Why I Am In Tech
Watching the conversation about race/gender and technology by Tristan Walker and Charlie O’Donnell caused me to think about the origins of my involvement in technology. In particular if the statistics in this article are indicative of problems in the technology industry. Looking back I can identify the key points in my life that have lead me to the decision to be involved in technology.
My earliest memory with a computer was around 6 when I would play nibbles in DOS. As I grew my father bought me a stack of educational games like “Math Blaster” and “Where In the World is Carmen Sandiego?”. Even back then I was addicted to the screen.
The main turning point, though, in my love for technology came from my high school tech teacher. I was taking the AP Comp Sci program and had finished up a project (I think it was a calculator?). My teacher seemed so proud of me. He instilled so much confidence in me and my abilities, at a time where it all was new to me. He nominated me for Scholar Laureate which gave me the opportunity to go to conferences in Texas and China, exposing me to interesting trends and ideas in technology. He was one of those mentors that I got to thank. I went to college and saw even more tech, and heard people like Randall Pinkett speak at NSBE events.
The power of inspiration is consistently undervalued, but I can say unequivocally that having these experiences lead me to where I am today. How can we expose more young people (minority and otherwise) to these kinds of opportunities?
Race for me was never a major issue in my life. It rarely hindered me in the things I wanted to accomplish, and I was lucky to be around people who never seemed to judge me or reject me because of it. At times, though, it was tough to look around and be the only black male around. It felt like something was wrong in the system, as I was sure I couldn’t be smarter than all the black males at the public school down the street. Equal access to quality education is an issue for another blog, though.
On the issue of exclusive programs for minorities, I have learned to never judge these kinds of programs in isolation. When I was younger I was never interested in joining the black-only groups, as it didn’t make sense to me: I would rather join an organization that is interested in who I am and what I am capable of, not just a trait like my race. Experience, though, shows that many do feel comfort in these kinds of situations and they can be one of many valuable tools in making young people aware of the opportunities in life that are afforded to them. Complex problems require multi-pronged approaches.
The goal in this shouldn’t be to simply change the ratio, but to understand why the ratio is the way it is. If there is equality in the availability of knowledge on tech entrepreneurship, then we have done our job in creating an ecosystem that is fair to everyone. I don’t think anyone is suggesting that racism is the reason for the lack of blacks getting funding (I would presume that VCs can see the green inside all of us ). It likely relates to a more systemic problem of educational access and inspiration.
Equality in opportunity, not equality of outcomes.
