A Black Experience of CES: How to Create a more Inclusive Future

From January 4-7, 2022, I was a kid in a candy store. From the outside, I was Mr. Fascinate, a host and creator of science and technology TV shows, tech and AI enthusiast, and all-around nerd. I wasn’t in a kid’s candy store, either. I was at CES, the eclectic beauty pageant for the tech that will shape our future society.

I. The 2022 Experience

I had a tough time actually getting into CES (Consumer Electronic Showcase). Despite being solidified in my profession, it took three contracted workers to “validate my credentials” as a person in the media space. Finally, after a black woman began assisting with the situation, I was no longer questioned about whether I belonged. Her mere presence seemed to have an immediate and positive effect on my eligibility to attend CES.

Despite these initial difficulties, I immediately became that excited kid as I approached the Las Vegas Convention Center to enter CES-land. My colleague for the STEM Success Summit, Maynard aka the Hip Hop MD, and I roamed the conference floor together. We went nerd-wild: we played with incredible gadgets, touched the future, and spoke to the movers and shakers that will build that future. I even proposed to a robot; the response that I got from the bot’s rejection went viral!?

But, as we walked around, our excitement for the future decreased as face after face that we passed looked nothing like us. It was frustrating to see that, yet again, people with my cultural background aren’t sufficiently represented in the flurry of innovation.

On January 5, Maynard and I chose to attend a diversity and AI panel. We were filled with conflicting emotions: enthusiastic that such an important topic was being discussed but frustrated that the values championed by the Panel were neither reflected in all that we had seen the day before nor reflected in the Panel’s speakers themselves. Again, face after face looked nothing like us. Our communities had minimal representation at the diversity session.

The irony of the panel was not lost on me. Somewhat flustered, I opened the Q&A session by asking the Panel,?

“How do we create more economic incentive for diversity initiatives within the context of AI so that they don’t feel like a charitable afterthought?”?

One Panel member volunteered that just “being in the room” is important; another emphasized the importance of diversity as a marketing angle. The whole time, I couldn’t help but be disappointed that we were still in a space where “room representation” was progress and diverse talent, a marketing ploy. From everything spoken at the panel, it was clear that words were not meeting actions.

As a whole, people of color deserve a better experience in the metropolis for technology, science, and innovation.

II.? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Historic Exclusion

Our talents, our communities, our futures, and our interests were not represented at CES in 2022. Worse still, this was not a unique occurrence. Back in 2018, I was an ecstatic 23-year-old just starting to venture out on my own in the tech world - a newly-minted fresh-faced tech entrepreneur. I got the opportunity to attend CES, and I jumped at it. I can still recall the exhilarating feeling coursing through my body when I saw drones whizzing through the air and witnessed one of the first public 3D holographic displays.

CES was love at first sight. The conference was filled to the brim with people. Official records indicate the total attendance was 182,198 people. Yet, in that sea of people, I was still one of the only black faces in the crowd. In this conference representing the future of science and technology, where its attendance increased Las Vegas’s population by about 30%, I was one of the only black faces in the room. Despite the fervor of CES coursing through my veins, I could not help but have my pure enthusiasm diluted by my identity.

III. ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Next Steps

I want CES to embrace me and those that look like me with the same enthusiasm that I embrace CES. Specifically, we need to increase black, latinx, indigenous and youth representation at CES. It is nonsensical that the future of our society is not represented in a conference about the future of our society.

There are a few areas that would be primed for facilitating this shift:

1. Increase proliferation of media, such as AfroTech/Blavity or Re.Engineer surrounding the conference into all types of communities. This could take the form of increasing media access to smaller, minority-run organizations or soliciting conference content from young creators of color.
2. Increase the presence of black, latinx and indigenous people in conference presentations and exhibitions themselves. One way this could be achieved is partnering with incubator and accelerator programs like 1863 Ventures or Black Founders Exchange that specifically focus on cultivating diverse demographics of innovators. Additionally, incentives like discounted exhibitor fees could be provided to bolster diverse attendance. With the intention of finding exhibitors of color to highlight on my platform, I ran across a total of two(!) black-owned businesses. This sends a message that innovation doesn't look like me.
3. Increase the accessibility of the conference to students. This could be in the form of branded sponsorships or scholarships, lowering the financial barriers to entry, especially for younger and newly established people. Members enrolled in organizations like NSBE, SHPE or HBCU or HSI institutions could receive attendee discounts. Investments could also be made in staff training to ensure that these “unfamiliar” demographics feel welcome at CES.

According to colleague testimonies, CES 2020 made significant strides towards creating a more inclusive environment for attendees. This should continue to be a point of emphasis at future events. All of these are simple solutions. They are not all-encompassing, and they do not address the bigger issues of the exclusion of black and brown people from STEM-related spaces. These are just steps – small ones – that can potentially usher in larger changes.?

Maynard Okereke - the Hip Hop MD (left), Dr. Sian Proctor (middle), and myself (right)

I would love to be the change that I wish to see- and participate in a future session about improving these efforts for tech events of all types.

Co-written & prod. by Eliana Eitches