There is an enormous disparity in the numbers of African Americans, under represented people of color, and women in technology, versus the numbers of White and Asian American men. This disparity significantly and negatively impacts these communities in various ways. For example, they earn less on average, purchase real estate at lower rates, do not reside near the companies where they work, and do not benefit educationally from the public schools located in these geographic areas.
The Diversity in Tech Problem
1. It claims that there is an inadequate pipeline of engineers and scientists.
2. It recruits primarily at top tier colleges and universities.
3. HBCUs and Women's Colleges do not have sufficient computer science resources
4. Recruiters and diversity officers do not want to lose credibility by hiring outside the norm.
5. The work environments are hostile towards underrepresented employees, such that they leave and create a revolving door.
2. It recruits primarily at top tier colleges and universities.
3. HBCUs and Women's Colleges do not have sufficient computer science resources
4. Recruiters and diversity officers do not want to lose credibility by hiring outside the norm.
5. The work environments are hostile towards underrepresented employees, such that they leave and create a revolving door.
The Solution
1) ReinvestDevelop a robust pipeline of young diverse men and women candidates interested in technological careers.
3) Recruit Recruit qualified diverse talent from wherever they are (not just ivy league and/or top tier schools), especially in managerial/supervisory positions.
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2) RedesignRecreate your company's culture to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion, and treat employees humanely with dignity and respect, from the top down.
4) RetainProvide sustainable resources such as senior leadership councils, Employee Resource Groups, professional development, access to training and support, for all employees.
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Our programs inspire underrepresented students of color to master math, science, chemistry, physics, engineering, and computer science through a culturally relevant pedagogy, go to college, major in a technical field, and pursue technical careers to increase the economic, environmental, and social vitality of their communities.
Our Values
Audacious - We are audacious in knowing that we can effectively change the landscape of underrepresented minorities and women in technology-related fields.
Innovative - Our innovative ideas, abundant resources, and seamless execution separate us from any others trying to address this problem.
Compassionate - Compassion and empathy are at the center of all that we do. This allows us to put ourselves in everyone else's shoes and come up with the best solutions.
Impactful - All of our programs are measurable and impactful. Lives will be changed based on the success of our work.
Innovative - Our innovative ideas, abundant resources, and seamless execution separate us from any others trying to address this problem.
Compassionate - Compassion and empathy are at the center of all that we do. This allows us to put ourselves in everyone else's shoes and come up with the best solutions.
Impactful - All of our programs are measurable and impactful. Lives will be changed based on the success of our work.
Our Team
Kevin L. Nichols - Co-Founder, President & Chief Executive OfficerKevin L. Nichols has worked in multifaceted capacities in some of the most prolific international law firms in the country, such as Morrison & Foerster, Paul Hastings, Heller Ehrman, and Holland & Knight. His interest in diversity and technology began while he was a mechanical engineering/diversity intern at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Later, he became the Executive Director of the California Diversity Council and the African American Wellness Project. Kevin has become a social networking expert and full-time consultant specializing in litigation technology (eDiscovery), diversity, and social media marketing for the legal industry. Nichols has been featured on LinkedIn’s Hall of Fame, Yahoo’s Blog, in the Examiner, CNN Money, Reuters, MarketWatch, and the Wall Street Journal. Millions saw Kevin while logging in to LinkedIn.com from 2011-2014. Now, he is the Founder of The Social Engineering Project, Inc., an Oakland-based, Google-funded, social impact venture with Stanford University designed to address the lack of diversity in the tech industry and a Senior Diversity Leader at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Kevin graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, completed an Executive Program for Social Entrepreneurship at Stanford's Graduate School of Business, a certification program called the Fundraising Academy through the Sanford Institute of Philanthropy at JFK University, an Inclusive AI Data Science Executive Program at the Haas School of Business, and a Fostering Inclusion Executive Program at Yale University.
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