Unsung, Unstoppable: 22 Black Trailblazers in Technology  ## Document Notes ## Highlights - **Granville Woods' Inventor Story** - Granville Woods held nearly 60 patents and invented the multiplex induction telegraph that reduced train accidents. - Thomas Edison tried to sue him and later offered partnership after losing the case. Transcript: Michelle So the first one, and let's just say to like the year they passed or if they're still alive, just so people get an idea of when these people lived. So the first person is Granville Woods. He died in 1910. He was a great inventor, specifically known for his 15 different appliances for the electric railways. Gosh, my mouth's not working. He was most known for inventing the multiplex induction telegraph, which allowed for voice communications through telegraph wires. Kind of like the first phone in a way, right? The device ended up preventing many train accidents. He became known as the Black Edison because Thomas Edison tried to sue him after he invented the multiplex telegraph. The lawsuit failed, so Edison tried to make Woods a partner. ([Time 0:02:58](https://share.snipd.com/snip/d81f6503-afad-4821-8929-a4e125cdb112)) - **Katherine Johnson's NASA Legacy** - Katherine Johnson calculated flight paths for early NASA missions and verified machine computer results. - She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and inspired the film Hidden Figures. Transcript: Samah Second one and let me start i apologize if i put your anybody names especially like some catherine johnson she passed in the 2020 uh the accomplishments of catherine was highlighted In the film Hidden Figures. But for those who don't know, she was pioneering black women in tech. She entered college when she was only 15 years old. And at that time of graduation, her only employment options were only teaching or nursing. So she worked as a teacher before she applied for a job at the Langley Research Center, would later become part of NASA. In 1953, Johnson began working on a human computer and calculated the flight path for the first NASA mission to space. Her calculations were essential to the success of many early missions like Project Mercury and Apollo 11. She also helped confirm the accuracy when machine computers were brought in. In 2015, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama. And if you haven't seen the movie, Hidden Figures, you should absolutely watch it. Michelle It so amazing. ([Time 0:03:51](https://share.snipd.com/snip/198b9a8b-bce3-418e-beff-d79eda248e63)) - **Otis Boykin's Practical Inventions** - Otis Boykin held 26 patents including a wire precision resistor used in TVs, IBM computers, and missiles. - He also invented a control unit for the pacemaker improving everyday electronics accessibility. Transcript: Michelle Otis Boykin passed in 1982. He was another prolific inventor, eventually holding 26 patents. After graduating from Fisk College in 1941, he began working with Majestic Radio and TV Corporation and eventually the P.J Research Laboratories. Among his inventions were a wire precision resistor used in televisions, radios, IBM computers, and even military missiles. He also invented a control unit for the pacemaker. He helped improve and make everyday electronics more efficient and affordable. ([Time 0:05:09](https://share.snipd.com/snip/e3bdc503-bcf1-4721-a6f8-d6fe57b4fa64)) - **Evelyn Boyd-Granville's Career Path** - Evelyn Boyd-Granville earned a PhD in mathematics and worked at IBM and NASA on missile fuses and satellite orbit analysis. - She contributed to Project Mercury and Apollo efforts and later returned to IBM as senior mathematician. Transcript: Samah She passed in 2023 in 1949, become the second African-American woman ever to earn a PhD in mathematics. From Yale. Yeah, and not anyone. Yeah, exactly. After working in DC using math to help develop missile fuses, Granville took on a role to IBMA in 1956. This launched her career at NASA, where she was an instrumental part of the project Mercury missions, designing computer software that helped analyze satellite orbits. She also worked on the Apollo in 1962 before returning to IBMA as a senior mathematician. ([Time 0:05:45](https://share.snipd.com/snip/e1abd4f3-c7fe-43f9-b2fc-f44fa39d8211)) - **Melba Roy Mouton's NASA Rise** - Melba Roy Mouton rose from human computer to head of programming at Goddard and produced satellite timetables. - She worked under segregation with separate facilities while receiving Apollo awards for her contributions. Transcript: Michelle Amazing. Totally amazing. Melba Roy Mouton passed in 1990. She was another notable human computer, which is what they called the women and the people who were doing all of the calculations, right? She was a human computer at NASA. She rose to the ranks to head of computer programming at NASA and later program production section chief at Goddard Space Flight Center. Her work helped produce the orbital element timetables, which allowed millions to see the satellite from Earth as it passed overhead. She received an Apollo Achievement Award and an exceptional performance award while at NASA. It's really interesting to note that while she began working at NASA in her career, they were still segregation. ([Time 0:06:30](https://share.snipd.com/snip/c7775f8e-bc2c-45e9-8cbd-bd5c865bdb05)) - **Roy Clay-Sir And Silicon Valley** - Roy Clay-Sir helped build HP's computer division and is often called the godfather of Silicon Valley. - He was inducted into the Silicon Valley Engineering Council Hall of Fame for his leadership and impact. Transcript: Samah One is Roy Clay-Sir. He passed away in 2024. Roy Clay-Sir is often referred to as the godfather of Silicon Valley. After graduating from St. Louis University, where he was one of the first black men to attend, he started working in computer programming. He worked on writing software that demonstrated the spread of radiation after automatic explosion. In the 70s, Clay worked as a computer consultant in Silicon Valley and became a key figure in development of HP's computer division, who would eventually lead the team that engineered HP entrance into computer markets. In 2003, he was introduced into the Silicon Valley Engineering Council Hall of Fame. ([Time 0:07:16](https://share.snipd.com/snip/3561b7a3-1942-4887-ab6a-7804a3a9dc55)) - **Annie Easley's Technical Shift** - Annie J. Easley transitioned from human computer to programmer and worked on the Centaur rocket using assembly and Fortran. - Her work advanced rocket fuel systems and broader aerospace computing efforts. Transcript: Michelle Who passed in 2011, began her career as one of only four Black employees out of 2,500 at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which was NACA, which was the precursor to NASA. So she started as a human computer, but when the real machine computers came out, she dove into learning assembly language and Fortran. She became a computer programmer working on a variety of projects, but her most famous work was on the Centaur rocket, a first of its kind rocket that used a unique fuel system. ([Time 0:08:10](https://share.snipd.com/snip/385e8ae9-9207-4cd1-8e4e-92d3c7faede5)) - **Frank Greene's Tech And Investing** - Frank Greene developed high-speed semiconductor memory in the 1960s and later founded tech companies and a VC firm. - His VC focused on minority and female-led companies and he entered the Silicon Valley Engineers Hall of Fame. Transcript: Samah Memory system in the 60s at frontside semiconductor r&d labs he would later go on to start two technology companies of his own wow he's also found a vc firm called a new vesta capital which Focused on minority and female-led companies his legacy as a technologist and as investor lives on today. And he's also among 63 inductees in the Silicon Valley Engineers Council Hall of Fame. ([Time 0:09:02](https://share.snipd.com/snip/2d22b5d5-e014-4134-b514-8b8809bd5a84)) - **Valerie Thomas And 3D Imaging** - Valerie Thomas worked at NASA from 1964–1995 and invented the illusion transmitter foundational to modern 3D imaging. - Her work influenced medical imaging, entertainment, and virtual reality technologies. Transcript: Michelle Yeah. Valerie Thomas, who is still alive, born in 43. She had a strong interest in technology early on, but didn't receive support for it until she attended Morgan State University. She was one of only two women in her class to major in physics. She excelled at school and landed a job as a mathematical data analyst for NASA. She worked at NASA from 64 to 95, conducting large-scale experiments and developing computer data systems. She is best known for inventing the illusion transmitter, a technology that laid the groundwork for modern 3D imaging used in medicine, entertainment, and virtual reality. ([Time 0:09:50](https://share.snipd.com/snip/93c5b552-c607-4b04-b56f-e5d28bd7afcc)) - **Clarence Ellis' Collaboration Innovations** - Clarence 'Skip' Ellis earned the first Black PhD in computer science and worked on the Illiac IV supercomputer and collaborative systems. - He led work on OfficeTalk and operational transformation concepts used in tools like Google Docs. Transcript: Samah Clarence became the first Black person to earn a PhD in computer science. He earned this degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. Am I saying it right? Urbana Champaign, yeah. Yeah, Urbana Champ for 1969 as a student he worked on hardware and software and the development of the illiaciv supercomputer he had long career at major tech companies like bell telephone Uh laboratories ibm x uh er oh sorry xerox xerox yeah good Paolo Alto Research Center, he spread headed a group that invented OfficeTalk, the first office system to use icons and ethernet To allow people to collaborate from distance. Was a binder in the field of operational transformation examining the functionality and collaborative system which is found in computer applications today like google docs and Sounds like like slack too right yeah ([Time 0:10:32](https://share.snipd.com/snip/acbbaa60-9d71-4898-b90c-aa8807ef364e)) - **Shirley Ann Jackson's Telecom Impact** - Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson earned MIT's first Black woman's doctorate and helped enable touch-tone phone, caller ID, and fiber optics. - She received major honors including the National Medal of Science and served on presidential advisory boards. Transcript: Michelle Yeah uh dr sure yeah for sure dr shir Jackson, born in 46, still alive. A theoretical physicist was the first black woman to earn a doctorate degree at MIT, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. And hers was in nuclear physics. Her work paved the way for major technological innovations in telecommunications. We can thank her for innovations for the technology that led to the touchtone telephone, caller ID, call waiting, and fiber optic cable. She's received many fellowships, honors, and awards, including the National Medal of Science, and was nominated by President Barack Obama to be a member of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board. ([Time 0:11:40](https://share.snipd.com/snip/280a0c37-e7c7-4e69-87de-2395ba3e42f0)) - **John V. Thompson's Leadership Journey** - John V. Thompson progressed from salesperson to CEO and board roles, including chairman at Microsoft until 2021. - He now serves on the Silicon Valley Community Foundation board and shares leadership knowledge. Transcript: Samah Next one, John V. Thompson. He was born in 1949, and he's still alive. God let them let's let them share their knowledge more and more yeah he has had an impressive career in tech he has began as a salesperson at ipm and climbed up the company to become the General manager of ipm americans he also had served as the ceo of virtualuments, CEO of Semantic, and chairman of Microsoft until 2021. Today, he serves on the board of director of the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. ([Time 0:12:19](https://share.snipd.com/snip/70f16250-b43b-43d5-8898-8eadb24638ad)) - **Mark Hanna's Film Graphics** - Mark Regan Hanna co-founded Silicon Graphics and powered movie graphics for Jurassic Park and other films. - His graphics work reached film studios and Industrial Light and Magic, influencing visual effects. Transcript: Michelle Yeah. Next is Mark Regis Hanna, born in 56, still alive. For the graphics in Jurassic Park, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and more, we have Chicago native Mark Hanna to thank. He was an electrical engineer and computer graphics designer in the 80s and 90s. In 1982, he co-founded Silicon Graphics Incorporated, eventually becoming the company's principal scientist. His computer graphics technology has been used in major motion films, as as commercials the intro from monday night football and by george lucas's visual effects studio industrial Light and magic and ([Time 0:12:55](https://share.snipd.com/snip/417de202-ca05-44ff-ba57-c5814f454b4f)) - **David Steward's WWT Empire** - David Loyal Steward founded World Wide Technology, growing it into a global systems integrator serving Fortune 500 clients. - WWT prioritized digital infrastructure, workforce development, and community investment under his leadership. Transcript: Samah Next one is david loyal steward uh was born in 1951 and uh he's still alive david uh is the founder and chairman of the worldwide technology one of the largest black-owned companies in The United States. In the 90s, he co-founded WWT, growing into a global system integrator that supports enterprise IT, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and telecommunication for Fortune 500 companies And government agencies. Under Seward's leadership, WWT has become a major first in digital infrastructure while maintaining a strong commitment to workforce development and community investment. ([Time 0:13:30](https://share.snipd.com/snip/c1fe448e-a961-4e8d-b259-e460674e794b)) - **Mark Dean's IBM Patents** - Mark Dean helped develop the IBM PC and holds three of the original nine PC patents for IBM. - He led the team that produced the one gigahertz chip and became IBM's first Black fellow. Transcript: Michelle The next one is Dr. Mark Dean, still alive, born in 1957. He's an influential black tech leader and a prominent figure in computer science. Early on, he had an interest and a gift in technology, building his own computer, radio, and amplifier when he was in high school. He began working at IBM in 1980, where he was an essential leader in developing the personal computer. He holds three of IBM's original nine patents for the PC. More recently, he led the team that produced the one gigahertz chip. He was the first black engineer named an IBM fellow, the company's highest technical honor, and continues to shape the future of computing through research and education. ([Time 0:14:22](https://share.snipd.com/snip/f09b0cf1-a86a-490f-8eb4-6c0a227681d4)) - **John Henry Thompson's Lingo** - John Henry Thompson invented Lingo, a scripting language for interactive multimedia and graphics. - Lingo powered animation, sound, and interactive simulations used in games and web design. Transcript: Samah One, John Henry Thompson from 1959 until now. He is a technologist whose work sits as the intersection of early computing and modern digital media, trained in both computer science and visual arts. Thompson helped shape how people interact with technology beyond text and code. He is the inventor of Lingo, a scripting language that renders visuals in computer language. Many programs that use graphics, animation, sound, and video for interactive simulation still use Lingo today. It's also been used to create the program that are now used in video games, web design, animation, and graphics. ([Time 0:15:03](https://share.snipd.com/snip/c8f655bf-20ab-4436-98b0-9b8cf80cddec)) - **Stacey Brown-Philpott's Scaling Playbook** - Stacey Brown-Philpott scaled TaskRabbit globally, selling it to IKEA and later founded Cherry Rock Capital to back Black and Latina founders. - She focuses on operational rigor and leadership development to build sustainable companies. Transcript: Michelle Cool. Stacey Brown-Philpott, from 1965 to present, is a technology executive and venture capitalist focused on scaling companies through operational excellence. As former CEO of TaskRabbit, she led the company's global expansion and its ultimate acquisition by IKEA in 2017. Building on that experience, Brown Philpott founded Cherry Rock Capital, a venture firm dedicated to helping Black and Latina founders grow from early traction to sustainable scalability. Her work emphasizes leadership development, operational rigor, and building companies to last. I like when they also start to give back like that, building these VC firms. ([Time 0:15:49](https://share.snipd.com/snip/82cdabc9-a5fd-4d8d-8e41-2cf5b9bf2fe0)) - **Kimberly Bryant's Black Girls Code** - Kimberly Bryant founded Black Girls Code after noticing the lack of representation in tech and bringing coding to thousands of girls. - Her nonprofit teaches coding, robotics, and computer science to expand the future tech pipeline. Transcript: Samah Kimberly Bryant from 1967 until now. Kimberly Bryant is an engineer and social entrepreneur. Entrepreneur, yeah. My dyslexia is screaming, know the founder of a black girl code a non-profit dedicated uh to expanding across the technology education to black girls after working in uh biotechnology At companies like grinch and novert and merrick bryant recognized the stark lake of represented in technical fields and set out to change it. Since its founding in 2011, Black Girls Code has introduced tons of thousands of students to coding, robotics, and computer science, helping build a more inclusive pipeline of future Tech talent. ([Time 0:16:32](https://share.snipd.com/snip/61a368ea-c2ba-4ad8-ac48-397e6385985a)) - **Lisa Gelobter's Web And Policy Work** - Lisa Gelobter worked on Shockwave and helped launch Hulu, later moving into public policy and founding Techquitable. - Her work shaped web interactivity, streaming evolution, and workplace inclusion tools. Transcript: Michelle And this next person was born after me. So we're getting much more in the current here. So Lisa Golobter from 1971 to now is a computer scientist and internet pioneer whose work helped shape how we experience media online today. She played a key role in the development of Shockwave, an early technology that enabled animation and interactivity on the web. Galopter also contributed to the evolution of online streaming as part of the senior leadership team that launched Hulu. I use Hulu all the time. From tech, Galopter transitioned to policy, serving as the chief digital service officer for the Department of Education. Today, she is the founder and CEO of Techquitable, a platform that helps companies create a safe, inclusive, and equitable workplace. ([Time 0:17:26](https://share.snipd.com/snip/9ea4bc4b-7706-4ee4-9597-6692c55c97a2)) - **Fedra Lampkins' Public Systems Startup** - Fedra Lampkins built Promise to modernize public systems with ethical AI, data privacy, and accessibility for underserved populations. - Her company digitizes payments and service access for governments and utilities at scale. Transcript: Samah Next name I'm going to butcher, so I really apologize, is Fedra Lampkins from 1976 until the present. She is a technology entrepreneur, focused on modernizing essential public system. In her early career, she served as the CEO of the Green for All, where she worked to reduce energy costs and expand clean energy job opportunities for low-income communities. Today, she serves as the co-founder and the CEO of Promise, a technology company that emphasizes ethical AI, data privacy, and accessibility for underserved population and partners With governments and utilities to digitalize payment system, compliance monitoring, and service access for millions. ([Time 0:18:14](https://share.snipd.com/snip/96f98c3b-a2e2-4e44-b6bc-a5910b66818f)) - **Tope Awotona's Calendly Growth** - Tope Awotona founded Calendly after immigrating from Nigeria and built a billion-dollar scheduling platform focused on simplicity. - Calendly scaled by solving the universal friction of finding meeting times and earned tech recognition. Transcript: Michelle Payment systems I also use all the time because I'm an online shopper. Awotona 1981 to present uh top was the founder and ceo of calendly which i still use the scheduling platform used by millions of professionals worldwide after immigrating to the u.s From nigeria awatona bootstrapped calendly with a focus on simplicity usability and real world productivity needs the company grew into a billion dollar business by solving a universal Workplace workplace friction point finding the time to meet in recognition of his impact on technology entrepreneurship and job creation awatona was the sole annual 2024 inductee Into the technology hall of fame of georgia as presented by the technology association of georgia the ([Time 0:19:05](https://share.snipd.com/snip/6a63948c-053a-42a5-ac24-8c6d39b00157)) - **Timnit Gebru's AI Ethics Work** - Timnit Gebru founded DAIR and co-founded Black in AI to advocate for accountability and representation in AI research. - Her work shaped global conversations on algorithmic bias, data governance, and AI ethics. Transcript: Samah Last one is timonit gibro from 1982 until now um is like he is a computer scientist and a leading voice in artificial intelligence ethics. Oh, sorry, she. I apologize. I didn't know either. She is the founder of the Distributed AI Research Institute, DAIR, and the co-founder of Black NII, advocating for accountability, transparency, and representation in AI research. Gibru's work in algorithm bias, data governance, and power in technology has shaped global conversations about responsible AI and influence how organizations approach emerging Technologies. ([Time 0:19:55](https://share.snipd.com/snip/5c5b2e1f-9b47-42f2-a9ee-2605f61ac8de)) - **Expand Who You Celebrate In Tech** - The hosts highlighted a broader list of Black tech leaders beyond the usual names to expand recognition. - Celebrating diverse contributors reveals how many foundational technologies originated from underrepresented people. Transcript: Michelle And this article was from Purpose.Jobs, from their blog, Celebrating Black History, Black Leaders in Tech. We will include link for that um in the show notes so let's move on to like when we reflect back over that's a pretty impressive list of 22 people some of the things i like about it is it isn't Your typical list of black um yeah it's it's not like we're not looking at um you know elay whitney again we're not looking at people that we've that we should celebrate absolutely 100 But we're expanding that list to say, look at not only the people that made technology, you know, before any of us were even a twinkle in our great grandfather's eyes kind of thing. That created and contributed to much of the technology that we all, you and I and everybody listening to this podcast, use on a daily basis. ([Time 0:20:37](https://share.snipd.com/snip/e08109b6-689d-48df-8186-27f2ca4d4ea5)) - **Structural Barriers Are Multi-Faceted** - Forbes lists structural challenges for underrepresented groups including biased hiring and limited access to education. - Michelle stresses inclusive hiring and training to address unconscious and conscious bias in companies. Transcript: Michelle There are 18 of them. So we want to kind of, I'm sorry, 20 of them. So let's talk a little bit about some of them and maybe less or more about others. But the first thing on the list today is an existing absence of diversity. So it says, apart from limited access to tech education, underrepresented groups often face an existing lack of diversity and inclusion in tech-related companies that already exist. And it says here, the businesses need to implement inclusive hiring practices and provide training for their employees to address unconscious bias. And I would say also conscious bias and ensuring a more welcoming workplace. ([Time 0:22:20](https://share.snipd.com/snip/23088900-5d7c-4f85-a8f6-f05f2c686e2f)) - **Design For Accessibility From The Start** - Use AI and accessibility tools to remove barriers for employees with disabilities and improve independence. - Design systems and events with remote options to include people who need alternative access. Transcript: Michelle So there's also a lack of accessibility tools for those who are disabled and there are disabled people in every underrepresented population right so it's still an issue in the tech Industry. I was talking on a podcast earlier today, how I still have my meetup online, because I have disability needs that I can't solve to have them someplace else without somebody who would Be willing to help me. So I'm a very independent person, and I accomplish a lot, but I still run up against things that are difficult for me to accomplish, so they're difficult for other people as well. So for example, being able to use tools such as Zoom to give and review presentations. Artificial intelligence can be transformative for employees with disabilities such as developers who are blind or visually impaired by removing barriers to sharing information And empowering them to execute tasks more efficiently. I love the idea of looking into ways that AI can assist with disabilities, as opposed to, you know, AI doesn't have to be like, oh, it's taking all our jobs. It can be incredibly helpful if we're using it right and we're developing it properly. ([Time 0:24:55](https://share.snipd.com/snip/266bf6ae-01ce-411e-845d-99ebf4f134aa)) - **Hire Potential, Not Just Credentials** - Hire for curiosity, grit, and problem-solving, not just traditional credentials or elite degrees. - Create on-ramps like internships and apprenticeships to train capable candidates on the job. Transcript: Michelle Next one is a strict expertise in educational preferences tech has a very narrow definition of what we call the best engineer what that looks like on paper. Credentials alone don't make great people. Grit, intellectual curiosity, and the desire to find great solutions to problems do. There are so many people who are amazing at their jobs who never had an education in those fields. I'm one of those people, right? Nobody taught me how to do what I do. Nobody taught me WordPress. I figured it out on my own. Nobody taught me how to be a community person. Those things kind of come naturally. And if I didn't have the experience, I mean, I learned them on the job. So you have to give other people opportunities if they have the determination, curiosity, and the grit to be able to do those things, that we need to be able to look beyond just the technical Expertise and realize that some of those things will come with the job. ([Time 0:26:56](https://share.snipd.com/snip/aba2f7b9-622f-41e3-9e3a-c5569c43aa23)) - **Create Targeted Skills And Network Programs** - Expand internships, free training, and targeted networking for underrepresented groups to build skills and connections. - Partner with local hubs and industry to fund workshops and job fairs in underserved areas. Transcript: Michelle Unnecessary entry-level requirements. This kind of echoes that one earlier, but asking people to have specific level of requirements that aren't really necessary, such as a four-year degree, multi-year experience, certifications, And so on. Many skills can be learned quickly. Have you seen, have you seen in the past, like people will post a job and it's like, you have to have five plus years in whatever this programming language is, but the programming language Has only been out for two years. Like how could anybody do that? Right? So yeah. So think carefully about what you're asking people to do. The next one is limited resource for skills development and networking. One challenge underrepresented groups face in pursuing careers in technology is the lack of access to resources and opportunity for skills development and networking. The tech industry can contribute to solving this issue by making training and education available for free, creating networking events, including job fairs, and extending internships Specifically to underrepresented groups. ([Time 0:28:48](https://share.snipd.com/snip/62135472-4c76-4991-ad9a-5ad3d0e25e35)) - **Set Measurable Gender Representation Goals** - Set concrete gender representation goals and establish mentorship to help women advance into leadership roles. - Measure progress up to board level and create sponsorship programs to close promotion gaps. Transcript: Michelle Moving on, a lack of progress on gender gaps. So there's less than 30% of the tech industry is composed of women, and that percentage is even lower in C-suite roles. The tech industry should implement policies for all tech companies to have at least 45% female representation on their workforces up to and including the board level. Mentorship should be established in tech companies to direct women on their career paths. That's what, I just forgot what it's called. WP includes.me. Thank you. I'm just having a brain bubble on a Monday. ([Time 0:29:50](https://share.snipd.com/snip/88e0ff8a-31a1-41a7-8c1b-a48f9c86da0f)) - **Neurodiversity Is Overlooked In Leadership** - Neurodivergent staff often exist in teams but face exclusion from leadership due to perceived interpersonal skill gaps. - Addressing conscious and unconscious bias allows broader leadership talent to emerge from diverse cognitive styles. Transcript: Michelle Underrepresented groups often encounter barriers in STEM fields due to a lack of access to higher ed resources and mentorship. So there could be more mentoring. There could be more scholarships and mentorship programs. Bridge the gap by empowering people with the skills and opportunities needed to thrive in STEM careers. So I think we just need to see more. I think mentoring is a huge part of that, but also just scholarships to formal education also and encouraging people from underrepresented groups to be able to do that being overlooked Due to misperceptions so the technology industry has many areas of underrepresentation but not all graphs are gaps are equally understood many i love this line and many it teams include Neurodivergent staff members and we see that wordpress all the time right but they're not often considered for management and leadership positions since they're perceived as lacking The required interpersonal skills. Addressing conscious and subconscious bias is a critical step towards resolution. ([Time 0:31:57](https://share.snipd.com/snip/d947a070-416d-4f2c-96a2-91f722fc4496)) - **Invest In Local Tech Hubs** - Build localized tech hubs with coding bootcamps and digital literacy workshops to bridge the digital divide. - Use industry partnerships to support mentorship and create community-based pathways into tech. Transcript: Michelle Still a digital divide. So the digital divide and educational disparities form a significant barrier. To bridge this, localized tech hubs supported by industry partnerships could offer coding boot camps, digital literacy workshops, and local mentorship opportunities within underserved Communities. Nurture a diverse ecosystem of innovation and inclusion. That's somebody from Fujitsu who's saying that. I think that that's really true. I mean, not that the retired people that I talked to last summer are looking for those jobs, but I went and educated a bunch of really old people, my mother and her group, on cybersecurity Because so many of them have been scammed in tech. So, you know, the idea of bringing that information to two groups of people for free is, I think, just so worthwhile. There's also fewer opportunities to make professional connections. So we need to find more opportunities for networking events, mentorship programs and partnerships with organizations to give exposure that people need to kickstart their careers. ([Time 0:33:19](https://share.snipd.com/snip/b487af06-333d-4824-ad65-b7c1ae0f2cfa)) - **Use Mentorship To Accelerate Promotion** - Offer formal mentorship and sponsorship programs to help underrepresented employees navigate promotions. - Use company-wide mentorship examples to accelerate career growth, as Michelle's daughter experienced at M&T Bank. Transcript: Michelle There's also fewer opportunities to make professional connections. So we need to find more opportunities for networking events, mentorship programs and partnerships with organizations to give exposure that people need to kickstart their careers. My daughter, who has been the president of the African American Resource Group for M&T Bank in the United States, her company has great, I mean, just amazing opportunities for mentorship. So she was mentoring with one of the presidents of the company as a black woman who wanted to do more in the company. And now she's a VP over at M&T Bank. She started with Kelly Temp Service. So she was a temp and within 10 years, she had a VP business card. So those kinds of opportunities, it would be wonderful if they were present in other companies as well. ([Time 0:34:10](https://share.snipd.com/snip/aeba48a2-ea26-41bd-b07f-c99d6426e62f)) - **Inclusion Requires Active Integration** - Corporate diversity metrics don't guarantee inclusion; underrepresented hires can still be isolated and excluded from decision-making. - Introducing buddy systems and mentorship helps integrate new hires into growth and leadership paths. Transcript: Michelle There's unconscious bias. There's open roles being filled internally or through employee referrals, which just keeps you cycling through that same pool of people as opposed to looking outside and growing Your diversity. There's non-inclusive, the last two I want to talk about a little more in depth, non-inclusive company cultures. Corporate diversity doesn't necessarily equal inclusion. This person, Yuri from DataArt says, after getting a job in IT, a member of an underrepresented group may face a culture that isolates them from continuous professional growth, actual Leadership, and decision-making roles. It may even extend to the creation of stereotypical roles for individuals from these groups. Introduce a buddy system where mentors help these individuals be fully included. I love that idea. Samah Yeah, and we have it at Yoast now. Reading it is so funny. ([Time 0:37:11](https://share.snipd.com/snip/6c381696-aa58-4f6f-8a29-023486b43384)) - **Use Blind Hiring Plus Diverse Sourcing** - Implement blind recruitment and remove identifying details to reduce implicit bias in hiring decisions. - Combine blind screening with proactive diverse sourcing to expand candidate pools genuinely. Transcript: Michelle Then the last one is biased hiring practices. Underrepresented groups often face implicit biases in hiring, which can subtly influence decision making. A practical step for the tech industry is implementing blind recruitment processes where identifying details are removed from resumes and applications. This helps ensure the candidates are evaluated purely on their skills and qualifications, promoting a more inclusive hiring environment. Earlier on in this podcast, Allie and I discussed how having an ethnic sounding name like Rodriguez or, you know, maybe your first name is something that's more used in a different culture Can just automatically get you in the don't even interview pile because people have these biases already. And so, yeah, I think doing it just based on merit alone is a good first way to look and make sure you're not excluding anybody. As long as you've already, you can do, if you only do that, but you're not also recruiting for diversity, you're still looking at the same pool of people. So it really goes twofold with recruiting for diversity, making sure, like you said, you're posting those jobs in the right places. You're using inclusive language. You're using languages that, that encourages applications. Um, then you can absolutely go by what the application looks like so that you are moving that unconscious bias and then introduce those things afterwards. ([Time 0:38:24](https://share.snipd.com/snip/5cd65023-fecd-4999-b975-d6edec97c81d)) - **Diversity Improves Product-Market Fit** - Diverse teams create better products because they see different user needs and marketing angles many homogenous teams miss. - Michelle uses vacuum marketing history to show how inclusion shifted product messaging and sales. Transcript: Michelle I often when I talk about this when we go out and do you know, word camp talks and things like that, when I talk about diversity and how diversity actually helps you develop your products And your advertising, your marketing better. I talk about vacuum cleaners because vacuum cleaners for the longest time were marketed to men as a sexy thing. The picture showed beautiful women with their pearls on and their high heels, their little waist aprons, right, vacuuming in their house. But do you know that they actually sell more vacuums now that they talk about the vacuums and what they accomplish? So if it's a robot vacuum, that it works, that it's, you know, why it works, how you can geofence it. If you're talking about handheld, how great it picks up dirt. They throw things on the carpet and show you how well it vacuums up. Vacuums aren't sexy. They never have been. Utility is what's important. And what happened to make that change? Women were entering the workforce and women were part of those marketing teams to say, look, we don't want vacuums for Christmas. We don't want vacuums as an anniversary or birthday gift. It's a utilitarian thing we need in our house. ([Time 0:40:40](https://share.snipd.com/snip/975bafa8-f6ba-4661-a809-b07ac58a459b))