Subtitle: Participation, participation, par-ti-ci-pation
Let's say the above picture is a conference on technology. How much of the audience do you think are Hispanic? 10%...20%...30%...more?
What if I said probably 1% or less? Given the knowledge that Hispanics are the largest consumers of technology that may be a hard swallow.
Besides Latino-centric seminars and conferences the attendance of Hispanics at general market events are lacking. After going to a couple of networking events and sharing the experience among some friends the same question persists on everyone's lips - "Why am I the only Latino here?"
I thought that there was a direct link between price and attendance; larger, more expensive conferences in social media and tech bemoans the lack of Hispanic attendees, and the common rationale was cost. This discussion has taken place many times among some friends of mine and the reasoning was prevalent.
I think it's more than that.
I've been to inexpensive and free classes/seminars and found the same disappointing trend to be true as well. As a matter of fact, I went to Jeff Pulver's FREE 140 conference breakfast event today and besides myself there were only two other Latino's in the room.
Later today, I went to Columbia University to see Chris Anderson, editor in chief of Wired Magazine, who examined current trends in Magazine journalism and technology. I didn't see any Latinos in the room. This of course was free as well.
This was apparent throughout Social Media Week as well, which was mostly at no cost to its loyal patrons.
The problem is not cost. The problem is a displaced feeling of belonging and a lack of involvement in the general population's conversation.
Isn't it ironic that we are acting out exactly what some of us have proclaimed for years that Latinos are not represented in the media - or misrepresented - yet given the chance to actually be visible we are not found? If you don't think that is true go over and talk to the people of VotoLatino and ask why they exist. And why has the Latino voting block been a waking-sleeping-giant for over 5 decades?
What needs to happen is activating a Tipping Point trigger, where either one individual or a group paves a path between Latinos and general market topics and encourage involvement. This may not be a new revelation, but it's definitely not a new problem. For example, Kety Esquivel has done a few Latino based sessions at SXSWi conferences, "For the last two years I have had the distinct honor and priviledge to be a panelist at SXSWi. Unfortunately, I have been one of the only Latino panelists and potentially the only Latina panelist." Since then, Kety's efforts have flourished there, and I've heard much talk about SXSW among Latinos.