FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact:
July 2, 2014 Julian Teixeira
(202) 776-1812
jteixeira@nclr.org
From a Latino tech startup competition to a keynote address from Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, Conference STEM track highlights importance of technology to Latino empowerment
LOS ANGELES—California is an international hub of innovation, with Silicon Valley serving as the epicenter of the technology sector. It is also home to the largest Hispanic population in the United States. With an unprecedented opportunity to connect both audiences, the 2014 NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo® will challenge attendees to “Think. Create. Aspire.” as Conference explores how technology can drive social change in the lives of America’s Latinos.
“Technology changes the way we live our lives every day. It has the potential to inspire and empower by connecting our communities and carrying our messages to places and people we never thought we could reach,” said Janet Murguía, President and CEO, NCLR. “By making this a focus of this year’s Annual Conference in Los Angeles, we hope to empower Latinos to harness their creativity and innovative spirit to amplify our voice as a group. Through technology, Latinos will discover new ways to tackle the challenges that our communities face.”
This year’s Conference boasts a robust lineup of technology-related content unlike that found at any other Latino-oriented gathering in the nation. Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg will serve as the keynote speaker for this year’s Latinas Brunch, which features insight from trailblazing Latina women who have harnessed the power of digital platforms such as YouTube, Kickstarter and Vine to launch successful careers and businesses. Attendees will also be given the opportunity to participate in a number of workshops within the recently added STEM Track, which, in addition to various education-focused sessions, will highlight how technology and social media can amplify advocacy efforts, engage audiences and drive economic empowerment.
Among the many highlights at this year’s Conference, NCLR is excited to introduce “In the Tanque: Latino Startups Showcase and Competition.” Highlighting the best and brightest Hispanic leaders within the tech space, this showcase will offer aspiring Latino entrepreneurs from across the nation the chance to pitch their best ideas to a panel of venture capitalists, celebrities and experts. And tomorrow’s entrepreneurs will be inspired at the 2014 National Latino Family Expo—open to the public free of charge July 20–23—where kids can watch science experiments, build marshmallow towers and compete in an aeronautical engineering paper airplane contest.
“This year, we wanted to create a truly interactive experience that gives our participants a platform to share their own ideas and inventions with our speakers, experts and panelists,” added Ron Estrada, Vice President, Integrated Marketing and Events, NCLR. “The truly wonderful thing about technology is that you never know where the next great idea is going to come from.”
The 2014 NCLR Annual Conference and National Latino Family Expo will run from Saturday, July 19 through Tuesday, July 22 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
Learn more about Conference’s technology events or register for the 2014 NCLR Annual Conference in Los Angeles.
To obtain media credentials for the 2014 NCLR Annual Conference, press may register at http://nclr.emsreg.com/nclr14/public/mediaregistration.aspx.
STEM Track Highlights
Saturday, July 19
Empowering Social Change with Technology: Tools and Tactics
10:45 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
This panel will explore the power of technology to help Affiliates and community members achieve their respective missions through tools like Google Hangouts, Gmail, Facebook causes, and other online organizing tools.
Sunday, July 20
In the Tanque: Latino Startups Showcase and Competition
9:00–10:30 a.m.
In the Tanque will feature aspiring Latino tech entrepreneurs from across the nation (and Latin America) as they pitch their best ideas to a panel of venture capitalists, celebrities and experts.
“Going Social”: How to Leverage New Media in the Digital Age
9:00–10:30 a.m.
Hear from experts at Twitter, the social networking and micro-blogging service, about how to identify your target audience and build a loyal group of followers.
Latinas Brunch
11:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
The brunch will include a panel discussion with trailblazing digital entrepreneurs who have harnessed the power of the Internet to establish successful businesses.
Featured speaker: María Elena Durazo, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
Keynote speaker: Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook
Moderator: Nely Galán, Founder, The Adelante Movement
Panelists: Kathy Cano-Murillo, Founder, CraftyChica©, and Giadha Aguirre De Carcer, Founder and CEO, GNI International
Entrepreneurship in the Digital Age
1:30–3:00 p.m.
Media dynamo Nely Galán brings you an all-star lineup of Latina executives from Google, Twitter, and Comcast to discuss the power of the Internet to drive self-advancement and entrepreneurialism.
Monday, July 21
Economic Empowerment in a Wireless World
9:00–10:30 a.m.
Learn how mobile technology is playing a central role in helping Hispanic business owners build their customer base, manage employees and grow their businesses.
Tuesday, July 22
Social Change Gets a Profile
9:00–10:30 a.m.
Join this training session for Affiliates and nonprofits focused on maximizing the use of the Facebook platform for marketing, organizing and engaging audiences.
NCLR—the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States—works to improve opportunities for Latinos. For more information on NCLR, please visit www.nclr.org, or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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