Jean-Paul Weaver. After a quick glance at my name, you probably wouldn’t guess that I’m Hispanic. But in fact, I’m a first generation American of Nicaraguan and Spanish descent. When I was growing up, Spanish was my first language. And to this day the first words that come out of my mouth when I’m excited or nervous are in Spanish. Along with being the first person in my family to attend college, it’s safe to say I am part of a small, but proud group of Hispanics that have broken into the tech world.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is about celebrating the influence and contributions of Hispanics to the achievements of the United States. And although we often look at the tech industry as progressive, innovative, and forward-thinking, I can’t help but feel Hispanics are underrepresented in our industry. Needless to say during this month-long celebration, I have had the chance to reflect on what it means to be Hispanic, and more specifically, what it means to be a Hispanic in the tech world.
At Augury, I’m part of a team that is creating a whole new industry category and impacting people all over the world with our products. Of course, I’m biased in believing our solution and technology leads the market, but I also believe Augury’s company culture has something to do with its success and growth. Internally, Augury looks at its culturally-diverse team as a competitive advantage. This was one of the reasons why I joined the company… to be a part of change! As a member of the marketing team, I’ve been empowered to bring my unique perspective to the team and influence our business. From translating our platform to various languages, to selecting imagery in our content and campaigns that are reflective of our diverse users, customers and employees, Augury is ensuring that its inclusive culture expands beyond the four walls of the (virtual) office.
While I feel that Augury is working to better represent the underrepresented, I still feel the tech industry as a whole has a lot of catching up to do with its diversity initiatives. I look forward to a future where companies are more reflective of their users and have a more diverse pool of applicants. I strongly feel that this can be achieved through providing educational opportunities about the tech space (including hands-on practice and practical learning experiences) for individuals who might otherwise not be exposed to them. This can help create an atmosphere of accessibility for what previously seemed inaccessible and can inspire future generations to set their sights on working in tech.
As I continue on my professional career, I am proud to say that I’m a Hispanic in the tech industry, and that I make a big impact on our company. Recognizing and sharing the contributions of Hispanics in tech is important — and I know that if I can break in, others can too. They just need an opportunity.
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