On the episode, Liz traces her journey in the tech industry, from her first experience with her brother’s Commodore 64 to founding a video game startup to choosing and creating her own role at Software for Good.

Her advice for others figuring out their career paths: “You do not need to follow the status quo. Follow and let the beacon inside of you help lead you where you need to go.”

She also speaks about Software for Good’s internship program, and how it offers hands-on experience with mission-driven clients. “People are way more excited to do impact work, right out of the gate,” she says of the up-and-coming developers who have been part of the program. “I love seeing this more intrinsic wanting to do good from the get-go.”

Listen to the full episode at this link or search “WiT Twin Cities” on your podcast app.

The post SfG’s Liz Tupper Featured on Women in Tech Podcast appeared first on Software for Good.

The first time I went to Washington, D.C., I had a super awesome beige coat I was really proud of. While walking around, though, I realized right away that no one in D.C. wears anything but black. I immediately felt like a tourist. I was self-conscious to the point that I changed my behavior — I was quieter, less confident, and less excited to go out and enjoy the trip.

This goes for anyone walking into a job or a project or an industry where they’re “the only one.” You’re constantly aware of the fact that no one else looks like you, and you might not express your full self because you’re worried people are judging or making assumptions about you.

Towards the end of my trip, I was in a cab and started lamenting to the driver about my coat and how I was so embarrassed. We were at a stoplight, and he turned around and said, “It’s okay, we accept coats of all colors here.” Right away, my attitude changed. I was reassured, and felt proud of my coat again instead of being self-conscious about it.

That cab driver played a role for me that is valuable for anyone who feels like an outsider. Just having one person say, “You belong here, we appreciate you,” makes a huge difference in helping someone feel more accepted.

You can play that role if you work with someone who is one of the few women or people of color in your industry, or who might otherwise be underrepresented in the room. Thank them for being part of the team, acknowledge their great work, and ask for their opinion if they’re not speaking up in meetings. Make an effort to include people, because they’re there for a reason: They’re talented at what they do.

Everyone has been in a situation where they felt like they didn’t belong. You may not know what it’s like to be the only woman or the only person of color in a room, but you’ve probably had an experience like my trip to D.C. Those moments allow you to understand what it’s like to be an outsider, and remind you to help others feel a little less alone.

The post Being an Outsider appeared first on Software for Good.

A guest post by the FTC Rubies. 

Hello! We are the Rubies, an all-girls robotics team from Minneapolis, MN. Our team participates in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC), a robotics program for middle and high schoolers. In this program, our team builds an 18 x 18 x 18 inch robot and programs it to do specific tasks in the Java language while recording the process throughout the season in a detailed engineering notebook. Teams are also judged on their community and business outreach, while educating others about STEM and robotics programs.

Our team’s mission is to empower underrepresented groups in STEM and create sustainable robotics programs in Minneapolis while continuing to improve our technical skills in order to create more competitive robots year after year.

This year, our team has focused on growing FIRST robotics programs in Minneapolis to allow students from any background to have access to robotics. Last year we were the only team from Minneapolis Public Schools, but this year we played an instrumental role in the creation of five new FTC teams. We mentor six FLL teams and the five new FTC teams on a weekly basis. Part of our contribution to sustainability in Minneapolis robotics is to create educated and passionate coaches who can continue to serve the students in our community and to expand the program well into the future.

We are the FTC ambassadors for the Minneapolis Urban Robotics Alliance (MURA) and use this alliance to establish a FIRST Community within Minneapolis as well as to advocate for all students. We are committed to empowering underrepresented groups in STEM, and ensuring that all students have equal opportunities. This outreach is incredibly important to us because we know that we are making a strong impact on our community by creating equal access.

Our team strives to always continue to learn new technical skills as well. Each year a new game is released, and we build a robot to accomplish tasks for the game. This season we have been utilizing professional software in our robot design, specifically CREO. We have designed our entire robot in CAD, as well as designing and printing custom 3D parts, such as our shooter. We worked very hard this year to create a reliable autonomous program, and a consistent shooter system. To learn more about the game for which we built the robot, visit https://goo.gl/ALFWMQ.

Through our participation we have learned a variety of technical skills such as how to program in Java, use CREO, and follow the engineering design process. We have also grown our personal soft skills, such as public speaking, teamwork, and improved self confidence. Robotics programs have shaped us a lot into the people we are today, and this is why it is incredibly important to give all students access to this type of an education.

Software for Good has supported us this whole season. They have been amazing sponsors and mentored us throughout the season, teaching us how to clean up the code and make it more efficient. Working with Software for Good was a great experience for our team, as we had the opportunity to meet with STEM professionals and learn more about careers. Without Software for Good, our success this season would not have been possible! Thanks Software for Good!

To learn more about our team, visit http://ftcrubies.weebly.com/

To learn more about the FIRST Tech Challenge program, visit https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/ftc

The post Meet the Rubies appeared first on Software for Good.

As I sit writing this blog post at 12:30 a.m., I am all too aware that time is truly the most valuable currency in life. But it’s not more time that we need to be successful in our careers. It’s having control over our time that gives us power.

In fact, time is the great equalizer in the workplace—men, women, young, old—we all get the same amount of time in a single day. So why does it seem that women in particular need to take control over their schedules?

Because control gives us the power to make choices and find a sense of balance in our lives.

Let’s Blame Technology for the Moment

Face it: technology has changed the requirements of our attention in the workplace. Smart phones allow us to work anytime, anywhere, and the expectations about when and how fast the work gets done have increased right along with the advancements in our connections. I’m sure you (and everyone else) are acutely aware of this trend in employee connectedness.

Now Let’s Get Real

Women have always been masterminds at balancing the various demands on our time. And today we are working more than ever—at our jobs and in our homes. According to a study done by the Journal of Marriage and Family, on average, mothers are spending 10.4 more hours with our kids each week than mothers did in 1975. And just this summer, a Labor Department survey showed that women’s hours in the workplace have increased by 16 minutes per day over the past two years, as compared to an increase of only 7 minutes per day by men. Striking balance is more important now than ever before. So how do we find it—both in and outside of work—without losing our minds?

Here are my five tips to gain control of your schedule:

1. Decide What You Need First

This is a simple concept that is anything but simple to do. It starts by being honest about when, where, and how you want to work with others and what you need in your job to feel balanced in life. For me, it means flexibility to take time off during the day when I need to take care of a sick kid, attend a school concert, or run to Target. In exchange, I am willing and able to work late hours, start early days, or work an occasional weekend. For you, maybe nights or weekends are a deal-breaker. It doesn’t matter what you need, what matters is that you define it and recognize you won’t be happy until you have it.

2. Communicate Your Expectations

Once you know what you need, it’s critical you let others in on the secret to your success. Tell your co-workers, your clients, and your boss when you will be available and when you won’t. Set some ground rules about when it’s okay to call, email, or expect an immediate response if it’s outside of normal business hours. Be realistic about what it will take to do the job that you have been hired to do, but don’t be bullied into doing more than what is needed.

3. Develop Trust With Your Peeps

This means that you need to thoughtfully respect others’ choices and their time as well. Just because you like to work at midnight doesn’t mean others feel the same way. If you plan to send emails at night, make sure recipients know you don’t expect them to answer until the next day. And when it comes to expecting workplace flexibility, the best advice I can give is to always meet your deadlines. If you want flexibility to do your job in the way that works for your life, you need to prove that you can get the job finished on time and well done. Don’t be late on deadlines. Don’t skip meetings. And don’t be slow at getting back to others who are waiting for you so they can complete their tasks. The best way to build trust in the workplace is to under promise and over deliver.

4. Make No Exceptions

If you really want to own your schedule, you have to be strict with your time. Bending the rules gives others permission to ask you to (and expect that you will) do it again. If you stand your ground you’ll be surprised at the respect you’ll gain over time from coworkers, your family, and yourself. Being connected means it’s harder to set clear boundaries, but it’s not impossible. Here’s my secret. If you need to bend your rules, don’t tell anyone else that you did it. For example, I have a rule to not email clients after 6 p.m. It’s in place so clients don’t think I’m working and available at all hours. But the truth is I write a LOT of client emails after 6. I just don’t send them until after 8 the next morning.

5. Expect Your Employer To Take Part

If you’ve been hired for a high-stress, high-demand job that requires you work off hours and extra shifts, don’t be afraid to push back and get the balance you need in exchange. Just because your employer gave you a smart phone so you are accessible 24/7 doesn’t mean they own every minute of your life. Ask for the hours, schedule, and technology necessary to be effective in getting the job done. Keep track of your time and productivity and use it to negotiate during performance reviews. And if you are the boss, remember that flexibility is an important benefit for today’s workforce and, according to several research studies, a key driver in boosting productivity. Make sure you’re creating a culture that is focused on results instead of “butts in chairs.” You’ll improve performance if you offer choices to fit individual work styles and options to support personal employee time management needs. Employers and employees alike have a responsibility to address the needs of each other in the ever-evolving workplace.

Seek Control, Not Perfection
In the end, it’s important to realize you probably won’t ever feel like you’ve found a utopia state for time management. Who wouldn’t want more time if it were available? The goal isn’t perfection; it’s finding a sense of control so you feel like you are managing your time, instead of letting your job dictate it. By indentifying what you need, setting your ground rules, communicating your expectations, respecting others’ time, and involving your employer in the solution, balance is possible.

—

Diana Lillicrap is a busy mother of two and co-owner of 5 by 5 Design. She balances work, kids, marriage, book club, wine club, poker club, softball, volleyball, volunteering, and dozens of other commitments with humor, persistence, and a positive attitude. diana@5by5design.com | 5by5design.com | @diana5by5

Have something to add to this conversation? Drop us a line! We welcome diverse perspectives on the challenges of/opportunities for women in tech or any other industry.

The post Five Ways to Gain Control Over Your Schedule appeared first on Software for Good.

To be honest, we continue to struggle with this here at Software for Good. We are a small team, and every hire matters. Diversity and talent are paramount. Though our short-term goals are focused on gender, we acknowledge that diversity extends well beyond that. Ethnicity, race, class, age, religion, sexual orientation, education, geography … we want people with a wide range of experiences and perspectives on our team. Diversity leads to creativity, innovation, and stronger solutions.

But our staff makeup continues to be decidedly male. Over the last two years, only 25% of our hires have been women. We need to increase this number. While software development is an industry traditionally dominated by men, we believe we can do better than Apple’s 79% male-dominated tech workforce. 

Today we’re putting a stake in the ground and saying we can do better, and we will do better. Not only will we continue supporting organizations dedicated to furthering gender equality in tech — Girls in Tech, Girl Develop It, Fem Tech and the like — we will strive to develop the type of culture and people-centric policies that make Software for Good a great place for everyone to work. Look for a post on our progress this time next year. And if you have questions or ideas, let us know. We try to be as transparent as possible and we are always open to discussion.

In the meantime, if you are a talented under-represented developer, please reach out to us. We’d like to get to know you. 

The post On Diversity appeared first on Software for Good.

How things have changed. Thirty years later, I am a SaaS founder and one of very few women with this title.

Only recently has anyone cared to pay attention to the number of female technology founders. In 2014, it was estimated that around 18% of tech start-ups had at least one female founder. Even fewer are sole female founders like myself. I didn’t know this when I began my venture, though that was probably a good thing. I have never been daunted by a challenge — in fact, I typically move through life very much the way I play chess: lock in a strategy, take action, and pivot on a dime — but I did notice rather quickly that I was often the only woman in the room. Even for a middle-aged woman who is very comfortable working with men, it can be lonely.

But I have to say that all of the men I have encountered on this journey have been incredibly supportive, respectful, encouraging, and generous. If not for the support of three men — my husband, my attorney, and my accountant — I probably wouldn’t have made the progress I have to date. I’m more grateful to them than they will ever know. I have never felt underestimated, as though my ideas were not taken seriously, or fallen victim to a stereotype by any of my male advisors, investors, or customers. In fact, the men I’ve met have almost universally expressed genuine excitement and validation for what I have accomplished and the solution my product provides. Frequently, they’ve asked “how can I help you with this?” and followed through on any requests I have made. 

Strangely, the women I’ve met have been a harder sell. The majority have had a “prove it to me” attitude, which is fine but certainly different from the men who offered their time and financial investment quite freely. My experience may not be typical, I’m not sure. But, as I can only speak from my own perspective, I have often wondered why my ideas are met with less enthusiam by other women. 

Why are women harder on one another?  Why are we less risk tolerant than men? And why are we nearly absent in the world of technology?

Women have the ingenuity and skills to hold their own as any type of founder, including a tech founder. The women I have known since I was a small girl have always been resourceful, innovative, and capable of all the same things I am doing today and probably more. I’m not the smartest woman I know, far from it. I may be a bit more tenacious, driven, and comfortable with risk, but I know for a fact that women all over the world have just as good or better ideas than I have, every single day. 

It is my theory that fear and a perceived lack of support may be the only things holding women back. 

These are things we can fix, ladies! We can be better supporters of other female entrepreneurs, we can foster a sense of confidence and ingenuity in our daughters and the young women we encounter who seek our advice or assistance. We can change the landscape by doing things every day that tell the world we care about more than what size clothing we wear, how to please a man, or what to make for dinner. I don’t say this to minimize any of these things, but I think more than battling actual discrimination from men, we are battling an image forced upon us by society that these are the things we do or should care most about. 

We don’t have to buy in to that. We can reject it and flip the script simply by acting on our ideas and supporting that same ingenuity when we see it in others.  We can be less judgmental of one another and stop sizing other women up and tearing them down if they don’t measure up to our standards or even if they exceed what we have done and trigger our own insecurities (sadly, I have witnessed this more often than I would like to admit).

We are better than this. It’s hard enough to establish equality in a world where our voice is barely present in government and corporate America. Now, more than ever, entrepreneurship can be a way for women to move out of poverty, discrimination, and even abuse to a life where they are truly independent.

It’s our move, and taking that leap is the first step toward unlimited possibilities.

—

Michelle Chaffee is the founder of älska, a care management platform set to launch in 2015. After 20 years as a healthcare professional, medical investigator, and professional patient advocate, Michelle saw the need for a solution that would connect patients with vital support systems, optimize communication, and securely store personal health information. She recently began blogging about her experiences as a tech entreprenuer at Lady Lion Tamer. 

The post What’s Holding Women Back from Tech Entrepreneurship? appeared first on Software for Good.

I mean, truly horrible. Like “Tips for keeping your emotions in check in the workplace!” horrible. Because you know how women are, we just can’t help but emote all over the place!

Around the same time, I started getting a complimentary (and wholly unwanted) subscription to a local professional women’s magazine. A glossy magazine delivered to my office with my name on it that splashed headlines like “Dressing for Success!” and “We Found It: The Best Mascara!” over glamour shots of successful local business women.

Can I tell you how excited I was for that to arrive at my place of business, where I was already fighting to convey my worth to an aging male superior who called me “kiddo” and asked me to take notes in every meeting where I was the only woman present?

I’d probably have 10 more stories like this to share if I thought a bit longer. The problem doesn’t just lie with this brand of gross, over-the-top marketing, however.

The real problem lies in the misguided belief that offering women-specific communications and events somehow supports gender equality.

Recently, the team at Software for Good had a discussion about the title of a event targeted toward women. I attended, and it was excellent. But our team’s reaction to the name was a collective “ick.” It wasn’t disrespectful, it wasn’t negative or sexist. It simply used a feminine prefix as part of the name, and it didn’t sit well with our team.

After some ruminating, I finally figured out why it bothered me so much:

An all-female lineup of speakers makes an event “female.” An all-male lineup of speakers makes an event…an event.

How likely do you think men are to attend an event with a female prefix? About as likely as they are to pick up a business magazine with mascara tips on the cover. Which is unfortunate, because men could learn a few things from the successful women of the world. Just as women could learn a few things from the successful men of the world.

Or, you know. People could learn a few things from the successful people of the world.

When it comes to women, why is professional development so often tied to gender? Why does a cover story touting the success of an intelligent businesswoman have to be tempered with beauty tips? And why can’t a technology conference featuring a lineup of female speakers be a technology event vs. a female technology event?

Gendered marketing isn’t doing us any favors. Here are three reasons why it harms our efforts to foster equality in the workplace:

1. Gendered marketing reinforces stereotypes.

I’m the only mother at Software for Good. That means I can’t make last-minute happy hours and most days I have to leave in time to pick up my children (Fun fact: schools and daycares require you to pick up your kids at the end of the day, even on days when the client is only available to meet at 5pm! Crazy, right?). Yes, this is the enormous difference between me and everyone else. Now where is my special lady magazine?

Having a family doesn’t keep me from doing my job. Sure, the needs of my children impede upon my work day at times, but so do my colleagues’ sick pets and car troubles and doctor’s appointments. You know, life. It happens, and there’s nothing gender-specific about it. But gender-based marketing suggests there must be something more to it. Why else would we need our own magazines and events? Women must need things that our male colleagues don’t know about, a super-secret list of special requirements necessary to our success. Something complicated requiring them to handle us with kid gloves, perhaps? And that sounds scary and time-consuming and like it might just cost the company a lot of money, so yikes. Better to avoid the ladies altogether, right?

You know what I need to be successful? Headphones and wifi.

2. Gendered marketing furthers the divide in male-dominated industries like tech.

If the only opportunities we have to talk about the issues we face as women are with other women, how can we expect change? We need to have these conversations among a broader audience, and labeling an event “female” ensures that will not happen. You know how many men showed up to the event I mentioned above? Less than ten by my count. Which is a real shame, because the women who presented were brilliant.

To be clear: I’m all for women organizing events or founding associations that center around mentorship and encourage young women to pursue careers in male-dominated industries like tech. But “women” has almost become an industry buzzword, a hot topic that every marketer feels the need to jump on, much like they did with social media a decade ago. If we talk about women in tech, people will think we care about equality! If we offer paid maternity leave, we’ll be considered forward-thinking! If we host an event for women, we’ll be doing our part to build a stronger, more inclusive industry!

The reality? Thoughtfully building a diverse team based on skill and shared passion shows you care about equality. Putting people-centric policies in place makes you forward-thinking. Creating opportunities for collaboration and communication among people of all backgrounds and levels of experience builds a stronger, more inclusive industry.

Stop talking about women to women. Start hiring women to work alongside men.

3. Gendered marketing limits learning…for everyone.

Know what I care about when it comes to my career? Growth. Efficiency. Productivity. Results. Development. Change. Innovation. Teamwork. Culture. Know what my male colleagues care about? The same. Not a single presenter at the event I referenced talked about fashion or motherhood. They talked about securing funding, building teams, getting publicity, exit strategies. Already this week I’ve had multiple opportunities to share their wisdom with my male colleagues. I wish they’d been there. But here’s the conversation that took place among my coworkers in Slack a week before the event:

Male Colleague 1: “Is this only for women?”
Male Colleague 2: “Is what?”
Male Colleague 1: “The [event name] thing.”
Male Colleague 2: “Yeah, I think it’s mainly for women to attend but they aren’t going to turn men away.”
Female Colleague: “You should go if you are interested in it. The speaker list is really great.”

I think he would have attended if tickets hadn’t been sold out, so I give Anonymous Male Colleague 1 credit for that. But the name of the event made the males in our organization feel as though there was nothing there for them. A missed opportunity, for sure.

So, what do we do?

Sure, we can (and should) stop gendered marketing. But there’s no cure-all, no single fix that addresses the issue of gender equality in tech or any other industry. There’s only progress. Small steps by organizations and individuals who are bold enough to do things differently.

Women who are willing to say “I don’t need this. I don’t want this. And here’s why.”

Men who are willing to say “Why is this only for women? What does that mean? Tell me more. I want to understand.”

Organizations that are willing to say “I see your talent. I’m going to fairly compensate you for it. And I’m going to expect great things from you.”

Industries that are willing to say “Let’s invite marginalized groups to share their experiences, listen to what they have to say, and work toward change as a team.”

Women don’t want special magazines or lady events or to be treated with kid gloves. We want the respect of our peers and the confidence of our employers.

Let’s do better. Together.

The post How Not to Cry at Work, or Why Marketers Keep Getting it Wrong When it Comes to Women appeared first on Software for Good.

“What are some actions organizations can do to help balance recruiting and hiring efforts for women in technology?”

It was never asked during the panel, but I frequently get requests like this for what people and organizations can be doing to hire more women, create more diverse teams, and create a welcoming, inclusive culture. Here are my initial thoughts and suggestions:

Get Involved
First and foremost, get involved in your tech community. Go to meetups and user group meetings. Attend local conferences. Listen to what people there are saying. Learn more about what they are learning about. Get to know them as people. And be genuine about it. You don’t have to sponsor an event or a conference to get involved.

Re-Evaluate Job Descriptions
Re-evaluate your job descriptions for gendered language. When you say “rockstar,” “ninja,” or “guru,” you’re turning a lot of people away, regardless of gender, who are probably more than qualified. Additionally, these words actually have negative connotations.

Re-Evaluate Imagery
Re-evaluate the imagery you use on your website. And don’t just pick out the first stock photo that contains a woman at a computer. Use photos of your own (diverse) team.

Hire a Female Recruiter
Hire a female recruiter. Women have built their networks, they are connectors, and they want to help other women build their careers.

Grow Your People
Hire interns, apprentices, and entry-level positions. If you don’t hire and grow these people, your competitors will. And likely they’ll also retain those people because they spent time on them.

Focus on more Than Gender
Diversity is so much more than gender. If we don’t make room for everyone at the table, we end up building naive products targeted at people like ourselves.

Address the Culture
Address culture issues before they even start by establishing an inclusive, respectful culture even when you are a company of only one or two members.

No Quick Fix
Remember that there is not a quick fix. These problems have been affecting our culture in many forms for centuries.

What actions are you and your organization taking to create change?

—

Republished with permission from the 612 Software Foundry blog. Jenna Pederson is the founder of 612 Software Foundry, helping small businesses and startups with technical strategy and implementation. She is also passionate about creating a welcoming and supportive tech community for Twin Cities tech women. Since early 2014, Jenna has run the Twin Cities chapter of the Geekettes. She facilitates workshops, networking events, and the Twin Cities first all-women hackathon, HackTheGap.MN. 

The post Hiring More Women in Technology appeared first on Software for Good.

So, I was asked to write a blog post about diversity in tech as a white cis man working in tech, at a company that values working for social change (but is a work in progress as well). But I don’t really want to talk about diversity in tech, I want to talk about social justice in tech. Scratch that, I just want to talk about social justice.

I want to talk about social justice because I want us to be building socially just organizations that are building products that help dismantle male privilege, white privilege, economic privilege, and provide more opportunities for flourishing and freedom for everyone. I want our workplaces to be places of radical experimentation with decision-making structures, places where we try different strategies for eradicating power-over relationships while we work together to build things that are addressing the Big Issues looming over us in the 21st Century. I want our workplaces to be safe spaces for everyone, places where abilities are nurtured and mentored and no one feels pushed aside at the end of the day.

I don’t think we have mainly a diversity problem, in tech or in our society, we have a justice problem. Our diversity issues are a sign-post pointing to issues of oppression in our field, in our countries, and within the global economy.

That’s not to say our lack of diversity isn’t causing it’s own problems. It’s part of the problem. Creating more diverse companies (and conferences, and standards panels, etc) should be a tool in our toolbox for creating a more socially just world. More diverse workplaces will lead to better and safer workplaces for marginalized people. More diverse teams will build better products and notice issues that less diverse teams wouldn’t. More diverse organizers will choose talks more relevant to more people. More diverse companies will prioritize different products to build. Etc. Luckily you don’t have to choose whether you want to work for diversity or social justice, you have to work for both to make it work.

So in the interest of using a social justice frame, here’s 5 things we should be talking about:

1) It’s not just a pipeline problem

Often, discussions about having more diversity in tech come down to talk about the pipeline. And we do need to improve the pipeline. But it doesn’t matter how many women and people of color we recruit into tech, if exclusionary practices and overt misogyny and racism force them out. The pipeline problem is also a retention problem. And too often talk about the pipeline ignores what we can do here and now to create more equitable organizations.

More reading:
http://www.katelosse.tv/latest/2014/9/12/magical-futures

http://www.autostraddle.com/even-at-highest-level-stems-leaky-pipeline-failing-women-and-black-people-245489/

2) It’s not just a women-in-tech problem

Women are under-represented in tech. But people of color are /more/ under-represented in tech. To even talk about this requires talking about patterns of segregation in our cities that create underfunded schools and areas cut off from opportunity. Talking about how we fund public schools. Talking about discriminatory hiring practices. Etc. But let’s not congratulate ourselves about finally having lines at the women’s bathroom at tech conferences, when we aren’t even hiring the people of color that are graduating from tech programs.

More reading:

https://modelviewculture.com/pieces/tech-in-underserved-communities-beyond-feel-good-stories

https://modelviewculture.com/pieces/institutional-barriers-for-women-of-color-at-code-schools

3) If you have privilege, you have power. If you have power, you have responsibility.

Yes, I have a ton of privilege. So do many of you reading this. Don’t get defensive or guilty. No one’s blaming you personally for hundreds of years of structural oppression. No one’s blaming you for the wage gap. No one’s blaming you for anything, actually. No one’s saying you didn’t work hard in life and overcome obstacles. Maybe you grew up poor and struggled. Maybe you were bullied. Maybe your life sucked for parts of it. But, you’re on easy mode. Your social identity affects access to resources and opportunities, whether you want it to or not.

I believe that if you have privilege, you have a specific responsibility to understand the structures that give you those privileges. Mostly this involves listening to or reading people that don’t have those privileges that understand how the game is rigged. On a macro level, you need to be working on structural issues that give others access to the same opportunities you have had. On the micro level, you have a specific responsibility to be present in calling out problematic behaviors in the privileged groups you are a part of. If you are a cis guy, don’t depend on the female-identified people in the room to always call out problematic statements, be there first, and be there with some humility and integrity in acknowledging you too have said/done sexist things.

Expect to make mistakes in this work. Show up anyway. Mistakes in being an ally are as much a part of the process as bugs are in programming. With each mistake, you have an opportunity to look deeper into the problems in our collective source code.

4) Most people in tech have economic privilege

In 2013, the median household income in the United States was $51,939 and over 75% of all people made less than $50k a year. Chances are, if you are working in the tech industry, especially as a developer, you are even making more than the average African-American with a Ph.D. who earns about $62,000/year. If you are making more than $100k a year (and some of you reading this are), you’re in about the top 7% of income in the U.S. (and, of course, you’re beyond rich when compared with the rest of the world).

So, two things. First, decide what you’re going to do with some of your surplus income. Consider giving it to underfunded organizations working on issues you are passionate about. But perhaps more importantly, question it. Why this is the case? Why does our socioeconomic system value telling a computer what to do more than it values teaching children, taking care of the homeless, or serving food? Question it within your organization as well — are your coders valued more than your designers? Is that gendered? Are your managers adding “more value” than your intern? Don’t accept massive wage and wealth inequalities as natural or neutral.

5) What you work on and how you’re working need to align

It honestly doesn’t matter to me how transparent and diverse your organization is if you are just tech mercenaries for hire or building a product that hurts people. Technology is a double-edged sword, and can be used to reinforce current power structures even more easily than it can be used to dismantle them. Question what sorts of products you are helping to produce. Question how those products will be used within larger socioeconomic systems. Make things that make the world a better place. Make things that are addressing the deep problems. Question whether you know what those things are. Question the questions. Listen more.

Keep working for a more socially just world and diversity will bloom. Because diversity is already here, the world is more diverse than you can imagine. It’s oppression that creates monocultures.

The post Let’s not talk about diversity. Let’s talk about justice. appeared first on Software for Good.

The theme we discussed on Monday morning was around the concept of diversity in the workplace. Fostering women in technology. Inviting more people to the table. Thinking carefully about stereotypes and the words we use, however innocent our intent.

Amazing, right? Who wouldn’t want to be part of an organization that cares deeply about gender equality, inclusivity, and thoughtful communication? But here’s the thing: none of these concepts fit neatly into a single two- to three-word theme, and with good reason.

These are BIG topics.

They’re too big for a theme of the week. They’re too big for a beautiful image splashed across our social media channels. And they’re too big for a single blog post.

Software for Good has made a concerted effort to seek out female candidates for open positions. We’ve literally put our money where our mouth is as the platinum sponsor of Girls in Tech Minneapolis. And we have a team of rad ladies working here in a variety of roles, including development. Our male colleagues respect us and we respect them.

Software for Good is a great place to be. 

But there’s still work to be done. Not only here, not only in the tech industry. Everywhere. Women are valuable leaders, contributors, collaborators. We deserve a place at the table. We deserve equal pay. We deserve to have careers without sacrificing our families, and families without sacrificing our careers.

So instead of presenting a tidy concept as our theme of the week, we’re going to break form and use the theme of the week to start a messy conversation.

Over the course of the next month, the women of Software for Good are going to open up about our personal experiences working in tech and other industries, and offer up our thoughts on what we’re doing well, what we could be doing better, and what true inclusivity looks like to us.

We’d also like to open up the blog to guest authors in tech or other fields. If you have something to contribute to this conversation, male or female, we’d love to hear from you. Email me at abby@softwareforgood.com.

The post Start the Conversation [Women in Technology] appeared first on Software for Good.