Last week, Team Tech:NYC joined elected officials, community leaders, and partners in San Juan for the annual SOMOS conference. Coming right after Election Day, the gathering offered a chance to reconnect, compare priorities, and talk about what’s ahead for New York.
For our team, the week brought together some of our favorite parts of this work — connecting our members with New York’s civic leaders, spending time with partners from across the state, and helping community organizations explore practical uses for tech and AI.
About SOMOS
Part family reunion, part policy summit, SOMOS has long been a gathering place for New York’s Latino elected officials, labor leaders, advocates, and business community. This year’s 40th anniversary conference brought more than 3,000 people to San Juan for what organizers described as the largest SOMOS gathering yet, with Governor Kathy Hochul, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, Attorney General Letitia James, and Representative Hakeem Jeffries among those attending.
On the heels of a historic election, the week offered lots to discuss about our city and state’s future. Puerto Rico’s own priorities were also central to the conversation, with topics such as drought and infrastructure also taking front and center.
For Tech:NYC, SOMOS is an opportunity to connect across these communities, hear directly from local leaders, and explore how technology can support opportunity in both New York and Puerto Rico.
A mainstay SOMOS highlight: Tech ’Tinis
Tech ’Tinis was the place to be on Thursday afternoon as Tech:NYC brought together elected officials, tech policy leaders, and partners at El Techo in La Placita for one of the week’s standout gatherings. Our President & CEO Julie Samuels raised a glass to the occasion, welcoming guests with a toast.
Spotted: More than 200 guests joined us, and we saw a few familiar faces including: Comptroller Mark Levine, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, State Senator Jeremy Cooney, and Assemblymembers Brian Cunningham, Jordan Wright, Tony Simone, Michaelle Solages, and John Zaccaro, among others. Turns out there’s plenty to discuss over a Tech ’Tini.
Thank you to this year’s sponsors — Amazon, Lyft, Anthropic, OpenAI, CLEAR, and TikTok — for making it possible. Tech ’Tinis once again proved to be the place at SOMOS for tech leaders, policymakers, and advocates to catch up, compare notes, and build relationships that will carry back to New York.
Exploring AI with Decoded Futures
Of course, AI was a recurring topic at SOMOS, and our Decoded Futures team gave attendees a chance to explore it firsthand. The day after Tech ’Tinis, New York and Puerto Rican nonprofit leaders joined us for an interactive AI exploration session led by Jenni Warren.
The session brought a bite-sized version of Decoded Futures to SOMOS, helping participants explore how AI could give their teams more capacity. Through practical examples and hands-on experimentation, participants considered ways to spend less time on administrative tasks and more time serving their communities.
The focus was on connecting the tools to everyday needs — identifying where AI could help lighten workloads, simplify recurring tasks, and make limited resources go further. It was especially valuable to connect on the ground with local Puerto Rican nonprofits, learn more about their work, and explore opportunities to collaborate.
Thank you to Google.org for supporting this work and to everyone who brought their ideas, questions, and experience to the session.
Around SOMOS
Beyond Tech ’Tinis and our Decoded Futures session, the Tech:NYC team was out and about throughout the week, joining legislative workshops, tech panels, and media and networking events (shoutout City & State!). Along the way, we caught up with members, heard from elected officials, and made new connections with partners across New York and Puerto Rico.
We also hosted dinners with our members each night, giving everyone a chance to debrief on the day’s conversations, swap takeaways, and get to know each other over a good meal.
Back in New York, our calendars are a little fuller and our circle a little wider. Thanks for a great week, SOMOS! See you in 2027!
