Ask any developer about the first program they ever wrote, and there’s a good chance it printed two words to the screen: “Hello, World.” It’s the traditional first step in just about every programming language. This month, we’re changing one word.
A month that starts mid-month
National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 to October 15. The odd start date is on purpose. September 15 is Independence Day for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, and Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16. The observance began in 1968 as a single week, and Congress expanded it to a full month in 1988.1
It’s a month to celebrate the history, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino Americans. Since we build software for a living, we wanted to look at our own corner of the world.
Who’s in the room
Latinos make up 20 percent of employed Americans. In computer and math jobs, that share drops to 8.7 percent, and among software developers it’s 6.1 percent.2
Closer to home, Indiana’s Hispanic population grew by more than 42 percent between 2010 and 2020, to more than 554,000 people. That’s 8.2 percent of the state, up from 6 percent a decade earlier.3 That’s a lot of talent, and a lot of future developers, designers, and founders in our own backyard.
Meet LatinosINTech
LatinosINTech is an Indianapolis nonprofit that started just over a year ago, built on three pillars: connection, upskilling, and empowerment. Its mission, in its own words: “LatinosINTech empowers YOU through intentional connection and practical upskilling to elevate your potential and quality of life in our communities.”
Our own Arianna Cruz has served on the LatinosINTech advisory board since it launched in 2025.
How it opens the door
- Events that show the way in. LatinosINTech runs panels, speed networking, and TED-style talks where Latinos already working in tech walk through the careers open to people just getting started.
- A podcast with free resources. Together with MORE Magazine and Per Scholas Indianapolis, LatinosINTech shares a podcast with free educational resources to lower barriers for anyone trying to get into tech. It also features Latinos from a wide range of backgrounds telling how they got to where they are in their tech careers.
- Bigger rooms, together. LatinosINTech co-hosts networking events with other Indy groups, including a “Wine Up & Talk” evening with Blacks in Tech Indianapolis and Indy Networking.
“I joined the advisory board because I want the room to look different for whoever walks in next. When someone sees a Latino already working in tech, on stage, explaining how they got there, the path gets a lot easier to picture,” Arianna says.
Where to show up
If you want to support Latinos in tech and in Central Indiana more broadly, here are a few places to start:
- LatinosINTech. Come to an event, listen to the podcast, or pass it along to someone thinking about a tech career.
- La Plaza. For more than 50 years, La Plaza has supported Latino families across Central Indiana through education, workforce development, advocacy, and social services. Drew serves on its board, and we joined them for Night of the Americas this spring.
- Indiana Latino Institute. A statewide nonprofit that raises Latino educational attainment and workforce readiness through advocacy, leadership development, and student programs. indianalatinoinstitute.org
Hispanic Heritage Month wrapped up on October 15, but these groups’ work runs all year, and so can your support.
Notes
- Library of Congress, “National Hispanic Heritage Month,” research guide. Source for the September 15 to October 15 dates, the Central American and Mexican independence days, the 1968 week, and the 1988 expansion to a month.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey, Table 11, “Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity,” 2025 annual averages. Source for the 20.0 percent of all employed, 8.7 percent of computer and mathematical occupations, and 6.1 percent of software developers.
- George Vlahakis, “Indiana’s Census 2020 results: Metro areas and minority populations fuel state’s growth,” IU Kelley School of Business, August 12, 2021. Source for the 42.2 percent growth, the 554,191 residents, and the 8.2 percent vs. 6.0 percent share.