Susanne Tedrick - Women of Color in Tech

This is not to say that this path (or these experiences) is true for every woman of color. Every woman's path to tech is remarkably different. Some women have fully supportive environments and communities from the time they're born. Others transition into tech after having worked in completely different fields.

But when we examine the entire pipeline of bringing women of color into tech, it's clear that there are significant “leaks” in the pipes. It's clear that women of color are challenged at almost every stage of their journey, and the likelihood of their success is small. Just as there is no single reason for the lack of women in color in tech, there is also no single fix to this complex problem.

I realize that the picture I have painted so far is a bleak and depressing one. You might be asking yourself why on earth I would subject myself to a field that has typically been non-welcoming to women of color and the support structures are iffy, at best.

For all the negative news and statistics, there really is no greater time for us to be here. I'd like to share with you why by sharing my journey to tech.

Prior to starting my technology career, I was in an entirely different profession and industry. For many years, I worked in mostly administrative and support positions within the financial services industry. My duties were wide ranging and diverse—they ranged from answering telephones, greeting guests, and ordering office supplies to coordinating travel for managers and reconciling invoices.

I was good at my job. My managers and colleagues complimented me often on how hardworking and committed I was to my job, and I was well liked. My pay and benefits were good, I received modest raises, and I enjoyed relatively good job stability, meaning I didn't think that I'd lose my job due to a company not performing well financially.

As good as all of that was, I didn't enjoy my work—at all. Those types of jobs are negatively described as being in the “pink-collar ghetto.” Jobs like these are primarily held by women, had mostly routine and, well, boring work to be done, and had limited pay-increase potential or advancement opportunities. In administrative support roles and similar, you have little control in how you perform your work and the type of work you get to perform.

I also did not enjoy the industry. Like the tech industry, sadly, women of color are a minority in financial services. While careers in financial services can pay well, they can also be stressful. There are many rules and regulations that companies in this industry must follow, and in some ways, this limits the amount of creativity one can have in approaching their job.

I mistakenly kept changing jobs, thinking that it was the pay, culture, or some other outside factor that was contributing to my career unhappiness. At some point, I had to stop and ask myself, “Why am I doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result?” Why was I sticking to a career path that was not serving me well? Why was I trying to conform to an industry that I had no interest in and in roles that were only going to make me miserable in the end?

It was after my first year in my last admin/financial services job where I had to stop and deeply examine where my interests were, what I wanted and needed out of my career, and where I ultimately wanted to grow. The tech field was always something I had given some thought to but never really fleshed out. I knew that I was always drawn to technology; I always took apart my parents' appliances (much to their annoyance) to see how they worked. I always loved playing on the computer to see what I could do with it, as well as keeping up to speed on technology news.

But I thought to myself, “Was interest alone going to help me land a tech career?” My math and science grades were so-so, and up to this point, I had no formal technology training of any kind. And what kind of options did I have? Was becoming a coder the only route I could take?

The answers to these questions were not going to come overnight or easily. For many months, I thought about my interests, strengths, weaknesses, and goals. I thought about what I knew that I could already bring to the table for an employer, as well as what I needed to learn. I thought about the time and money investment it was going to take. I researched, networked often, and revised my plans repeatedly as needed.

I ended up going back to school while working. I ended up studying a field that gave me a broad overview of information technology, while allowing me to refine my communications skills at Northwestern University. I used much of my vacation and holiday time from work not only to study but to attend conferences, interviews, boot camps, and the like. I did homework during lunch breaks or before the start of a full workday, only to go to class for several hours in the same evening. I did volunteer work whenever possible to apply and strengthen the technical skills I learned in the classroom. I had to juggle family obligations, while also missing out on events with friends and family, and while I was financially in a better position than others with similar situations, funds were still extremely limited. I was lucky if I got six hours of sleep in a given evening, and to say that I was tired was a huge understatement.

I did this for about three years before starting my current job in technology. Was it hard? Absolutely . I'd say that my journey into tech was one of the top five hardest things I've ever had to do in my entire life. Was it worth it, and would I do it again? Yes, and yes, with a few changes.

I now get to work with some of the latest, emerging technologies. Instead of following orders without input, my thoughts and contributions are sought after and welcomed. I get to help clients make meaningful technology decisions that will impact their business. I have met some wonderful people who serve as mentors, colleagues, and lifelong friends. I've had great opportunities to share my experiences, mentor people, and travel all over. Finally, the salary for my first tech job was double that of my highest-paying administrative job, and I have far more ways that I can advance my career than had I stayed an office manager or a client service representative.

My work can be challenging, and yes, sometimes both my race and gender can make some of those challenges feel more pronounced. But this is the first time in my life where I can honestly say that I am engaged with my work in a meaningful way. I feel that I have a fulfilling career versus having a soul-crushing, dead-end job.

It's important to keep in perspective that many great strides and efforts have been made to make tech open to everyone who wants a seat at the table. Although increasing the diversity in tech workplaces may not be progressing as quickly as we'd like, we have come a considerable way since, perhaps, 50 or 60 years ago. In our society, we are having the hard conversations with one another surrounding gender, race, equity, and fairness. We're looking at the undeniable figures that indicate the work that's yet to be done. We're continuing to do the things that we do well and either tweaking what we need to improve or getting rid of ideologies or practices that are hindering making tech hospitable for all.

Women of color have more professional organizations that provide career support than ever before. These organizations offer educational opportunities, networking events, and project collaboration. Here are a few that currently exist:

AnitaB.org: Perhaps one of the largest women in technology professional organizations in the world, AnitaB.org(named after famed computer scientist Anita Borg) offers events, podcasts, and mentoring opportunities for all women in technology. It is the organizer of one of the most popular women in tech conferences, the Grace Hopper Conference, and it seeks to have 50/50 male/female representation in tech by 2025. www.anitab.org