We created a valuable resource for people interested in entering and thriving in the tech industry and raised awareness of over 70 organizations committed to increasing diversity in tech.

Tech Diversity Champions: Helping Underrepresented Groups Enter Into and Thrive in the Tech Industry

There’ve been many reports bemoaning the lack of diversity in the tech industry. So much so that WTIA started aggregating coverage of the issue in a monthly blog series called Diversity Digest. Many other organizations and companies have also seen the disparity and are trying to do something to increase the number of people from underrepresented groups including females, racial minorities, and veterans.

Last fall, WTIA Board member, and Moz CEO Sarah Bird suggested we create a graphic that consolidates all of these resources into one place. So, we did just that. Today, we’re introducing our Tech Diversity Champions graphic, which highlights stats on why people from underrepresented groups should consider entering and staying in tech, and provides the resources to help them.

“No one is happy with the status quo in the tech industry,” said Bird. “We want tech to reflect the diversity of our communities. And yet, many people don’t know how to help or where to begin. In my work with the WTIA, I’ve discovered many organizations doing great work to make tech more inclusive.”

WTIA partnered with HERE Seattle, an organization committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture in technology, to create the graphic. HERE Seattle’s Todd Bennings and Tim Parker designed “Tech Diversity Champions.”

“As we continue to advocate for a more diverse tech community we found it easy to collaborate with WTIA to assist in visualizing the story of diversity in tech,” said Bennings, a co-founder of HERE Seattle. “We are hopeful that the impact of our partnership is beneficial in improving the involvement of all minority groups’ participation in the tech industry.”

WTIA is committed to increasing diversity in tech and to crediting organizations who are tech diversity champions.

How to use the graphic

The graphic is intended to be a resource for females, racial minorities, and veterans and for those who know someone who can benefit from it. We designed it in a way that anyone looking at the graphic will learn about resources available to them, and how to enter and thrive in the tech industry.

Scenarios of who this graphic can benefit

With this graphic, I can help guide:

• My 6-year-old niece who loves video games
• My colleague who’s trying to figure out how to pay for his college-age child who wants to study computer science
• My neighbor who’s just returned from military service and is considering a career change
• My best friend who’s worked at Microsoft for years and whose career has stagnated

To help illustrate the incentives for entering and staying in tech, we selected stats that are more positive in nature, like the financial incentives for making a career switch to tech. We wanted this graphic to inspire, not demoralize, our intended audience. The research came from a wide variety of sources, which are listed at the end of this page.

How can you help? Share it!

Chances are you know someone who would benefit from the information in the Tech Diversity Champions graphic. That’s why we ask that you share the online version as well as print and display the PDF version in your office, in your schools, wherever you think it can make a difference. Download a PDF version here.

Who’s listed as a resource

A subcommittee of WTIA’s Diversity Action Committee brainstormed who should be listed. The reviewers also included leaders from these organizations: HERE Seattle, Technology Access Foundation, Washington MESA, Washington STEM, and 501commons.

The criteria are that the program must currently and actively be providing direct help, not just advocacy, specifically to females, minorities, and veterans, to enter and thrive in the tech industry. Even WTIA would not be listed if it weren’t for the Workforce Institute, the industry’s first registered apprentice program to provide a new path for underrepresented candidates with technology training and job placement. General education resources or general professional development organizations are not included.

Private companies are also listed, as long as they are making a material difference. In the case of code schools, we only included those who have existing diversity scholarships. We also included unconventional resources such as TUNE House, which provides free lodging for eight women studying computer science at the University of Washington.

If you think this should be on the map, email me a link to the program explaining why. If your program fits within the criteria listed above, we’ll update the online version.

Other ways you can help and get help from WTIA

Are you a school or non-profit who wants your students to consider a career in the tech industry? WTIA will match you with inspiring tech leaders to do just that. We match tech leaders with schools and non-profits who want to invite tech leaders to encourage students to consider a career in the tech industry. Schools and non-profits make the request, and we determine tech leaders who match their requirements, and we make an introduction. If you’re a tech leader interested in speaking, sign up here. If you’re a school or non-profit requesting a speaker, sign up here. Speakers must be currently working in the tech industry.
Special thanks to these organizations for helping review and put together this graphic: HERE Seattle, Northeastern University, Technology Access Foundation, Washington MESA, Washington STEM, Washington Technology Industry Association, and 501 Commons.