This book is also written with the challenges of women of color in mind. It's no secret—in fact, it's been repeatedly documented, analyzed, and studied for many years now—that women of color face unique challenges in general, let alone getting into and being successful in general in tech. This book will discuss some, unfortunate challenges that some women of color tend to encounter at home, at work, and at school in achieving their career goals, and try to provide strategies for how to navigate these challenges head on.
First, before going further, I should stress that as well-meaning as my advice and stories may be, they should not be taken as gospel, or as the only way to have a successful tech career. There are many ways to get into and be successful in tech; there is no one path. The approaches I discuss in the book have been the most helpful to me. I hope you find value in them as well! But I'm a firm believer in thinking for yourself, as you know who you are and what you want better than anyone else. Do your homework and do what makes sense for you, not because an authority figure, expert, or even me, says so.
Second, although I touch on matters related to personal finances and mental health, I am not a licensed professional in those areas, and what I talk about in the book should not be a substitute for getting personalized advice and help. Please, please, please seek licensed professional guidance where appropriate and needed.
Third, the thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed here are my own. The views that I’ve presented are not a reflection from any of my current or former employers, and not endorsed.
Lastly, as you go through this journey, always know in your heart that you are worthy and deserving of a seat at the table that is tech, if that is what you want. I know in my heart you have what it takes to be successful. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
CHAPTER 1 The Current State of Women of Color in Tech
It is probably no surprise to you that there is a lack of women in technical careers within the United States. If you performed a general web search on “women in technology,” you will find numerous articles, studies, podcasts, and more that point out this deficiency. In a 2019 study from the National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT), the number of women in computing professions has remained relatively stagnant at 25 percent since 2007. While tech companies have made great strides in increasing the number of women in technical roles, it's disappointing considering that women make up nearly 60 percent of the total US workforce. What does not get reported, or at least not very often, is the lack of women of color in technical roles.
The Realities
In the NCWIT study, it denoted that the percentage of African American/Black women in computing professions has increased to 12.9 percent in 2017. This is wonderful in many ways, as the numbers were considerably lower for many years, but there has been a negative migration of women in general occurring at some top tech companies. That means that more women are leaving tech companies and careers than staying in them. The Figure 1.1 details the fluctuations of women in the computing professions from 2003–2017.
Figure 1.1: Percentage of computing occupations held by women 2003–2017
Source: NCWIT, Computing Workforce, 2019
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reports that women only held only 26 percent of computing roles in 2013, a 9 percent decrease from 1990. The breakdown by race is also dismal, as shown in Table 1.1.
In a study of the career and economic progress of minorities in top technology companies by the Ascend Foundation, the number of Black women in technical professions declined by 13 percent over a 12-year period.
Many professional programs exist that aim to educate, nurture, and ultimately keep young women of color in technical careers. Who is it that developed these programs? Colleges and universities? Tech companies and the people within the industry? The answer is all these entities have invested a great deal of time, money, and manual effort to bring more diverse, female talent into technical ranks. Some programs focus on young women as early as elementary school, while others provide educational opportunities, career guidance, and mentorship in college or in the early stages of their professional careers.
Table 1.1: Diversity Challenge by Cohort
Source: The Ascend Foundation
| TALENT CHALLENGES | ATTRACT AND RETAIN TALENT | |
| COHORT | CHANGE PROFESSIONAL WORKFORCE FROM 2007 TO 2015 | PERCENTAGE OF PROFESSIONALS IN 2015 |
| White men | 31% growth | 32% |
| White women | 10% growth | 11% |
| Black men | 15% growth | 1.2% |
| Black women | 13% decline | 0.7% |
| Hispanic men | 32% growth | 3.1% |
| Hispanic women | 11% growth | 1.7% |
| Asian men | 46% growth | 32% |
| Asian women | 34% growth | 15% |
What's Going On?
While this awareness and the many resources available are wonderful, the lack of women of color in technology continues to persist. Many have said that the problem is that young women in general are not encouraged to pursue science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (or STEM) careers in early in their lives. Others have said that young women of color often don't have access to academic opportunities or resources that will help them develop critical skills necessary for these careers. And others have said that tech workplaces are not cultivating diverse and inclusive environments where women of color feel welcome.
I believe it's all of these things, and much more. Essentially, women of color are “funneled out” of technical careers, starting from early childhood. Although many girls exhibit a natural curiosity and talent for STEM subjects early on in their lives, this curiosity may become diminished over time due to cultural factors, lack of resources, and many other factors.
Early Childhood
The number of young girls interested in STEM fields and activities starts to diminish in early childhood. This can be due to lack of active encouragement in their home and school environments, and the lack of role models who look like them in STEM fields in their lives.
Young