Natives in Tech

?? MentorAbility Alberta at the Indigitech Summit: Empowering Indigenous Innovation and Inclusion ?? MentorAbility Alberta was honored to sponsor and participate in the Indigitech Summit, a transformative event dedicated to recognizing and advancing Indigenous innovation in technology and the arts. The Summit illuminated key themes: ?? Data Sovereignty & AI: Supporting Indigenous communities in controlling their data and thriving on their own terms. ?? Inclusion by Design: Transitioning from technology users to architects, ensuring systems reflect the rich histories and diverse realities of Indigenous peoples. ?? Ethical Innovation: Balancing cultural preservation with technological growth, while addressing transparency, consent, and accountability. ?? Community-Led Solutions: Building partnerships and solutions that amplify truth, reconciliation, and economic prosperity. At MentorAbility Alberta, we’re committed to building intersectional pathways that recognize and address the unique barriers and strengths of each community we support. Our work centers on fostering mentorship and inclusion through a lens that values the intersection of culture, identity, and lived experiences. The conversations at Indigitech left us inspired and energized by the incredible work happening across Indigenous communities in tech and the arts. Together, we can ensure that technology becomes a tool for reconciliation, innovation, and equity, reflecting the wisdom, stories, and aspirations of all peoples. ?? In what ways can we continue to collaborate to build more inclusive spaces for innovation, mentorship, and reconciliation? #MentorAbilityAlberta #Indigitech #InclusiveInnovation #Intersectionality #DataSovereignty #TruthAndReconciliation #MentorshipMatters #EmpoweringCommunities Indigitech Destiny Platform Calgary Canadian Association For Supported Employment/ Association canadienne de soutien à l'emploi Gateway Association Alberta

Stories like Camilla's and Ryan's are why we do this ?? Unfortunately, finances are the #1 barrier preventing Indigenous Peoples in BC from pursuing tech training. You can help us break down that barrier and co-create bright digital futures by donating to our Digital Skills Bursary Fund this giving season ???? https://lnkd.in/gqEW7HFY Your donation will make a real difference: 369 students trained in 2024 and more than 1,700 to date. We're targeting at least the same amount in 2025. This video is presented by our partner Invest Vancouver

Last night was a milestone for my family. My son Richard Jr. and I went to our first Oklahoma City Thunder game after living in this amazing city for over seven years. And it wasn’t just any night, it was Native American Heritage Night. Moments like these make all the hard work, long hours, and sacrifices worth it. As entrepreneurs and working parents, it’s easy to lose sight of what we’re striving for. For me, it’s all about providing opportunities for my family and setting an example for them and my community. Richard Jr. is 16, and he’s everything I could ask for: intelligent, kind, and proud of his culture. He’s already helping build First Americans Marketplace Exchange, driven by his passion for uplifting Native communities. I’m teaching him the value of hard work, but watching him grow is the real reward. This is one of my greatest motivations. #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #NativeAmericanHeritageNight #FamilyFirst #EntrepreneurLife #OKCThunder #WorkHardPlayHard #ProudDad #UpliftingCommunities #FAME #FirstAmericansMarketplaceExchange #CulturalPride #NativeEntrepreneurs

?On this day, we are raising awareness and shining a light on the fact that Native American women working full-time year round only make, on average, 58 cents on the dollar as compared to non-Hispanic, white men. Worse still, when you look at all Native women earners, they only make 52 cents in comparison to all non-Hispanic, white male earners, one of the most significant wage disparities in the United States. If you break it down by Tribal nation, some Native American women are paid even less. ??The lasting impacts of colonialism, genocide, and state-sanctioned violence on Native communities continues to be felt today. Native Americans face higher rates of poverty, unemployment, and violence. Recent data shows that the majority of Native American mothers are breadwinners for their families; yet with Native women earning about half the amount of white men, it creates an economic barrier to provide for themselves and their families. Low pay, economic abuse, and the lack of employment protections play a huge role in why so many cannot safely leave abusive situations. Therefore, long-term safety is almost impossible. ??Achieving equity for Native women involves heeding the voices and leadership of Native communities, respecting their sovereignty, traditions, and cultural practices, and making new workplace and other economic justice policies - like fair pay, workplace safety, and paid leave – a priority. As a campaign, we must be resolute in our commitment to addressing both the gender and race-based wage gaps– and all the disparities faced by Native communities. ??Raising awareness is just one of the ways to address these struggles. The next step is to take action. During our social media storm, Equal Pay Today and the co-leading organizations are calling on policymakers to look holistically of the needs of Native women and their families. There is not one solution that will address all of the compounding and intersecting needs; rather as this Congress is getting ready to adjourn, we use them to prioritize the economic needs of Native women by considering several key pieces of economic security legislation, including the: 1. Paycheck Fairness Act 2. BE HEARD Act 3. Healthy Families Act 4. FAMILY Act ?Join us Dec 5th (11am PT/2pm ET) for a powerful discussion on pay equity & economic justice for #NativeWomen! Hear from amazing speakers. Register now! #EquityForNativeWomen #NativeWomensEqualPay #NativeWomenLead #TheFutureIsIndigenousWomen

Monday, Monday, Mondayyyy

ITLCT did a fantastic job presenting at #NITConf2023, if you are one of the folks who missed it, here’s your next chance!

Good morning. Reminder Indigitech Destiny Summit is November 18th : 9 am - 5pm. Hop on over to indigitechsummit.ca and reserve your spot. Limited tickets available. Big thanks to sponsors, community partners, friends and speakers. Government of Canada Government of Alberta Economic Development Lethbridge ElevateIP Alberta Innovate Calgary MentorAbility Alberta IncluCity Calgary Platform Calgary National Music Centre Wave Tech Centre Edmonton Unlimited InceptionU Ltd Scaffold Institute KPMG Ignition Calgary Lethbridge Polytechnic Bow Valley College Renard T. Jenkins Natasha Rabsatt, M.S. Nicole Robertson Ashley Allen Adaeze Hubbard Wunmi Adekanmbi, MSc., PMP, Prosci Kara Thorvaldson Derek Eiteneier Melrene Saloy-EagleSpeaker Pamela Todd B.F.A Aretha Greatrix Chef Shane Mederic Chartrand #Indigitechdestiny #Indigitechsummit #IndigenousInnovation ##innovationweekyyc

I am attending Indigitech Destiny Summit November 18th. Join me. Invite friends and colleague. Register here. https://lnkd.in/gbSAFxnf #indigitechdestiny #indigitechsummit #indigenousentrepreneurs #innovationweekyyc

#NITConf2024 - That's a wrap! A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us for our funky, fun annual Natives in Tech conference. The group had a blast! If you missed it, no worries! We are gearing up for an incredible 2025 with more programming, networking, and community activities to come. If you would like to connect with any of the presenters, here's the link with everyone's LinkedIn profiles. https://lnkd.in/eEYGZNDd We will share the group slides here in a few.