M+E Connections

Beatriz Ruiz, a freelance consultant with Deluxe Entertainment Services Group and first-generation college student, remembers how little support she had when it came to breaking into the field of computer science.

It was the STEM Advantage program, and the support of the nonprofit by the Women in Technology Hollywood (WiTH), that “changed my life,” Ruiz said.

“You hear of how women are scared of STEM programs, but we do not fear the challenges of the curriculum, we fear the lack of diversity that these STEM careers often have,” said Ruiz, who will take part in the panel “Developing Community, Connections and Belonging” March 8 at the 2021 WiTH Leadership Awards. “By having an organization like WiTH believe in us, they are setting an example as to how women can excel in such male-dominated industries and that we do not need to fear these career options, because there are people like them who wish to see us succeed, and are there to help us.”

The panel will feature Ruiz and four other women who’ve benefited from the nonprofits supported by WiTH, including STEM Advantage, PepUp Tech, Codetalk and DIY Girls. They’ll share how they’ve been directly impacted by WiTH’s community engagement efforts over the years, and discuss how they’ve broken into media and technology fields thanks to the programs.

For Ruiz, she hopes the discussion will benefit other young women who could use mentorship and career development opportunities that WiTH provides, an outlet they otherwise may not know is available to them.

“The message that I would hope the attendees of our panel go away with is to support STEM students and programs as much as possible, because there is nothing better for our society than to pass the torch onto the next generation,” she said.

To celebrate this year’s WiTH Leadership Awards with a tax-deductible donation delivered to this year’s selected charities, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].

WiTH is an organization that serves as a catalyst for the advancement of women in entertainment technology, and the WiTH Foundation Board of Directors, which selects the Leadership Awards winners, includes representatives from women’s organizations at Amazon Web Services, Cognizant, Deluxe, Expert.ai, FilmTrack, Google, KeyInfo, Los Angeles Distribution & Broadcasting, Premiere Digital and Signiant.

To register for the awards event, click here.