The gathering comes as new research highlights a stark divide<\/a> between Latinas\u2019 contributions to Silicon Valley and their access to its economic opportunities. A preliminary Health and Wealth of Latinas in Silicon Valley report<\/a> found that Latinas make up more than 327,000 women in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties and have a 64% labor force participation rate \u2014 the highest among women in the region \u2014 but just 3% work in computer, engineering and science occupations. Nearly half work in service or office-support positions.<\/p>\n \u201cWe aren\u2019t just consumers of this technology,\u201d Gabby Chavez-Lopez, executive director of the Latina Coalition of Silicon Valley<\/a>, told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cAre we going to be beneficiaries of that wealth that\u2019s created? Are we going to be owners of some of these technologies? Are we going to be CEOs of these companies? Are we going to be the workforce?\u201d<\/p>\n Those questions reflect a broader concern raised throughout the conference: Latino communities are deeply connected to Silicon Valley\u2019s economy, but remain largely absent<\/a> from many of its highest-paying industries and leadership positions.<\/p>\n The preliminary report found that Latinas earn a median $21 per hour in Silicon Valley, compared with $38 for the region overall. Even among Latinas with a bachelor\u2019s degree or higher, the median hourly wage is $38, compared with $62 for college educated workers across the region.<\/p>\n Panelists said closing that gap will require investments beyond technology, including philanthropy, education and leadership development.<\/p>\n Moses Zapien, executive vice president of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation, said the foundation\u2019s LatinXCEL Fund<\/a> is designed to provide unrestricted, multiyear funding and leadership support to Latino-led organizations.<\/p>\n \u201cWe recognize that if we don\u2019t invest in Latino-led organizations, there\u2019s so much that will be lost,\u201d Zapien said during the panel. \u201cThose leaders will not be able to have the resources to be able to access a lot of the rooms that decisions are made.\u201d<\/p>\n Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz, director of the Center for Reimagining Leadership<\/a> at UC Santa Cruz, focused on another pathway to economic mobility: higher education.<\/p>\n He said universities need to be more accountable to Latino students and work more closely with community organizations to develop pathways into leadership.<\/p>\n \u201cI think institutions of higher education mistake talent with privilege,\u201d Ramirez-Ruiz said during the panel. \u201cThat\u2019s a huge issue.\u201d<\/p>\n He said universities often measure what students are expected to already know rather than recognizing the different educational and life experiences they bring with them.<\/p>\n For Ani Rivera, executive director of Galer\u00eda de la Raza<\/a> in San Francisco, the conversation also needs to extend beyond Silicon Valley\u2019s traditional boundaries.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen we think of Silicon Valley, we think of sometimes the Santa Clara, San Mateo region,\u201d Rivera told San Jos\u00e9 Spotlight. \u201cI believe that there\u2019s a broader reach.\u201d<\/p>\n Rivera said the nine-county Bay Area should be viewed as an interconnected ecosystem when considering how technology and wealth affect Latino communities.<\/p>\n \u201cProximity to wealth doesn\u2019t mean that we have the equity,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The conference also explored how AI could affect that divide. German Cash, California director for the Hispanic Federation, said the organization\u2019s digital-skills work began in 2019 through a partnership with Google. The effort initially focused on helping Latino families and nonprofits navigate technology, including telehealth and online employment resources.<\/p>\n Then the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for digital skills as work, school and healthcare\u00a0moved online.<\/p>\n The conference was the fifth gathering organized through the initiative. Previous conferences were held virtually and in Washington, D.C., but organizers brought the event to San Jose because of the region\u2019s concentration of technology companies and policymakers.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_2236-1024x768.jpeg\")
Ani Rivera, executive director of Galer\u00eda de la Raza, said the Bay Area should be viewed as an interconnected ecosystem when considering how technology and wealth affect Latino communities. Photo by Maryanne Casas-Perez<\/p>\n
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