Tech Inclusion Solution: Day 29: Creating Mentorship & Tech Skills Development Opportunities For Women Of Color
100 Solutions to Diversity and Inclusion in tech.
Since the inaugural Tech Inclusion Conference in 2015 we have received and granted over 100+ scholarship applications to attendees. For each scholarship application we ask one simple question “What solutions would you like to see for diversity and inclusion in tech?” Below is a series leading up to the 2016 Tech Inclusion Conference of “100+ Solutions to Diversity and Inclusion in tech”. The Theme for Tech Inclusion 2016 Conference is Inclusive and Sustainable Innovation and will be held October 26th — 27th at the Innovation Hangar in San Francisco. Tech Inclusion Conference is presented by Google for Entrepreneurs. The conference will feature a career fair, a startup showcase and an tech innovation demo hall. Early Bird tickets are on sale now.
Solution: Creating Mentorship & Tech Skills Development Opportunities For Women Of Color
I am passionate about entrepreneurship, social impact, and tech. I would like to see more opportunities for women of color to to learn code/connect with potential tech co-founders in order to bring their entrepreneurial dreams into fruition.
In April of 2015, I launched SEEDS, a pilot group consulting program that uses a series of workshops to empower women of color by expanding on their individual projects, ideas, and visions. The cohort consisted of 5 participants from all over the United States, who each brought a project, or entrepreneurial venture they wished to execute in the near future. Throughout the course of the program, we embarked on a journey from idea to implementation. By the end of the program, each participant had crafted a mission and vision statement, identified personal skills and growth opportunities, and created tangible short and long term goals. SEEDS provided an opportunity to learn from and collaborate with like-minded women entrepreneurs.
SEEDS also provided a different space from traditional incubator labs by marrying collaboration, community, empowerment, with concrete business tools and resources.
The idea of SEEDS was born out of a deep frustration I felt after speaking to my friends Ivy, Rachel, and Murk about their entrepreneurial dreams, and goals. One one hand, they expressed a lack of support and direction they felt to pursue their entrepreneurial dreams. The toll of needing to sustain a 9–5 job in order to support family members, and to pay bills and student loans, often took a toll on their creativity and drive. On the other hand, they did not have access to financial, human capital resources and technological resources to successfully execute their vision.
Attending this program will provide me with an invaluable perspective about diversity, tech, and entrepreneurship that I can share with future SEEDS participants, to help them create successful, innovative ventures.
Diversity and Inclusion In Tech Solution Submitted by Irene
Interested in sponsoring?
This is a unique chance to meet diverse engineers, entrepreneurs, designers and more! Contact us for more information.
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We need volunteers to help make this an amazing event. Sign up to be a volunteer on our community site: http://community.techinclusion.co/
Interested in a scholarship?
Apply for a scholarship on our community site: http://community.techinclusion.co/
About Change Catalyst:
Change Catalyst empowers diverse, inclusive and sustainable tech innovation — through education, community engagement and mentorship. Change Catalyst is a Certified B Corp, winning the “Best for the World” award for community impact in 2014 and “Best in the World” overall in 2015.
Tech Inclusion:
Our Tech Inclusion programs explore and develop innovative solutions to tech diversity and inclusion. We partner with the tech community to solve diversity and inclusion together through conferences, career fairs, strategic consulting and training. Our work spans the full tech ecosystem, including: Education, Workplace, Entrepreneurship and Policy.
The Change Catalyst Team
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Follow all 100 Solutions to Diversity and Inclusion in tech in our Tech Inclusion Medium Publication here.
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