Latinos in Tech Innovation and Social Media, or LATISM, announced it will be holding its seventh annual national convention in late October. With the national election one year away, the theme of this year's LATISM'15 gathering in Washington D.C. will be "Igniting Latinos to Drive the Innovation Economy."

LATISM is a nonprofit network of Latinos and Latinas involved in social media, though its purview has grown into subjects like technology, innovation, diversity in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields), education, and business -- with 22 LATISM chapters in U.S. cities boasting the highest Latino population and 17 new chapters being formed in Latin America as well.

The convention is a way for members, along with policy experts, investors, public figures, and others throughout the Latino community to network, showcase contributions to the innovation economy from the Latino community, and exchange ideas on how to grow Latino presence and influence within Silicon Valley and beyond.

Choosing D.C. for LATISM '15 "Not an Accident"

Diversity in technology jobs is still lacking across Silicon Valley and the country, while at the same time the U.S. faces a shortage of trained, specialized workers for the 21st century U.S. economy to continue to grow and be competitive. So, LATISM'15 will include a new focus on the nexus between policy in Washington D.C. and inclusion in the fast-growing economy that technology has created.

"Latinos have really captured the attention of marketers but we need to vote as much as we buy to capture the attention of Washington," said LATISM Founder and Chair Ana Roca Castro. "Hosting the conference in Washington this year was not an accident, we plan to get Washington to pay attention."

The conference will host three new tracks along these themes: Civic Engagement, Inclusion, and Policy. In addition, LATISM's traditional focus on Education, Health, Technology, and Business -- and the use of tech innovation and social media in those areas -- will still be represented at the convention, along with the two-day LATISM Hackathon, where Latinos in tech can work together to create solutions to problems affecting the Latino community.

LATISM '15, the 7th National Convention for the group, will be held at the JW Marriott, in Washington ,D.C. from October 28 to October 30, 2015.

New Executive Director Wendy Rivera expressed her enthusiasm for heading the conference in the group's release, saying, "I am delighted to join LATISM as Executive Director and look forward to building longer-term and strategic partnerships to implement programs that will create pathways to greater opportunities and economic mobility for the Latino community."