LTX Fest 2020 creates space for us to Unite and Rise without borders, online.
By: Gabriela Luz Sierra
Finally, a space for Latinx people to exist and thrive without borders has been created. The LTX Fest 2020 kicked off a four day online experience of real talk across — identities, generations, background, journeys — for all of us Latinx from here, there or somewhere in between. LTX created a space for us to feel at home and discuss how we can reclaim our power, agency, and force as a unified, intersectional community, weeks ahead of arguably the most important election cycle in the history of the United States.
“Our opportunity is community,” award-winning actor,activist and director, America Ferrera, said. “Nothing is possible without coming together to give each other the courage that it takes to change the deeply ingrained systems that are designed to oppress.”
Ferrera, one of the opening keynote speakers, set a powerful tone and energy to carry us through a series of panels and talks hosted by exceptional Latinx professionals from the realm of advocacy, tech, and entrepreneurship on what marked day one of a four-day interactive online experience.
Hosted on Brella, an intuitive, conference simulation platform, this year’s gathering breaks distance barriers in response to Covid-19, and as a result over 6,000 people tuned in from their quarantine screens to talks, network, and chats with Latinx from across the globe.
The truth is that Latinx is the group that accounts for the greatest buying power in the U.S., and has become the largest voting bloc. Still, our collective voice is not being heard loud enough. LTX Fest is here to raise our voice in unity louder than ever before.
James Loduca, Senior Director of Global Inclusion and Diversity at Twitter, emphasized this reality at a panel on intersectionality hosted by journalist and contributor at Vice & Telemundo, Paola Ramos.
“Think of all of the things we [Latinx] have given this country, and in return they give us cages and hysterectomies,” Loduca said. “They have stolen all of our rights.”
For this reason, Loduca expressed that Twitter is creating a movement to create a space where everyone can feel at home no matter where they are through #Untilweallbelong.
Other important touchstones from the intersectionality panel orbited around the idea of the Latinx reach and weight in the music industry.
“It wasn’t until despacito came around that people actually realized how much of an audience we have built in,” said Doris Muñoz founder and director of Solidarity for Sanctuary, a grassroots concert experience that later established its place on international festival stages.
None of these conversations would have been possible if it weren’t for the many people involved that chose to own their narratives. Who better than the one and only Dolores Huerta, who was recently featured as Woman of the year on Glamour magazine, to echo this message in an international exchange of ideas with Amber Gonzalez Vargas.
“We have to be ready to take advantage of this moment we are living — Black Lives Matter, the Me Too movement, the countless demonstrations demanding racial justice to make the structural changes that we have needed, for so long.” Huerta said.
Tomorrow we’ll be back with more great content! Join our event to learn about the many paths into tech with our tracks — is not to be missed. If you are looking for a job, to network, or just to meet other LTX in solidarity, join us! Seguimos echando pa’lante, siempre!
