One of our goals is to make the Tech Inclusion Conference available and inclusive to everyone, and with that being said we’re providing scholarship opportunities. To date, we have received over 66 scholarship applications to attend. Today we’re kicking off our weekly scholarship winners for the conference. Each submission was asked to answer the question “What solutions would you like to see for diversity and inclusion in tech.”.
Our second two winners are Eva Zheng and Travis Moore. Congrats!
Eva Zheng wrote
Empathy. We are so used to living in our own worlds, that sometimes, placing privileged selves in positions of less privileged positions seem to be too hard to do and understand, even though this is completely necessary for a inclusive experience and environment. Were the privileged majority to be more empathetic and thus have more motivation to help promote inclusivity and offer solutions, were more of the less privileged minority to fully step up and educate the outside party, this movement could continue moving forward in unity towards a solid upwards climb.
I’ve been personally working on diversity + inclusivity through educating and working with hackathon organizers and tech leaders around the world, especially regarding topics such as inclusivity and empathy. I’m working on continuously educating myself as well, so that soon, I will know enough not just to speak using my individual voice as a woman in tech, but to speak using the voice of the overarching society of marginalized individuals in tech, and impart to my community the experiences and knowledge they but need to be cognizant of, but are not able to experience first-hand.
Travis Moor wrote
I’m launching Tech Congress, a technology policy fellowship for Congress. Within a few years, technology will touch every issue in Congress, yet there are very few people within Congress that understand how technology works. Congress needs a pipeline to bring talent, ideas and expertise into the institution, and my program will partner with academic institutions, tech companies and public interest groups to bring technologists into Congress for one-year policymaking residencies to help inform tech policy making on traditional tech issues (net neutrality, intellectual property, surveillance) and emerging matters (wearables and privacy, 3D printing, driverless cars).
But Congress has a diversity problem that’s as bad as tech. Even though this Congress is the most diverse ever, it’s still 83% white and 80% men. It’s important to me that Tech Congress make diversity a core element of recruiting and placing Congressional fellows. But, full disclosure, I’m a white dude. I need help designing the program and finding partners to be effective. I need help identifying things I can be doing to build a diverse program, a lot of which I may currently be blind to or not thinking about or ignorant of. I recognize I’m coming from a privileged spot.
I think attending Tech Inclusion will help me think more critically about how I’m designing the tech policy fellowship, and expose me to organizations in the tech-diversity space that could be important partners. I’d love to attend if you are open to a scholarship for me.
Congrats Eva and Travis, we’re looking forward to meeting you at the Tech Inclusion Conference. We’re still accepting Tech Inclusion Conference scholoarship submissions here: http://changecatalyst.wpengine.com/scholarship-application/.
TECH INCLUSION Conference, September 11-12th
Exploring innovative solutions to tech diversity and inclusion
Conference Organizers: Melinda Epler and Wayne Sutton
