LATINAS IN TECH PARTNERS WITH KORBEL® CALIFORNIA CHAMPAGNE TO CELEBRATE INFLUENTIAL HISPANIC WOMEN IN STEM WITH LUMINARIAS NFT COLLECTION AND METAVERSE ART EXHIBITION

Program toasts the achievements of Latinas revolutionizing the tech industry and uplifting their communities in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Latinas in Tech, a non-profit organization with the aim to connect, support, and empower Hispanic women working in technology, is entering the metaverse in partnership with Korbel^® California Champagne to present Luminarias, a virtual art exhibition spotlighting 30 Latina changemakers in the STEM industries. Ranging from corporate executives to digital creators, the honorees will be represented as individual NFT portraits and featured in a fully-immersive VR gallery. For more information, visit here.

Designed by award-winning illustrator and digital artist Lucia Diaz, each Luminarias portrait may be purchased as a charity NFT, with all proceeds donated to Latinas in Tech. Bidding will begin at 0.030 Ethereum (ETH) or $50 USD on OpenSea. Launching September 15 and open throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, the metaverse exhibition will be accessible via VR headset, computer, tablet, or smartphone.  

While women represent 28.8% of the U.S. tech workforce, Hispanic women only make up 2%, according to a recent study. This notable disparity, as well as the highly-publicized Latina wage gap, have prompted community and professional leaders to advocate for more Latinas building careers in STEM. Empowering and connecting Hispanic women since 2014, Latinas in Tech works hand in hand with top technology companies to create safe spaces for learning, mentorship, and recruitment.

"Luminarias shines a light on some of the extraordinary Hispanic women who are illuminating career paths for Latinas in STEM," said Rocío van Nierop, Co-Founder and CEO of Latinas in Tech." Latinas in Tech is incredibly proud to partner with Korbel to raise a toast to these pioneers and role models who are making tremendous contributions to their industries and our community as a whole."

The first class of Luminarias, presented by Latinas in Tech x Korbel, are:

• Beatriz Acevedo, CEO and Co-Founder at SUMA Wealth
• Julie Acosta, Senior Web Analytics Manager at AutoZone
• Cecilia Ambros, Director of Research, Data Sciences at Compass
• Deborah Berebichez, Lead Scientist in Microelectronics and Quantum Computing at VTT
• Luz Bratcher, Founder at Golden Repair
• Ana Bretschneider, Director of Sponsorship and Program Operations at Latinas in Tech
• Diana Centeno-Gomez, Chief, Smart Sensing and Electronics Systems Branch at NASA Glenn Research Center
• Melissa Cintrón-Muñoz, Events Producer at Meta
• Priscila Cordero, Principle Product Marketing Manager at Amazon Luna
• Cecilia Corral, Co-Founder and Vice President of Product at CareMessage
• Claudia Cruz, Director, Internships and Experiential Learning at University of Nevada, Reno
• Sarahi Espinoza Salamanca, CEO and Founder at DREAMers Roadmap
• Adriana Gil Miner, Chief Marketing Officer at Iterable
• Veronica Gilliard, Deputy Director of Platform Services at the California Department of Technology 
• Michelle Heng, CEO and Co-Founder at Everlaunch
• Catalina Laverde, Engineering Manager at Spotify
• Michelle LeClerc, Creative Director at LeClerc
• Heather Martinez, Senior Counsel at Uber
• Mariana Matus, CEO and Co-founder at Biobot Analytics
• Cynthia Maxwell, Director of Engineering, Animation Studio Technology at Netflix
• Hady Mendez, Director of Equality at Slack
• Alejandra Meza, Head of Product Design at Huckleberry Labs
• Lynette Midy, Senior Director Of Engineering at SpotHero
• Elaine Montilla, Chief Technology Officer for US School Assessment at Pearson
• Shannon Morales, CEO and Founder at Tribaja
• Sandra Mosquera, Vice President and Product Manager at JP Morgan Chase
• Maria Rubio, UX Lead at Keybank
• Monica SanMiguel, Head of Business at Enova International
• Diana Toscas, Director of Engineering, Developer Experience at PayPal
• Daniela Veloz, Senior Software Engineer at Expedia

Hosted on the Spatial metaverse platform, the Luminarias exhibition was inspired by the career journeys of its honorees. Visitors are invited to navigate a short maze to access their ultimate destination: the Luminarias Gallery. A sprawling two-level venue, the custom-built space features the NFT collection on its ground floor and a sun-drenched gathering lounge on its rooftop. Visitors can enjoy the scenic view from the top, along with a closing remark from the Luminarias spanning the sky. To celebrate its grand opening, Latinas in Tech and Korbel will host an exclusive launch event at the gallery on September 15. Click here for more details. 

"Luminarias is a celebration of legacy, excellence, and innovation," said Gary Heck, Korbel President and Owner. "For this year's Hispanic Heritage Month, we not only wanted to recognize the historic contributions of the community but also showcase how they are also helping to shape our future. Korbel is honored to partner with Latinas in Tech for our very first entry into the metaverse that's both culturally-led and purpose-driven."

"I'm thrilled to be part of such a timely and important conversation happening within the Hispanic community," said Lucia Diaz, who has previously collaborated with global luxury fashion and beauty brands. "For this NFT collection, my intention was to portray each of the Luminarias as relatable iconoclasts that were both inspirational and aspirational. I want guests coming out of this exhibition to feel like anything is possible, especially in the age of the Web3 and the metaverse."

About Latinas in Tech
Latinas in Tech is a non-profit with humble origins. What started as two friends in need of career support is now a global community of almost 20,000 Latinx women. Our group began in Silicon Valley in 2014 and has since then expanded to 20 additional cities with a local footprint around the world. Our mission is ambitious, just like our members: we seek to reshape the tech industry so that Latinx women are not only well-represented but also thriving in the technology ecosystem. For more information or to donate to our non-profit, please visit www.latinasintech.org.

About Korbel^® California Champagne
Established in 1882 in Sonoma County's Russian River Valley, Korbel Champagne Cellars produces the United States' most popular méthode champenoise champagne. But the true measure of Korbel's success during its 140 years can be seen in the impact it's had on American consumers and its presence at various celebrations throughout the years. Owned and managed by the Heck family since 1954, Korbel currently makes eleven California champagnes and a limited amount of still wine. In a separate facility, Korbel also produces one of the country's most respected brandies.

For downloadable press information, click here.

Celebrate responsibly.

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SOURCE Latinas in Tech