LATINITAS
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Mission Statement
Latinitas is dedicated to empowering girls to innovate using media and technology, providing direct digital media and technology training and esteem-boosting services to nearly 3,000 girls and teens across Texas annually, 2,000 in Central and 1,000 more in West Texas. Latinitas has served over 33,000 girls and teens through after-school clubs, weekend workshops, teen internships, camps and conferences at 132 Texas schools, libraries, community and cultural centers, and public housing sites. Latinitas unique recipe of using culture and identity to explore complex technologies and overall STEM/STEAM learning, relevant and relatable mentors who reflect the population we serve and the latest in production styles and strategies has made Latinitas the only bilingual and bicultural tech education agency in Austin for 16 years, one of a handful nationally. Digital media and technology skills also transcend any career path right now - from medicine and engineering to social justice and finance, so essentially, Latinitas is cultivating the next generation of innovators, fortifying America’s technology industry pipeline with new and diverse voices.
About This Cause
Since 2002, Latinitas has been working with young girls of color to combat stereotypes in media and technology not only based in gender, but also in culture. Latinitas understands it takes more than advertising a coding class to get girls interested in tech and that the challenges of inclusivity in the tech sector is a real hurdle for girls and women of color. Latinitas has introduced elementary and advanced concepts in everything digital media production and publishing from podcasting, filmmaking and photography to graphic and web design, but also instruction in the latest in 2.0 technologies from drones to 3D printing to virtual and augmented reality and robotics as well as video game and app design. Forbes reported in 2014 that 41% of women leave computer science fields as a result of discrimination. Latinitas builds inclusivity not only through innovative lessons in STEM but by doing so through a media literacy lens that addresses stereotypes, social emotional learning, and self-advocacy. Having the mentors Latinitas does that truly reflect the community it serves has made it the only bilingual tech education agency in Austin, one of a handful nationwide and it’s working. 63% of girls who came to Latinitas last 3 Code Chica conferences had never had a coding lesson before in “Silicon Hills” nicknamed Austin. 9% of Latinitas alumni are exploring STEM in college, that’s 3% higher than the national average for girls, Latina or not. With just 1% of American engineers identifying as Latina, this is substantial. Latinitas serves Austin’s poorest community. Most girls don't leave the small radius of home, school and HEB - never stepping foot at UT Austin or SXSW. Latinitas has taken 100s of the city’s most isolated children to global technology centers: Dell, Facebook, Google, Indeed, Blackbaud, Dropbox, General Motors, Box, Fjord Austin, EA Sports and more - bridging the virtual and geographical tech divide in Austin. Latinitas’ origin was as the publisher of the first and only magazine of its kind, Latinitasmagazine.org made for and by Hispanic girls and teens: Online (25,000 monthly) and its own social media platform, MyLatinitas.com (1500 registered girl bloggers). The site continues to publish work by and for young Latinas, over 1600 articles to date and provide. The publications serve as an opportunity to not only address STEM skills in web development, design and digital media production, but also publishes stories and images of Latina girls and women succeeding in technology fields, non-traditional jobs and other ventures, capitalizing on media’s power to influence behaviors, reveal role models and validate youth of color, their culture and identity. For over 16 years, we have been way ahead of the culture shift taking place in Texas where a minority majority will dominate the census soon. Latinitas collaborates locally with Austin businesses, fellow non-profits and individuals interested in bridging gaps in education, empowerment and connectivity.