Today we’d like to introduce you to Stacy Whitenight and Rafael Fulton Fernandes. They and their team shared their story with us below:
In the summer of 2022, Stacy teamed up with Rafael to talk about the possibility of building a community with Latinas who work in tech as the focus. Latinas are a crucial part of our tech industry, yet they still need to be represented in leadership positions and the industry. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology, only 1% of professional computing jobs are held by Latinas. This lack of representation not only affects the Latinas who miss out on opportunities for growth and advancement but also hinders the progress and innovation of the tech industry. To emphasize the importance of allyship and intersectionalism in creating a more inclusive and diverse tech community, we both agreed that having diverse leadership would be essential to drive change in the NC Tech sector successfully. In other words, having someone who identified as a man leading the chapter would be essential to show allyship rather than talk about it. Intersectionality recognizes that multiple factors, such as race, gender, and socio-economic status, shape each person’s experiences and identities. By understanding and embracing intersectionality, we can create a more inclusive tech community that represents and supports all members.
In January 2023, we officially held our first chapter kickoff in Durham, NC. We serve all NC regions, and our next in-person event will be in Charlotte! We have a busy year planned to grow our chapter membership – it’s free to become a member – and focus on building a strong community. Stacy (she/her/Ella) is a cisgender, straight, first-generation immigrant from the Dominican Republic. Stacy is a Senior Manager of Business Operations for Red Hat’s Global Product and Engineering organization. She has worked in the IT industry for over a decade and is adept at developing long-term visions aligned with detailed plans to manage each growth stage. She has led several initiatives/program teams driving effective and efficient growth and progress in the business.
Stacy is passionate about bringing expansive innovation and is not shy to hold a bold aspiration to be a source of hope for a better future. Every interaction, outcome, and iota of work Stacy contributes celebrates individuality, fairness, and resilience. Stacy enjoys traveling, playing golf, and her Peloton when she is not at work. She is a self-taught 3D printer and enjoys forcing her family to cosplay with her (including her two golden retrievers). Rafael Fulton Fernandes (He/Him) is passionate about people, developing global relationships, and empowering others to be their true, vulnerable, best selves. Building community and empathy are his superpowers, with a proven record of success in three main pillars: cultural, operational, and customer-facing.
Over the past 10 years, living in multiple countries, Rafael could travel, explore, and innovate to provide opportunities to young and underrepresented populations through coaching and mentorship. He strives to drive change and empower the next generation to be the future leaders of our society. Rafael works as a Manager of Project Management and of the Global Supply Chain Rotational Program, with over 5 years of experience in Supply Chain, Customer Success, and Project Management. Rafael joined Lenovo in 2018 under the Global Supply Chain Rotational Program and is part of the Global Future Leaders Program. The impact and involvement with leadership, mentorship, and coaching are also evidenced as a Board Member of the Hispanics/LatinX of Lenovo Association (HOLA) Employee Resource Group, Sponsor of Women Enhancing Logistics (WEL) Program, Mentor and Leader of the Mentoring Circles at Athena in the Triangle, Mentor of first-generation low-income (FGLI) students of Close the Gap Foundation, Advisory Board Member at ISLA NC, and Vice President at Latinas in Tech – North Carolina Chapter. Rafael speaks 4 languages fluently, is a tennis player and coach, and currently resides in North Carolina with his girlfriend, Lexi, and his dog, Ayla.
Alright, let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what challenges have you had to overcome?
After deciding to build this community, regardless of whether being awarded chapter-hood or not, we quickly assembled a team of passionate individuals who were in tech or interested in tech. The issue is not a lack of smart, talented, and skilled volunteers but rather a lack of commitment from these big tech companies. In 2020, they put up the money and words to support “black lives matter” and the outrage many felt after George Floyd. But, those pockets dried up after 2 years – and little of that money ever went to organizations or efforts outside of Black-related initiatives. There needs to be more understanding in tech and Corporate America on what diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging really look like in execution. In other words, it’s performative. This presents a challenge for groups to find support to grow. With money, it is easier to fund education, events, and engagements that foster the building of skills and networking that is critical to finding success in the tech industry.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Latinas in Tech – North Carolina?
LATINAS IN TECH is a non-profit organization that aims to connect, support, and empower Latina women working in tech. LiT comprises more than 25,000 women representing all Spanish and Portuguese- speaking countries, working at more than 200 top technology companies worldwide. The North Carolina Chapter is a part of this network and serves the North Carolina region.
Latinas in Tech’s Mission: To provide the resources, opportunities, and community Latinas need to thrive, innovate and lead in tech. We are focused on empowering and connecting Latinas through three key pillars: Professional Development, Recruiting, and Mentorship.
Latinas in Tech’s Vision: A tech industry where Latinas are well-represented throughout all ecosystem levels by empowering them to be innovators and leaders
Our members represent the entire tech ecosystem. We have software engineers, cyber security experts, data scientists, business development leaders, public relations professionals, sales professionals, journalists, bloggers, entrepreneurs, investors, marketing professionals, recruiters, and more.
Our members work at all of the top tech companies, including Airbnb, Apple, Asana, Cisco Networks, NetApp, Lenovo, Red Hat, Coursera, Dell, Dropbox, Salesforce, Google Electronic Arts, Evernote, Meta, IBM, Indeed, Intel, LinkedIn, Lyft, Visa, Microsoft, Netflix, Amazon, Paypal, Tesla, Twitter, Uber, VMWare, Yahoo, Nike, Gap, Roku, Workday, Zendesk and more.
Pricing:
- Membership is free!
- We partner with organizations to host events that feature their leading latinas in tech and spotlight the business and their industry
Contact Info:
- Website: https://latinasintech.org/chapter/north-carolina/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/latinasintechnc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1516315178770832
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/latinas-northcarolina/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/latinasintechnc
Image Credits
The addittional photos are the primary photos to use. I couldn’t remove the personal photo – but that can also be used. That photo contains Rafael, Rocio (Latinas in Tech CEO) and Stacy. The addittioal photos are from our first event and includes a group photo
