This post has been brought to you in partnership with T-Mobile, but as usual, all opinions are my own.
As a minority owned business in the technology space, I’ve had to break into new circles, brave new roads, demand a seat at the table and build a business in a predominantly male space – especially when it comes to automobile content. Today, I’m sharing some interesting insights on my own journey as an entrepreneur and content creator and some very important steps to solidify the concept of diversity and the inclusion of Women Shaping The Future Of Connectivity.
Women Shaping The Future Of Connectivity
Let me start by sharing a bit of my journey and how it pertains to women shaping the future of connectivity.
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know I started creating content in 2006, using bilingual lifestyle tips and encouraging families to bring a second or third language into their homes.
My Journey
My journey as a content creator and in social media started when it wasn’t “trendy” yet.
It put me as a pioneer of what is now called “influencer” work. Just think that I started before there was Instagram!
Brands approached me well before what we see happening currently in the social space!
I jokingly say, I am one of the first “influencers”, because bloggers at that point in time did not want to consider partnerships as a part of “true blogging”, but I’ve always advocated to be compensated for doing what I love: telling compelling stories and inspiring people, especially women, to live their best lives.
Essentially, Trendy Latina blog was created in 2009 to amplify my objective to grow and evolve. My path to following my passion led to me closing my foreign language school in 2016, creating content full time and providing social media management to small businesses as well.
My main goal, when working on both businesses (Blog and Social Media Management) was to share the knowledge acquired through large conferences, expensive training, and private coaches so I could give brands and small businesses a chance to thrive and use tech and social media to grow, aligning their mission with ours.
As a woman, one of my main goals was to work with women to empower them to work in the tech industry, create content and reach their full potential through coaching programs.
Empowering minority owned businesses and female bilingual diversity has always been in the forefront of my core values.
This is why I love partnering with companies like T-Mobile that are also dedicated to helping women in the technology field.
In 2022, 70% of organizations worldwide reported a tech skills shortage with a projected need to fill nearly 3.5 million STEM jobs by 2025. With momentum building, the BLS projects computer science research jobs will grow 19% by 2026.
In this evolving landscape, women are actively seizing opportunities to make their mark in spaces that traditionally may not have welcomed them before.
Between 2016 to 2022, the technology industry has shown the biggest increase in the hiring rate for women into leadership, with computer science boasting the slimmest pay gap between genders. Isn’t that amazing?
It takes fearless individuals to change the status quo and lead the change and bring others into the movement.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, I want to share a bit about five fierce females at T-Mobile who are showing the world the face of success in technology, leading the way in areas like digital innovation, big data, cybersecurity, engineering, network operations and so much more.
Inspiration
I loved hearing all about Jennifer Silveira -T-Mobile’s SVP of South Regional Network Engineering & Operations.
Jennifer stands as one of T-Mobile’s founding females, having helped to create the nation’s largest, fastest and most awarded 5G network. She has been instrumental in driving an unprecedented wireless experience for T-Mobile customers.
Ronke Ekwensi – T-Mobile’s Vice President and Chief Data Officer
As somebody who is in early stages using AI to improve my business and the businesses we serve, I loved reading that Ronke said: “I believe in the transformative power of data, and I’m fascinated by the way it will affect not only business but humanity altogether,” she says. “We have the tools now with generative AI and large language models to make it happen. I can’t wait to see how it all unfolds.”
Dr. Jie Hui
Head of Digital Innovation Lab (InLab) at T-Mobile
I was fascinated to hear that Dr. Jie Hui has 20 years of experience in tech innovation, mobile devices, technology product development, infrastructure engineering and big data analytics that have helped T-Mobile generate more than $200 million in business impact.
Since joining the Un-carrier 14 years ago, she’s secured 31 U.S. patents (and counting!) for her work on innovative technologies and methods, which she proudly displays as part of a patent shrine in her office. Unbelievable, right?
Terri Oscar -Senior Engineer, T-Mobile’s Cybersecurity Incident Response Team
Research shows that only 3% of tech roles are held by Black women today, and Terri is on a mission to change that. Since joining T-Mobile’s Cybersecurity Incident Response Team (CIRT) as a senior engineer, she’s been using her technical expertise and unique perspective to pave the way for others. She’s not just excelling in her role, but also speaking at events to inspire minority youth to pursue careers in STEM.
T-Mobile’s SVP of the Central Regional Network Engineering & Operations
Recognized as one of the “Awesome Black Women Everyone Should Know” by diversity research firm Aleria and celebrated as a visible role model by the global women in STEM organization Million STEM, she’s inspiring the next generation of women in tech.
Love that she says that “Sometimes in life, you have to be your own hero.” You have to be willing to fight for yourself and for others and trust that you have what it takes. From that point, the mentors and advocates will come.”
Edwige manages T-Mobile’s central region, overseeing the company’s 5G network rollout across 30 states. Most recently, she played an important role in the Un-carrier’s positive impact on West Virginia, where through the addition of new towers, upgrades and expanded 5G coverage, T-Mobile has provided people with access to high-speed internet and created economic growth.
I don’t know about you, but I love seeing Women Shaping The Future Of Connectivity, by not only having a seat at the table and being decision makers but also contributing to the future of technology with their skills.
I, myself, identify with these women and have been inspired, especially after Covid, to do and be more!
“Make a difference” became my moto, after seeing so many content creators and websites ceasing to exist and new people in the space just sharing empty fly by night trends.
You know I love sharing and adopting trends, but through growing pains I’ve learned that longevity is established through enduring trials and surviving to tell a story at the end of the storm.
In my opinion women carry the resilience and work ethics stamped by the “never give up” banner, which makes us survivors working for a better future, especially when it comes to the tech industry.
It has always been my goal to have a meaningful voice in this space, as well as continuing to build successful partnerships with companies which value women and minorities, such a T-Mobile.
Long term success doesn’t mean staying behind, it means evolving and always growing, especially when technology is the main scope of your work.
Through AI, new apps and professional programs like Canva Pro and Capcut Pro, I’ve been diversifying my content, giving it a new fresh look. Making it more appealing to a larger audience; guarantying that my core values stay but having the way they are packaged and presented offering a brand new outlook.
Inspired by these stories? Save for Later:
I can’t wait to hear what you think about Women Shaping The Future Of Connectivity!
As usual, give us a Trendy Shout!
Thank you for what you do and we are also thankful for companies like T-Mobile to help woman become successful in tech. You are all inspiring. May we all women continously lift each other up.
Thank you for sharing about these amazing and inspiring women from T-Mobile.
It is fun to read about how you evolved as a blogger and business woman. It is neat that you had a language school. Technology has changed so much over the years, and it is cool to see how things are trending and how you have adapted.
As a minority woman in tech, your journey resonates deeply. Your commitment to diversity and empowerment, alongside these inspiring women, is truly commendable. Keep shining!
I love your story, its really inspiring. I love seeing strong women supporting women too… you sound like a pioneer 🙂
It sounds like you’ve been an influencer for a long time and that you’ve enjoyed your journey. It good to hear there are some truly inspirational women at T-Mobile.
Such an inspiring post. Seeing women taking lead in this is without a doubt super motivational.
I love your style! This is such an inspiring post. I love to see a rise of women supporting women!
This insightful blog post, in partnership with T-Mobile, sheds light on the journey of a minority-owned business in the technology sector, particularly in the realm of automobile content. The author’s personal experiences navigating through challenges and demanding a place in predominantly male-dominated spaces offer valuable insights into entrepreneurship and content creation. Moreover, the focus on diversity and inclusion, particularly highlighting Women Shaping The Future Of Connectivity, underscores the importance of representation and empowerment in the industry.
How inspiring to see this! It’s amazing to see the progress that has been made for women by women. Thanks so much for sharing.
So cool that you were doing everything before it became a thing. And these women are inspiring, too!
Such an interesting post and that’s awesome how long you have been blogging/ sharing your story. Some great inspiration from the women at T Mobile x
This is such an inspiring story, you really were one of the first influencers starting up that long ago and evolving. I love hearing about other inspirational women and how your business has come about.
Women leading the way in every department is surely a welcoming sign for the future. An inspiring read indeed!
I love to read this. Women are different, we have a dedicated passion that leads us to be one of a kind.
Back when I was a hiring manager, I used to look for minorities in the hiring process. I was always surprised that women never applied. Out of the many thousands of resumes I looked through over the years, I could count the women on one hand. I hope that’s changed.
It’s awesome to see companies stepping up and offering equal opportunities for women, not just in regular roles but also in executive positions. This conference sounds amazing, and it’s super inspiring to witness women taking charge and shaping the future.
This sounds like a great conference. And its so inspiring to see women leading the way in this, we are helping to shape the future.
My wife stood proudly at the conference podium, her latest innovation in connectivity drawing applause from a crowd of inspired peers. Her vision for a more interconnected world was not just a dream but a tangible reality, empowering communities far and wide. To my wife and to all the women shaping the future of connectivity, continue inspiring a new generation of women in technology.
It’s great knowing that more and more companies are giving equal opportunity to women, and not just in the ranks but also executive positions.
What an encouraging post! The women you listed on the bottom are a great source of inspiration and I am glad that to see that there are many other women involved in contributing their skills to the future development of engineering, technology, and sciences.
Maureen | http://www.littlemisscasual.com
This article about women shaping the future of connectivity is truly inspiring! It’s fantastic to see the spotlight on women who are making significant contributions to the world of technology and connectivity. The insights shared by these remarkable women not only highlight their achievements but also serve as a source of motivation for others aspiring to enter this field. As someone who believes in the power of diversity and inclusion, I applaud the efforts to promote gender equality and empower women in the tech industry. Keep shining a light on these trailblazers and their remarkable accomplishments!
I really believe that there’s a reason that so many bloggers are women. I believe we have an innate passion to shared out stories and help others. I think that’s a major part of how we continue to be so deeply involved in shaping the future.