Building Inclusive Tech Communities

I cracked the code on tech's $1B blind spot Uncomfortable truth: 87% of tech professionals only collaborate with people who look like them. The result? Homogeneous thinking. Stagnant innovation. Missed opportunities. The lesson: Your biggest breakthroughs don't come from networking with people who think like you—they come from connecting with people who think differently. The Corporate Data That Changed Everything McKinsey proved it: Companies with diverse leadership outperform homogeneous ones by 36% in profitability. Boston Consulting Group found that companies with diverse management teams report 19% higher revenue from innovation. Yet corporate diversity initiatives focus on executives while ignoring the pipeline—Gen Z. The GenZtea thesis: Apply corporate diversity principles to Gen Z collaboration—cultural diversity AND diversity of thought. Most tech events mirror their host's demographics. GenZtea events look like a mini United Nations across both culture and industry verticals. From AAPI heritage celebrations to deep tech innovation summits to consumer product launches—I've cracked the code on cross-industry, cross-cultural density. My Unfair Advantage As a civil engineering pre-med student turned African American tech community builder, I've lived diversity of thought firsthand—bridging STEM disciplines before bridging cultures. From The Group Chat Queen's global reach to GenZtea's IRL gatherings spanning healthcare to consumer tech, I've cracked cross-cultural AND cross-industry engagement through engineered processes. Why This Scales For Gen Z founders: When sponsors see themselves represented at events, partnerships become inevitable—the same principle that drives Fortune 500 boardroom decisions. For attendees: Cross-cultural AND cross-industry collaboration rewrites problem-solving, driving the same innovation that powers corporate success. For the industry: We're building the diverse leadership pipeline that tomorrow's companies desperately need. "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus." - Galatians 3:28 This isn't just mission—it's systematic competitive advantage. The takeaway: Stop optimizing for comfort zones. Start optimizing for productive friction. Whether you're building a startup, hosting an event, or assembling a team, ask yourself: "Who's missing from this room?" The answer might be your next competitive advantage.

#AiDays2025 Round Table : #Community Sourcing for low resource languages In an era where AI is fast shaping the contours of our digital future, VISWAM.AI initiative stands as a timely and transformational one. Their mission to build community-sourced Large Language Models (LLMs), grounded in India’s rich linguistic and cultural diversity, is not just pioneering—it’s redefining how inclusive and ethical AI should be built. By anchoring their work in community participation, linguistic preservation, and ethical co-creation, Viswam.ai offers a people-first approach to AI—moving beyond data extraction to cultural stewardship. Their ambition to mobilize 1 lakh community interns to collect data from underrepresented geographies across India is both bold and brilliant. This isn’t just about building better AI—it’s about building equity, agency, and cultural resilience through AI. 1. Linguistic Equity by Design In India, where linguistic hegemony often privileges English and Hindi, AI systems risk reinforcing this imbalance. The solution? Intentional design. Allocate equal engineering and validation efforts to low-resource languages. Ethical AI must be built on informed consent, community ownership, and fair compensation—because data is not just input, it’s identity and heritage. 2. Decentralized Internship Model By decentralizing AI development, we bridge the urban-rural digital divide. This model should focus on: Capacity building through training in ethics and digital literacy Inclusivity by involving women, Dalit and Adivasi youth Localized platforms using mobile-first tools in native languages Partnerships with Swecha, local NGOs, and institutions serve as trust bridges to ensure mentorship and sustainability. 3. Tools for Low-Resource Languages Many Indian languages are oral-first, with complex dialects and sparse corpora. Community-driven solutions—like collecting voice datasets from folklore, and crowdsourcing annotation—are key. Elders, poets, and storytellers become linguistic technologists, preserving not just language but legacy. 4. Trust & Transparency Bias in AI is structural. To mitigate it: Include diverse dialects and accents in training Conduct bias testing and community validation Promote explainable AI with local language dashboards and storytelling What’s Next? A living white paper on ethics, governance, and technical guidelines A roadmap for the internship program, with toolkits and impact metrics Collaboration with literary and linguistic organizations to enrich model depth VISWAM.AI is planting seeds for an AI movement rooted in language justice, data sovereignty, and community wisdom. Let’s co-create systems that don’t just understand our languages—but respect our voices. DC* Chaitanya Chokkareddy Kiran Chandra Ramesh Loganathan Centific

#Diversity in high-tech fields remains critically low. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently reported that #Black and #Latino professionals are underrepresented in high-tech roles, especially in leadership. These numbers highlight ongoing structural barriers in hiring, promotion and retention. This gap is a missed opportunity to tap into a wealth of diverse talent and perspectives essential to the future of tech. However, addressing and thoroughly fixing these challenges will require time, consistent effort and a long-term commitment to systemic change. Companies can support the progression of representation in tech by investing in training, mentorship and internship opportunities that open doors for people who were historically shut out. Programs like internXL, a platform that is committed to increasing diversity and inclusion in the internship hiring process for top companies, are making a significant impact. Similarly, the expansion of STEM education at institutions like Cornell University is helping to connect talented young people from underrepresented communities with opportunities for high-tech careers. When we work together to remove these barriers, we’re fostering a more inclusive workforce and strengthening innovation, problem-solving and leadership in the industry. Let’s build a tech future that reflects the diversity of our society. https://bit.ly/3UNtOCh

It was wonderful to reconnect with Lavinia D. Osbourne in Riyadh as we explored the power of female networks and supporting each other across geographies in good & bad times. With AI now dominating the global agenda including the recent announcements by Keir Starmer, we have a unique opportunity to make technology truly accessible — but only if we invest in reskilling professionals, supporting women in tech, and nurturing diverse talent (incl. across all age groups and those with disabilities). The UK faces stark challenges: only 4% of female IT specialists hold tech-related degrees, compared to 11% of men, and there's still a 6% gender pay gap. We need to overhaul how we introduce technology to all young people and make concerted efforts to retain the interest of young women in these fields. This requires collaboration across the ecosystem: education, government, and industry: 1) Educators should encourage girls to pursue STEM from an early age. 2) Governments and industries need to collaborate to ensure inclusivity and pay equity. 3) Companies should reimagine workplace cultures to ensure that women are not only hired into male-dominated teams but also empowered to succeed, supported by strong sponsors who advocate for them through workplace challenges in both the good and the bad times. It is important for leaders to set high standards while maintaining their team's well-being and self esteem. What are your thoughts? How do you think we can do better as an industry, government, and society to make technology more inclusive?

🧠 Is Your Workplace Designed for Everyone—Or Just the Majority? 👀 Imagine this: A brilliant new hire is ready to contribute—but the tools, meetings, and environment weren’t built with their needs in mind. They’re not underperforming. They’re under-accommodated. ➡️ And this is exactly where universal design comes in. 💡Universal design is not about making special exceptions. It’s about building inclusion into the very foundation of your workplace. When we design with everyone in mind from the start, regardless of ability, background, or communication style, we don’t just accommodate; we empower. This approach transforms workplaces from reactive to proactive, from surface-level compliance to deep systemic inclusion. And here’s the truth many leaders are realizing: 👉 👉 True inclusion isn’t about making room—it’s about designing a workplace where no one is ever left out to begin with. 🛠️ Below are 5 ways to start embedding universal design into your organization: ✅ Audit accessibility – Regularly evaluate your digital tools, websites, and physical workspaces. ✅ Invest in inclusive technology – Use platforms that work seamlessly with screen readers, voice input, and other assistive tools. ✅ Diversify communication – Incorporate alt-text, audio descriptions, and transcripts; avoid relying solely on visuals. ✅ Train your teams – Equip staff and leaders with practical tools and mindsets that promote inclusion. ✅ Institutionalize it – Update hiring practices, performance reviews, and promotion paths to reflect inclusive values. 🧠 These changes don’t just benefit one group—they improve the experience for everyone—and that is the brilliance of universal design. 🏆 The Payoff: Equity that drives engagement and innovation. Organizations that embrace universal design consistently see: ✔️ Higher employee satisfaction ✔️ Better team collaboration ✔️ Greater innovation (because diverse perspectives are heard and valued) ✔️ Lower turnover and higher retention 🔥 The hidden cost of exclusion isn’t just about morale—it’s about missed potential, lost innovation, and the quiet departure of voices we never truly heard. When systems, tools, and environments aren’t built with inclusion in mind, we don’t just create inconvenience—we create barriers. And those barriers silently push away the very talent we say we want to attract and retain. Universal design flips that script. It ensures that everyone, not just the majority, can participate, contribute, and thrive from day one. 🎓 Ready to Take Action? Start With Our Signature Workshop “Working with Diverse Physical and Mental Ability.” 📩 Message me to learn how we can bring this powerful session to your team. #UniversalDesign #InclusiveWorkplaces #ChampionDiverseVoices #Neurodiversity #BelongingByDesign #AccessibilityMatters

I am researching, discussing and working a lot with inclusive workplace culture in tech, but have you ever thought about tech inclusive workplace culture? 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡? An inclusive workplace culture in tech refers to an environment where different perspectives, experiences, backgrounds, and skills are equally valued and leveraged to build technology that is made by all for all. It is about creating spaces where every team member feels seen, heard, and empowered to contribute. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐨 𝐈 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐲 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡-𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞? A tech-inclusive workplace culture goes one step further. It is a culture where technology, particularly AI and emerging tools, is seamlessly integrated as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement. Here, we view AI and other technologies as contributors to our team's collective success, not just enablers or tools we use passively. 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫? When employees don't feel threatened or excluded by technology, magic happens: 🧷 𝘗𝘴𝘺𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 - Team members embrace learning and experimentation 💡 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘴 - The synergy between human creativity and technological capability drives breakthrough solutions 🧠 𝘚𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘺 - Employees develop both technical fluency and uniquely human competencies that complement AI 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐚 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡-𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 1️⃣ 𝘋𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘤𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘈𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 - Provide accessible training that helps every team member understand and interact with AI tools, regardless of their role 2️⃣ 𝘙𝘦𝘧𝘳𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘨𝘺 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 - Position AI and emerging tech as thought partners that amplify human potential 3️⃣ 𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘤𝘰-𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 - Provide opportunities, such as internal hackathons, where humans and technology work together I believe that true equality in tech means building environments where both human diversity and technological work hand in hand. After all, technology built by everyone, for everyone, requires cultures that embrace both. How are you preparing your teams for this collaborative future? ***** 🔄 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 if you believe in building tech cultures where everyone thrives 🔔 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 me if you want to learn more about creating inclusive environments where diversity and technology work hand in hand 📩 𝑪𝒐𝒏𝒏𝒆𝒄𝒕 with me if you want to explore how cultural diversity and tech inclusion can transform your organization As a diversity, equity & inclusion expert in tech, I help teams and companies navigate the intersection of human potential and technological advancement. #TechInclusive #DiversityInTech #AICollaboration #InclusiveCulture #FutureOfWork Picture: Sculpture at the Haslla Art World in South Korea

Changing Minds Through Inclusion" When a tech company leader launched a disability-focused Employee Resource Group, he expected small improvements. What he got was a culture shift. Through human-centered design workshops and honest conversations, the team uncovered everyday barriers — and dismantled them. They learned that assistive tech isn't a crutch — it's a catalyst. Flexible policies, inclusive hiring, and accessible tools didn’t just support disabled employees; they benefited everyone. We don’t need to “fix” people. We need to fix environments. I’ve spent years watching talented people get overlooked—not because they lacked skill, but because the workplace was built for only one kind of mind and one kind of body. That’s why I created this detailed infographic on assistive tech and accommodations for disabled workers. It’s practical, visual, and made to help you actually do something—not just talk about inclusion. It covers tools like: Screen readers and Braille displays for blind employees Speech-to-text software for those who can speak but not type Noise-canceling headphones and quiet rooms for sensory sensitivity Accessible docs that help everyone focus better These aren’t expensive moonshot ideas. Most are already built into your software—or easy to implement with a bit of planning and a better question: What do you need to do your best work? Use this infographic to: Audit your current setup Support new hires without delay Train managers to notice access gaps before they become barriers Accommodations aren’t charity. They’re engineering. Let’s design workplaces that work for everyone. Drop a comment with your favorite tool—or one you wish more people knew about. #NeurodiversityAtWork #BuiltForInclusion Neurodiversity Foundation Kyrstyn Carcich Prosci Earth2Mars Image Description: A colorful infographic displaying various categories of assistive technology, including icons and labels for mobility aids (like wheelchairs and walkers), communication devices (such as speech-generating tools), vision aids (like screen readers and magnifiers), hearing devices (like hearing aids), and cognitive support tools (such as apps for focus and memory). Each category is color-coded, with simple visuals and brief descriptions to make the information easy to understand at a glance.

Times are tough for #accessibility and #inclusion efforts. As #designers, #engineers, and #PMs, we can keep these efforts alive. Here are some tips in building a successful grass roots working group to advance a cause like inclusive design and accessibility. These are based on lessons learned in building our Data Accessibility Working Group (DAWG) at Google, that enabled us to explore how to make data accessible and useful, beyond compliance. Getting started: Identify a cause and consider what success looks like. Have a rough idea of what it is you want to change, advance or influence and draft a charter. Find a likeminded cofounder. When we formed DAWG, I found another #datavis #a11y champion that was on board and could share the workload of leading a working group. Having partners makes it easier to balance your daily work and your obligations to the group. Find likeminded people who believe in the group's cause. Some people won't be comfortable navigating the ambiguity that comes with starting an effort like this. That's okay. They can engage later in the process when there's more definition around tasks and to-dos. Start with people who are willing to define the group's charter and define a roadmap with you. Learn from each other. When we started the DAWG, it was important to understand the existing work, research and perspectives offered by each member. Leverage existing work can enable your group to spend its limited resources focussing on answering the unanswered questions. Driving engagement & building group momentum: Group meetings don't always have to be one-way presentations. It's a two-way engagement. Adding time for brainstorming, design review, and creating spaces for experimentation was key. Bring in external guests both inside and outside of your organization. This can oftentimes provide a unique perspective and energize group members. Time is limited, however, you can accomplish most of the above in a biweekly meeting, even if it's 30 minutes. Keeping the time on the calendar is important. Some people are there to learn, and that's okay. These folks may not actively contribute, nor will they participate in brainstorming sessions or two-way conversations. That's okay. These people are likely actively learning and passing the group's knowledge back to their own team. Contributing, publishing & building: As the group gains momentum, find the champions, or those people who are willing deliver something. While DAWG had dozens of members at times, there were 4-6 colleagues that were willing to go above and beyond to publish articles and resources internally and externally. Maintain a prioritized roadmap, and update it frequently. Break large projects up into manageable chunks of work. Engage your champions to make it happen. Find opportunities to generate awareness through meetings, talks, newsletters, etc. Interested in this topic? Leave a comment. More to come soon.

Technology – can be a barrier or a bridge to #inclusion and #accessibility for disabled people. Had the chance to moderate a great discussion on this topic with Wendy Adams from Sorenson, Christopher Grous from TextHelp and Sena Pottackal, MS from Current Global hosted by Disability:IN. Each gave strategic and practical advice for individuals and companies looking to build a more inclusive, accessible workforce. Some of the learning: - Get educated. Training is crucial starting with basics like disability etiquette. Then how to leverage technology build an accessible marketing campaign and more. Most are virtual and take less than an hour to get going e.g. Fundamentals: https://lnkd.in/eC6HT3dC - Accommodations. Technology is crucial for disabled employees, but the process of asking for it can be hard. Every company needs to make this as easy, quick as possible. - Research. Some great research out there to help with understanding the landscape around accessibility. Sena shared this great piece from UK last year: https://lnkd.in/e4AHzaEj - Communication. Takes many forms. Disability is diverse! Wendy talked about the importance of direct video for the deaf, Chris, why read aloud is important to neurodiverse and Sena, screen readers for the blind. Building your meeting and content so people can use it in whatever way works best for them - that's inclusion. - Build it in! The quickest, smartest and most cost-effective way is to build in accessibility right from the start. Use principles of inclusive design. Whether it’s a building, an email, image, or a piece of code. If tackling inaccessible content, there are some great tools you can use to help prioritise the work ahead. - If in doubt, reach out. Chris said this and it made me smile. Its so true! If you don’t know where to start.. ask. As to the future: AI was the hot topic! Couldn’t agree more. AI has to be accessible by design, and empower everyone – especially people with disabilities to be more productive. Time to get back to making that a reality. Thanks Disability:IN, Emily and Russell our fantastic hosts. And Sena, Wendy and Chris for so many learnings and a great conversation!

The more diverse the world becomes, the greater the responsibility and expectation technology has to the people and systems connected to it. As our world becomes more interconnected, the role of technology in our lives becomes even more critical. This shift brings with it profound responsibilities and expectations that we must address to ensure technology serves all of humanity equitably and effectively. 1. 🌍 Embracing Inclusivity in Design: Diverse populations bring a wide range of needs, preferences, and challenges. Technology must be designed with inclusivity at its core, ensuring that products and services are accessible to people of all backgrounds, abilities, and cultures. This means adopting universal design principles, incorporating diverse user feedback, and continuously iterating to remove barriers. 2. 🌐 Equitable Access to Technology: The digital divide is a significant challenge that exacerbates social and economic inequalities. As technology becomes more integral to education, work, and daily life, ensuring equitable access is paramount. This involves investing in infrastructure, providing affordable solutions, and supporting initiatives that bring technology to underserved communities. 3. ⚖️ Ethical AI and Data Practices: With the proliferation of artificial intelligence and big data, there is a growing need to address biases and ensure ethical practices. AI systems must be transparent, fair, and accountable, avoiding the perpetuation of existing biases and discrimination. Data privacy and security are also critical, requiring robust policies and practices to protect individuals' information. 4. 📚 Promoting Digital Literacy: As technology evolves, so must our understanding and skills. Promoting digital literacy across all demographics ensures that everyone can participate in and benefit from technological advancements. This involves education and training programs that cater to diverse learning styles and needs. 5. 🌱 Sustainable and Responsible Innovation: In a diverse world, technology must not only meet present needs but also be responsible for future generations. This means prioritizing eco-practices, reducing negative environmental impacts, and creating solutions that promote long-term environmental and social well-being. 6. 💼 Fostering a Culture of Diversity in Tech: The tech industry itself must reflect the diversity of the world it serves. This means fostering inclusive workplaces where diverse voices are heard and valued, and where everyone has equitable opportunities to contribute and thrive. Diverse teams are more innovative and better equipped to create solutions that address the needs of a diverse world. Let's continue to challenge ourselves, our organizations, and our communities. Together, we can create technology that truly serves humanity, bridging gaps and creating opportunities for everyone. #sustainability #supplychain #technology