From Puerto Rico to EKOPARTY 2026: Bringing Community-Driven Cybersecurity Education to the Stage

At EKOPARTY 2026, Raíces Cyber's Loritza Grillasca shared how real-world experiences in Puerto Rico are helping reshape conversations about cybersecurity education, access, and the diverse paths into the industry.

Cybersecurity conferences bring together professionals to explore emerging threats, technical innovations, and the challenges facing the industry. They also provide an opportunity to examine a fundamental question: How can cybersecurity education reach communities where access to technology and professional opportunities remains limited?

At EKOPARTY 2026 in Argentina, Loritza Grillasca, Chief Program, Marketing & Community Officer at Raíces Cyber, contributed to this conversation through two sessions at Hack the Talent Zone. Her participation connected the experiences of underserved communities in Puerto Rico with broader discussions about representation, professional development, and the role of community in building the cybersecurity workforce.

Challenging Expectations About Who Belongs in Cybersecurity

During the panel “No necesitás parecerte al hacker que imaginabas,” Loritza joined Julieta Balcaza and Elisa Elías to discuss the different experiences, backgrounds, and career paths that lead people into cybersecurity.

The conversation explored how traditional perceptions of what a cybersecurity professional should look like can influence who feels welcome in the industry.

Cybersecurity encompasses a wide range of disciplines, from technical defense and offensive security to governance, risk management, education, and community leadership. Professionals bring different strengths and perspectives to these roles, often developing their expertise through experiences that extend beyond conventional technical training.

For Raíces Cyber, recognizing these varied pathways is central to expanding participation among Hispanic and Latino communities. Exposure to different career opportunities, access to mentorship, and connections with professionals who share similar experiences can help individuals identify where their skills and interests fit within the industry.

Sin Sistema, Sin Excusas: Lessons From Humacao, Puerto Rico

Loritza's second session, “Sin Sistema, Sin Excusas: Resistencia, Resiliencia y Comunidad,” brought attendees closer to the operational realities of delivering cybersecurity education in underserved communities.

Drawing from Raíces Cyber's recent youth bootcamp in Humacao, Puerto Rico, she shared how the team adapted its teaching methods while navigating infrastructure limitations, including power outages, water shortages, and an initial lack of desktop computers.

These challenges required practical adjustments to the learning environment.

The team incorporated mobile-first instruction using students' personal devices, local connectivity solutions, and interactive demonstrations that made cybersecurity concepts accessible with limited equipment. Activities included analog explanations of denial-of-service attacks, physical demonstrations of man-in-the-middle concepts, and exercises introducing open-source intelligence.

The experience also reinforced the importance of creating an environment where students felt comfortable asking questions, experimenting, and learning alongside their peers.

The results demonstrated what community-centered cybersecurity education can achieve:

• 31 out of 31 students graduated, achieving 100% retention.

• 4.74 out of 5 overall student satisfaction.

• 96.8% of participants expressed interest in continuing their cybersecurity education.

• 4.35 out of 5 classroom climate score, reflecting students' experiences with trust and support during the program.

Beyond these outcomes, students demonstrated curiosity about cyber threats, defensive tools, and security team responsibilities. Their engagement offered valuable insight into how practical learning experiences can help young people discover interests that may eventually develop into professional aspirations.

Building Cybersecurity Pathways Through Community

One of the most important lessons from Humacao was the role of community in sustaining student engagement.

Throughout the program, participants developed technical knowledge while building confidence, collaborating with peers, and receiving guidance from instructors who encouraged exploration.

The experience highlighted how cybersecurity workforce development depends on several interconnected factors: accessible learning environments, relevant technical instruction, mentorship, and continued opportunities to develop skills.

For communities facing economic and infrastructure barriers, these elements can influence whether an initial introduction to cybersecurity becomes a longer-term educational or professional journey.

Raíces Cyber continues to apply these lessons to its approach to experiential education, supporting learners as they explore cybersecurity disciplines, strengthen technical foundations, and connect with a broader professional community.

Connecting Local Experiences With a Global Cybersecurity Community

Sharing these experiences at EKOPARTY created an opportunity to bring community-level workforce development challenges into conversations with cybersecurity professionals from across Latin America.

The lessons from Humacao have relevance beyond Puerto Rico. Communities throughout the region face different combinations of economic, educational, and technological barriers that affect access to cybersecurity training.

Addressing these challenges requires collaboration among educators, industry professionals, community organizations, and institutions willing to invest in practical learning opportunities.

Through Loritza's participation, Raíces Cyber contributed an experience grounded in direct program implementation, measurable student outcomes, and the adaptability required to deliver cybersecurity education under challenging conditions.

Continuing the Conversation

Raíces Cyber extends its appreciation to EKOPARTY for providing a platform to discuss the human and educational dimensions of cybersecurity, and to Julieta Balcaza and Elisa Elías for contributing their perspectives to the conversation about professional identity and belonging.

As cybersecurity workforce needs continue to evolve, experiences like those shared at EKOPARTY reinforce the importance of reaching talent in communities where opportunities are still developing.

The talent already exists. The opportunities we build determine how far it can go.

To learn more about Raíces Cyber's educational programs, community initiatives, and opportunities to get involved, visit raicescyber.org.

Raíces Cyber is a nonprofit organization dedicated to expanding cybersecurity education, professional development, mentorship, and community support, with a focus on increasing Hispanic and Latino representation in the cybersecurity workforce.