Jasmine Mora doesn’t think the path she took from the working-class Wilmington community she grew up in to the corporate offices of a major tech company all that significant. It’s just how she was raised.

As the daughter of Mexican immigrants – “It’s just in your blood to work hard.”

But looking back now, Jasmine understands that path may have seemed simple to follow but creating it was not easy.

“My parents have little education but they certainly have a lot of ganas – they worked hard to raise me and my sister. I knew I had to do my best even though I didn’t know the end game.”

That ‘end game’ is going to be an important topic of conversation at Cerritos College on Friday, February 9, when Jasmine and several other tech experts and entrepreneurs gather for a day-long exploration on the ways technology is transforming our lives. More importantly, Jasmine and others will be there to discuss careers in tech.

“There is a desperate need for more Latinos in all levels in all industries – but we are being left behind when it comes to tech jobs,” said Jasmine.

As the Press Secretary for Airbnb, one of the fastest-growing and more influential tech companies in that sector, Jasmine sees first-hand the need for a more diverse workforce.

And while diversity is often viewed as the “right thing” to do – Jasmine views it more pragmatically. “Diversity benefits business. We (Latinos) are consumers. We have significant buying power and if companies are smart they will reach out to us.”

Symposium sponsor Liliana Monge, CEO and Co-Founder of Sabio.la, says Latinos and everyone else cannot afford to be left behind.

“Technology is revolutionizing our entire world. Think about how much of your day is spent on Facebook, Google and Amazon. All those amazing platforms are all made possible via software engineering and coding. Tech is upon us and we must use it to improve every facet of our lives and communities.”