The article by HudsonValley Style Magazine makes important considerations about the progress and challenges of Latino participation in the field of science and technology in the United States.

According to the study, advancements in science, healthcare, civil and labor rights to leadership in government, military, entrepreneurship, and business, the Hispanic community continues to have a profound and positive impact on our schools, our communities, our economy, and our country. Nevertheless, they are still vastly underrepresented in many areas, particularly in Science, Tech, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) sectors.

Based on this statement, the publication exposes three current realities to be considered when it comes to Hispanics, Latinos and Latins in the areas of STEM:

1. The U.S. Hispanic population is significant but doesn’t have comparable representation in the tech market.

Technology continues to change how we work, live and learn, and it’s an important driver of the world’s economy. However, diversity gaps still exist across the industry, especially among the Latino population. They remain highly underrepresented in the STEM workforce — making up only 8% of STEM workers despite being the country’s second-largest ethnic group. This divide is direr for women, with Latinas only holding 2% of STEM jobs in the U.S. even though women comprise 28.8% of the U.S. tech workforce. Higher education institutions and companies have a tremendous responsibility to support and encourage Hispanics and increase representation in the tech field.

2. Higher education has an opportunity to do more to encourage and support Hispanics.

Hispanic students are often the first in their families to pursue an education and attend college. Often, they face numerous barriers that make a traditional college experience even more difficult, such as trying to balance family and work responsibilities. When educational institutions support and prepare Hispanic learners and others from underrepresented communities to succeed in a world shaped by technological change, they have a better chance to prosper. Increasing diversity in the overall student population, hiring diverse faculty, providing scholarships, implementing tech-influenced offerings and flexible programming are ways that higher education is meeting students where they are”.

3. The tech industry has a role to play in fostering success, growth and opportunity for Latinos.

“Diversity catalyzes new ways of problem solving and creative thinking — two keys to innovation. However, there’s a misconception that you must have specific college degrees to gain the technical know-how to work in the industry”.

“Organizations in and outside of STEM have an immense opportunity to support Latino employees and drive a more equitable workplace by helping them acquire the education and skills needed for career progression. By investing in upskilling and reskilling programs for underrepresented talent, organizations can help lift a common barrier to their growth, gain access to a large pool of untapped talent and keep up with the pace of innovation”.

Santa Clarita’s former mayor and councilmember, Bill Miranda, has been on the leading edge of the high-tech industry for years. He recently spoke to a group of NextGen Hispanic Scholars and underscored the importance of making education accessible, affordable and equitable.