Birds of a Feather Hispanics in Computing

The Hispanics in Computing group has been around for over a decade and serves as a networking group bringing together members of this community. Members of the group organize gatherings at national conferences to strengthen the social ties that connect this small community. This Birds of a Feather seeks to bring together Hispanics and other members of the CS Education Community interested in providing support to Hispanics. The Hispanics in Computing community was founded in 2009. Since then, the group has been meeting at annual conferences as a way to provide networking opportunities for Hispanic students and professors. As an added benefit, this group has become a resource to the larger computing community. The group has grown in numbers and in their online presence hosting a Facebook group, LinkedIn group, and a website. But by far, the most active medium of communication is the Hispanics in Computing listserv with more than 400 members. This group serves as a source of mentors for students and faculty, as a point of dissemination for faculty positions, and as a way to discuss topics relevant to the community. This gathering at the Technical Symposium will allow Hispanics to meet face to face and discuss issues important to our community. As the number of Hispanics in our classrooms grows, it is important that we provide mentors and role models for these new students.