlights, and more.
NCWIT Events
TECHNOLOchicas: Transforming the T in STEM // Tuesday, October 5, 2021, from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. PT // Online
Join National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) as we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with TECHNOLOchicas. Participants will learn about opportunities and resources to support and enhance STEM education for Hispanic and Latina women and girls.
Journey into Tech: The Latinx Experience with Walmart and TECHNOLOchicas // Wednesday, October 6, 2021, 4:00 to 5:30 MT // Online
Join Walmart and TECHNOLOchicas for an interactive panel where you’ll have the opportunity to hear a variety of Latinx voices on what it’s like to journey into tech. Senior Software Engineer Adriana Fuentes, Senior Director of Information Security Fernando Martinez, and TECHNOLOchicas Ambassador and Computing Alliance of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (CAHSI) Scholar Bianca Alvarez will share the ups and downs of their journeys as well as advice on how to make the most of your own journey.
Events Hosted by NCWIT Member Organizations
The National Science Foundation’s Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI Program) September Speaker Series // All Wednesdays in September 2021, from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. ET // Online
Throughout September, the HSI Program, which is co-managed by the National Science Foundation’s Division of Undergraduate Education and the Division of Human Resource Development, offered a month-long speaker series highlighting current research from the HSI community. The final installment in this free series, focusing on “Voces (Voices) from the Community,” takes place on September 29. (Don’t have time to tune in? Stay tuned: replays of all four sessions will be available in October.)
Instagram Takeover
On Friday, October 15, NASA Engineers and TECHNOLOchicas Ambassadors Alma Tapia and Diana Trujillo will take over the official TECHNOLOchicas Instagram account and give viewers a peek into their daily lives as Latinas in the space exploration field. Be sure to follow @TECHNOLOchicas and tune in to that day’s stories!
Get Involved with TECHNOLOchicas
There are many opportunities to stay involved and support Latinas in technology, all year round. Here are a few ways to connect with TECHNOLOchicas:
- Follow TECHNOLOchicas on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram for inspiring stories of Latinas in tech, updates about TECHNOLOchicas events, and resources to support your efforts to make the computing field more inclusive for all.
- Invite the TECHNOLOchicas to your school! Ambassadors can facilitate workshops, share about their own educational and career journeys, and answer students’ questions about what it’s like to work in the tech field. Use the online contact form to set up an in-person or virtual visit.
- If you’re a Latina who is studying or working in a tech field, and passionate about encouraging younger students to get involved in computing, consider becoming a TECHNOLOchicas Ambassador. Just go here to let us know you’re interested.
- Encourage Latinas to get involved with the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Community. Use this sharing kit to spread the word about opportunities for high school and college students to apply for the #NCWITAiC22 Awards and win recognition and funding. And, watch for opportunities to be a volunteer application reviewer, coming later this fall.
Follow @NCWIT, @TECHNOLOchicas, and #HispanicHeritageMonth on Twitter for updates, highlights, and more.