Tech enthusiasts, founders, and leaders converged at The Hub @ Office Logic in Downtown Miami last night for Diversitech Connect: Summer in Miami, a vibrant celebration of inclusive innovation, community, and networking. Presented by Tribaja and STEMNoire, and organized by Krishanna‑Marie Newton and Laura Levros, the event offered cocktails, a DJ, and a fireside chat exploring the next frontier of equitable tech.

Fireside Chat Takes Center Stage

Michaeljohn (MJ) Green, Chief of Economic Development & Strategy at the Miami DDA, moderated a dynamic panel on “inclusive innovation” The conversation uncovered core themes:

Equity by design: Laura Levros emphasized that “inclusive innovation looks like considering everyone, from all races and socioeconomic status … keeping lower income residents in mind amid displacement” trends.

Co-creation over tokenism: D’Angelo Senat, founder of AllPeeP, described partnerships with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) interns to build real tech, not just attend ribbon cuttings, engaging communities from the ideation stage.

Problem-led innovation: Ludmilla J. Paul‑Lafosse highlighted the importance of using big data to solve real world problems, not just chasing bottom line gains. She warned against “weaponizing data” in areas like healthcare pricing and urged sliding scale, value based models.

Internal representation matters: Catalina Peña, founder of Catalyst Creation, reflected on her time in big tech, saying “if you have somebody designing something that doesn’t look like us, that’s a huge missed opportunity”. She called for systemic change from within and empowering individuals to push cultural shifts.

When the panel touched on guardrails for tech inclusivity, the emphasis fell on ownership and data sovereignty, with Levros encouraging deeper youth mentorship and genuine career pipelines in South Florida tech.

For founders or career changers entering tech, the panelists shared breakthrough perspectives:

• Sales roles as overlooked high-impact tech positions
• Project management, product ownership, business analysis as strategic pathways for non-engineers
• Passion as a compass, Catalina Peña urged attendees to pursue careers that feel as good as “eating a their favorite food”
• Cultivating an abundance mindset paired with intentional use of AI to build MVPs and equity wealth

Venue & Vibe

Noel Jackson, owner of The Hub @ Office Logic, welcomed attendees with a heartfelt reflection: “This is my French fry (my favorite food) moment… Every time I have people in here and I see community… this is what I live for“

The venue’s sleek workspace, 24,550 sq ft, buzzed with energy, enhanced by sounds from DJ Luna, delicious appetizers from North Star Caterings and cocktails.

Shannon Morales, founder of Tribaja, recapped rapid growth since Tribaja’s launch, built on curated learning and community for diverse professionals. A solo founder and single mom, Morales said: “You can do it broke, but you need money somewhere… build community around you so you can continue to be supported“. Tribaja’s mission shone through in last night’s turnout.