In a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that diversity is the key to innovation in technology. Emphasizing the need for more women representation in the tech industry, he said that a diverse pool of people come up with “great” creative solutions. And that philosophy is personified in culturally diverse App Store.
In a new article, the tech giant has honored seven Hispanic and Latin app creators breaking barriers with technology. Using their personal experiences to fuel their passions, creators of Encantos, BightSite, and Yana share how App Store provides them a “meaningful avenue” to make the world more inclusive and accessible for everyone.
- Created by co-founders Steven Wolfe Pereira and Susie Jaramillo, the Encantos app offers a “comprehensive” children’s library that includes stories and content from creators around the world.
- BiteSight app created by Alejandra A. Enriquez, Juan A. Rubio, Gabe Martinez, and Joshua Gomez helps people with low vision or blindness to scan and identify food allergens on product ingredient labels.
- Developed by Andrea Campos, the Yana app empowers people to tackle negative thoughts related to depression and anxiety, especially Spanish-speaking individuals.
Creators of Encantos, BightSite, and Yana used their culture and identities to develop groundbreaking tech
The creators of Encantos say that it is remarkable how they are able to bring an immersive story experience through the App Store, their digital canvas.
- Susie Jaramillo said that the iPad empowered the artist and the storyteller in her to share stories inspired by her community and culture with millions of kids.
- Steven Wolfe Pereira added that as Encantos was founded to offer culturally authentic entertainment for kids and families, technology has enabled them to preserve, recognize, and celebrate the cultural contributions of Hispanic and Latino people.
Creator of Yana, Andrea Campos shared that her personal journey through mental health as a teenager inspired her to create a tool for empowering others with emotional education in a safe and judgment-free space. Yana motivates people to change the way they think to change the way they feel.
Creators of BiteSight, Alejandra A. Enriquez, Juan A. Rubio, Gabe Martinez, and Joshua Gomez found each other at the Apple Developer Academy where they learned how technology can transform a simple idea into an app to bring a meaningful change in people’s lives.
Rubio shared that his passion to use tech to make someone’s everyday life more independent and convenient gave birth to the idea of creating a tool for visually impaired people with dietary restrictions. At the Apple Developer Academy, his team learned that they can give someone the power to see through an iPhone which led to the creation of BiteSight.
The functionality of just being able to search and read Live Text can be used by anyone to search for any text. I believe that technology can serve as that extra safety net for people who don’t or can’t always rely on another person for assistance.
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