It's been scientifically proven that more diverse communities and workplaces create better products and the solutions to difficult problems are more complete and diverse themselves. Companies are struggling to find adequate talent. So why do we see so few women, people of color, and LGBTQ people at our events and on the about pages of our websites? Even more curiously, why do 60% of women leave the tech industry within 10 years? Why are fewer women choosing to pursue computer science and related degrees than ever before? Why have stories of active discouragement, dismissal, harassment, or worse become regular news?
In this talk we’ll examine the causes behind the lack of diversity in our communities, events, and workplaces. We’ll discuss what we can do as community members, event organizers, and co-workers to not only combat this problem, but to encourage positive change by contributing to an atmosphere of inclusivity.
Objectives:
- Educate about the lack of diversity and why it is a problem
- Examine what is contributing to both the pipeline issue as well as attrition
- Isolate what is and isn't working
- Inspire direct action by examining our own behavior and learning more about the people around us so we can empathize better
@ashedryden BTW thanks for your #LCA2014 talk: your perspectives have made a difference.
— Mark Glossop (@Cueball_AU) January 11, 2014
Engineering Lecture Theatre 1: Programming Diversity. Explaining intersectionality. :-) #lca2014 pic.twitter.com/tDbfZLCzGa
— Jeff Waugh (@jdub) January 9, 2014
"Programming diversity" room is now more diverse. Gone from 3/4 White-males with beards to more white-males without beards #lca2014
— Simon Lyall (@slyall) January 9, 2014
Powerful @ashedryden about to drop diverse knowledge #lca2014
— Matt Lambie (@mlambie) January 9, 2014
Watching @ashedryden give a great talk on diversity in IT #lca2014
— mibus (@mibus) January 9, 2014
Was on the slow train this morning. Totally worth hopping in a cab to make @ashedryden's talk :) #lca2014
— Kate Chapman (@wonderchook) January 9, 2014
@ashedryden at #lca2014 On average boys get access to their 1st computer at 11, girls at 14 @raspberry_pi
— Michael Borthwick (@MikeBorthwick) January 9, 2014
Listening to @ashedryden's #lca2014 talk on Diviserty in tech, she's right on.
— kyhwana (@kyhwana) January 9, 2014
Great quote in @ashedryden's slides #lca2014 pic.twitter.com/RmojDVCvyE
— Lindsay Holmwood (@auxesis) January 9, 2014
"Education is the trojan horse to empathy" - @ashedryden at #lca2014
— Daniel Bryan (@Lodoicea) January 9, 2014
@ashedryden great talk, thank you.
— Shane MacPhillamy (@coaic) January 9, 2014
@ashedryden great talk, thanks Ashe
— Jason Lewis (@jasonblewis) January 9, 2014
@ashedryden thanks for your #lca2014 talk! Very clearly articulated, much to think and act on
— Lindsay Holmwood (@auxesis) January 9, 2014
Just had the "don't you think that maybe women just aren't that interested in tech?" discussion. #headdesk #LCA2014 <--2014, ppl! ;-)
— itgrrl (@itgrrl) January 9, 2014
For those of you at #lca2014 and thinking "but women just aren't that interested in tech", let me help you: http://t.co/pYWKUvhxlZ
— Lana Brindley (@Loquacities) January 9, 2014