The news right now is full of stories about the various “divides” within the U.S., including the divide between urban and rural communities. But like many states, Washington’s economy depends on industries located in both our largest cities and our smallest communities.

Two of our most important industries are technology, concentrated in the western cities, and agriculture, located primarily in the east. Both are behemoths. The total market value for Washington tech companies is around $1 trillion, and they have an annual revenue of $40 billion. At the same time, our $49 billion ag industry spreads across all 39 Washington counties and produces 70% of all the apples in the U.S. 

Both Washington industries are huge – in terms of value, sales, and employment. But that’s not all we have in common. Both industries depend upon immigrant workers for their success. Almost a quarter of tech workers and nearly 75% of farmworkers are immigrants (For a detailed breakdown on the impact of the immigrant workforce in tech and ag, see this infographic). And here’s one more important link: Agriculture is a high-tech business where innovation matters as much as it does to us in the tech industry. Visit Washington’s organic dairies, for example, and you’ll see the latest in big data analytical tools and robotics.

FWD.us, an organization founded by tech leaders as a voice for the industry, has recognized that when it comes to immigration, we have to build a bridge with other industries. If you check out their website at www.fwd.us, on most pages, you’ll see an emphasis on the tech industry. But when you click on Immigration Reform, the organization seems to become industry agnostic, reflecting the growing emphasis on cross-industry collaboration. Go to the Resource Center, and you’ll see a long list of topics that include “Entrepreneurs & Innovation,” “H-1b,” and “Agricultural Arguments.”

There are now FWD.us chapters in nine cities across the U.S., including San Francisco, Boston, Austin, and New York. The chapters meet monthly to build networks, share stories, and work on advocacy. Seattle does not yet have a FWD.us. chapter.

How did an organization that was started by tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg become committed to cross-industry collaboration for comprehensive immigration reform? That’s one of the stories you’ll hear at FullConTech on September 26, when Todd Schulte, president of FWD.us, will be our keynote speaker. Todd will tell us the history of the organization and how his team brings people together to push for comprehensive immigration reform. He’ll also share insights on what he’s seeing on immigration in Washington and what we can learn from other states.The keynote is a an opportunity for FullConTech participants to learn about the FWD.us vision for collaborative change and why FWD.us believes that joining forces is the best path to changing the U.S. approach to immigration.

On September 26, FullConTech heads to Leavenworth to talk about the Immigrant Workforce in the technology and agriculture industries and explore ideas for positive change. Interested in joining the conversation? Register here.