Latinas in Tech aims at mentoring and empowering women in STEM

Helping build community, Latinas in Tech, aims at empowering women in the industry to achieve greatness and see themselves represented. 

Latinas in Tech,  a nonprofit organization with the aim to create a tech industry where Latinas are well-represented, has been able to grow its membership with three pillars at the forefront of its mission: professional development, recruiting and mentorship. What started off in Silicon Valley in 2014 has since grown to cities around the world. 

Lourdes Murillo, a current Latinas in Tech L.A. chapter leader and senior program manager at Meta, joined the organization after craving a sense of community. Murillo said that dealing with imposter syndrome is difficult but Latinas in Tech has allowed her to feel uplifted.

“I think these organizations are not only where you can make friends, but if you need a sense of hope, or an example or anything, I think that this is a place where you could get that,” Murillo said.

Growing up in Compton, Murillo said that she felt her imagination was limited based on her environment but has always been determined to be successful, no matter what. 

Murillo remembered when she first got involved with Latinas in Tech and how welcomed she felt from her first interaction. 

“I remember I walked in and there was this lady who has been like a technical recruiter for a long time and she kind of took me under her wing,” Murillo said. “It made such an impact in my career to be able to have [a] kind of guardianship.”

She has worked for places like Hulu and Meta, moving her way up while helping mentor younger women. Murillo believes it is important to motivate younger generations and provide examples for them to look up to. 

Co-founder and executive director, Rocío Van Nierop, has dedicated her career to advocating for more representation throughout the industry, especially in leadership roles. 

According to a Latinas in Tech annual report, only 3% of Latinas in the tech industry hold an executive-level position. 

Latinas in Tech has different chapters across the country that host different events that bring together Latinas across the entire tech ecosystem. 

One of their biggest events is their Latinas in Tech Summit. At the summit, taking place May 16 and 17, Latina leaders from across the tech world participate in a variety of workshops, panels and exhibits. This year’s keynote speakers are Karla Souza and Joanna Peña-Bickley. 

L.A. chapter leader, Julissa Rivera, said that the part she’s looking forward to the most at the summit is connecting with new people. She said that even though she tends to be more introverted, she likes building new connections with others. 

“I’m a firm believer that you always learn something from everyone,” Rivera said. “Whenever you go out to these, ensure that you are able to make a connection with someone new.”

Rivera is a cybersecurity engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and an adjunct professor at East L.A. College. She grew up in Compton and said that her interest in STEM came from two of her middle school teachers. 

In college, Rivera said she was often one of the only Latinas and women in many of her engineering classes. After being in the industry for some time she wanted to find other Latinas to network with. 

She joined Latinas in Tech and has been able to not only help others but also grow herself. She said being involved has pushed her to put herself out there and share some of her knowledge based on her experiences. 

Both Murillo and Rivera said that they believe the work that Latinas in Tech is doing is crucial. They both grew up in Compton and said that exposing younger children to different career options from a young age can have a big impact on their future. 

“If you feel like you belong somewhere, whether that be in corporate America or whatever, then go for it,” Murillo said.