After almost three decades, SXSW (South by Southwest) has taken over Austin, Texas, in a funky, niche-driven celebration of the arts and technology in a creative way, bringing a medley of music, film and comedy to the masses to those who can afford a ticket.

But if you are unable to pony up the dough for the entire line-up, there is a new angle that just might change your mind, especially if you are Latino/a and you are into technology and/or have launched a start-up. A new day-long event that precedes SXSW 2014 has been added to the mix and focuses on Latinos and technology.

In the spirit of creativity and innovation, and the rising interest of Latinos in technology, The Kapor Center for Social Impact, along with Kety Esquivel, Principal of Esquivel McCarson Consulting, have announced some exciting news of the launching of the first ever Latino Technology Conference to precede SXSW.

"I am passionate about ensuring that Latinos are represented in these venues," said Kety Esquivel. "Moreover, despite the fact that by 2050 Hispanics will be 1/3 of the U.S. population, the divide between the investments and commitments being made in digital to reach the Latino audience are significant. We need to challenge investors, organizations, media creators, agencies, conference organizers and start-ups to make this commitment. What better place to talk about this then at a pre-SXSW conference?"

"After attending last year, the Kapor Center decided to contribute to those efforts which would maximize the opportunity for Latinos to both benefit from and contribute to the SXSW experience," said Nicole Sanchez Managing Partner of the Kapor Center for Social Impact. "We believe a one day pre-conference for Latinos in tech will be an important catalyst and milestone towards achieving these goals."

According to The Kapor Center for Social Impact, proposals for panels will be accepted before the conference and event organizers are reaching out to corporate and other foundation sponsors to try and ensure that the event is accessible to the Latino community.

Interested in attending? Click here to apply.