OAKLAND, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than 4,000 Latinx technologists, business leaders, philanthropists, investors, developers, innovators, designers and content creators will convene virtually during LTX Fest 2020, the largest gathering of Latinx professionals in technology. Organized by the Kapor Center, Latinas in Tech, LA Collab, Outco, LatinxVC, Latino Community Foundation, 3Lopez and Techqueria, the four-day conference will take place from October 13-16, 2020 through interactive networking, pre-recorded and live online streaming sessions featuring more than 70 speakers, community and technology leaders such as actor, activist and director America Ferrera, Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti, influential journalist Paola Ramos, investors Adeyemi Ajao and Miriam Rivera, digital media and cultural leader Beatriz Acevedo and many more.
As many Latinx bear the brunt of COVID-19 – a crisis that has amplified painful inequalities such as access to healthcare, remote work and broadband – LTX Fest provides an innovative space to unite and help the community move forward. And as the United States approaches a critical election, this timely conference will also address issues of Latinx-centered equity and inclusion. For the first time, over 32 million Latinos are eligible to vote this November making them the largest racial or ethnic group in a U.S. presidential election.
Latinx are the least represented demographic in technology, totaling just eight percent of the total high-tech workforce and three percent of tech leadership, despite being the country’s largest ethnic community. And their purchasing power is expected to reach 1.9 trillion by 2023. This representation gap will continue to widen if not addressed, compounding other Latinx equity gaps. LTX Fest was founded in 2017 in response to these issues, with last year’s in-person annual conference bringing together more than 1,300 members.
“A career in technology changed my life – providing upward mobility and an opportunity to help shape the future. However, for technology to advance, Latinx must collectively be represented across the entire ecosystem – from creators, to designers, to investors, and owners,” said Lili Gangas, Chief Technology Community Officer of the Kapor Center. “Come October, LTX Fest will mobilize thousands of Latinx to unlock technology’s transformative power, to create a space for innovation and skill building, to advance our professional lives as well as civic engagement during this important election year.”
LTX Fest Highlights
Expanding on the groundwork laid by previous conferences, LTX Fest continues to work toward Latinx parity in tech. The conference will tackle representation issues by connecting, supporting and empowering the Latinx tech community through four days of themed sessions.
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October 13: Honor Our Culture
LTX Fest kicks off with a look at the state of Latinx across industries while also celebrating the diversity and complexity of the community. Day One explores topics like “Cultural Connectivity,” “Our Time in Media, Tech, and Entertainment,” as well as “LatinX – The Intersection of US” featuring speakers such as Doris Munoz (Solidarity for Sanctuary’s Founder & Executive Director), James Loduca (Twitter’s Senior Director of Global Inclusion & Diversity), Irma Olguin (Bitwise Industries’ Co-Founder & CEO), and Paola Ramos (Host/Correspondent/Contributor of VICE, Telemundo, MSNBC). -
October 14: Transform
Latinx talent continues to redefine and innovate the tech industry across sectors. Starting with a keynote address on building a multimillion-dollar company from Elias Torres, founder and Chief Technology Officer of Drift. Day Two features speakers in business, technical and leadership roles discussing the Latinx impact and best practices for tech. Other sessions include technical interview training, the path to becoming an engineering leader, and the business of tech. -
October 15: Elevate
The entrepreneurship-focused Day Three begins with a discussion on improving investment diversity from VC leaders Tom Chavez, Miriam Rivera, Adeyemi Ajao and Carolina Huaranca. Attendees will workshop their startup pitches, discover funding options, and learn about untapped opportunities before ending the day with the El Poder del Pitch Competition Finale with cash prizes totaling $25,000. -
October 16: Change in Action
With the presidential election fast approaching, the final day of LTX Fest will empower the Latinx community to exercise its power and make its voice heard. Cristina Jimenez, co-founder of United We Dream and a USA TODAY Woman of the Century, will deliver a keynote address on the urgency to fight for immigration rights and how to get involved. Other sessions include discussions on the power of Latinx voters, action steps for the rest of 2020, and long-term community strategies over the next 10 years. -
Interactive Networking Opportunities
Thanks to LTX Fest’s virtual networking platform leveraging AI-powered matchmaking tools, attendees will benefit from enhanced networking opportunities at the conference. Registered attendees will receive notifications to log into the platform to customize their own unique conference experience, such as choosing specific sessions to attend and to request one-on-one meetings with one another, or with speakers and more.
REGISTRATION & CONFERENCE AGENDA INFORMATION
LTX Fest is FREE to attend. To register online, obtain agenda information, or for more information about LTX Fest 2020, please visit ltxfest.com.
MEDIA REGISTRATION
LTX Fest welcomes media who are employed by accredited news organizations to apply for media credentials to cover the event, to request for media interviews, or to attend media-only events.
PRE-CONFERENCE ZOOM MEDIA BRIEFING
The media will be invited to join a pre-conference Zoom media briefing hosted by LTX Fest organizers and select speakers. The briefing is scheduled for Wednesday, October 7th, 2020, at 10:30 a.m. PT/1:30 p.m. ET and will address the main themes, trends and conversations around the key topics to watch for at LTX Fest 2020. To register for the briefing and/or the conference, or to request media interviews with event organizers and speakers, please click here.
CONFERENCE SPONSORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS
LTX Fest 2020’s founding sponsors include Comcast NBCUniversal and the Kapor Center. Other top sponsors include Twitter and Splunk Inc, Google.org, Silicon Valley Bank, Zendesk, VMware, Square, XPRIZE and New Profit. Additional community partners include but are not limited to Black and Brown Founders, Voto Latino, SHPE, Pop-Up Magazine, and DigitalNest. The full list of sponsors and community partners can be viewed here.
ABOUT LTX FEST
LTX Fest, the largest annual conference and gathering of Latinx professionals in technology, was founded in 2017 in response to the growing need for a centralized platform for the Latinx technology community. This year, in partnership, organizations such as Kapor Center, Latinas in Tech, LA Collab, Latino Community Foundation, LatinxVC, Outco, 3Lopez and Techqueria came together to design this unique and timely digital experience. LTX Fest strives to bring together thousands of Latinx professionals to network, learn and create opportunities for the Latinx community while building collective power and pushing the tech industry forward. For more information, visit ltxfest.com.
