Inspiring change: How award winner Yasmina Passeri is championing diversity, equity and inclusion in tech

Yasmina PASSERI Mbombo Njoya , Senior Project Manager at Hitachi Solutions, has worked at Hitachi for almost four years and has over thirteen years’ experience in the tech industry. Beyond her day-to-day work managing complex projects, she's a passionate and vocal advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in the tech industry. From serving as an ambassador for GTA Black Women in Tech to authoring a book for black and mixed-race women on caring for their hair, Yasmina is challenging industry norms and inspiring the next generation of leaders, especially women from underrepresented backgrounds.?

Bringing a global perspective?

With years of experience at Hitachi, Yasmina has worked across a wide variety of sectors, from housing to automotive and the public sector. This opportunity to collaborate with so many different teams and people has helped to broaden her perspective on the challenges that not just companies, but people face too. “It’s always a team of people [working] with different projects and different industries,” she shares, highlighting how she’s able to partner with clients and colleagues from around the word.? “It's very interesting to work with multicultural people, because everyone brings their own culture, their own way of working and their own experience […] and we sometimes face some challenges, but it's very nourishing”.???

Yasmina’s interactions with people from across the globe and the opportunity to have lived and worked in several countries herself is in her view an asset. “The only way to grow, I believe, is to be always out of your comfort zone”, she states, adding that interacting with other cultures can help, “open your mind”.???

A commitment to DE&I?

Yasmina’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is evident in her work as an ambassador for GTA Black Women in Tech (BWT), an organisation that strives to support and elevate underrepresented voices in the industry. “In the tech industry, I work 90% of the time only with men,” Yasmina reflects. “And if you’re a Black woman, there’s this other factor on top of that.” She points to unconscious bias as a pervasive issue that affects women across fields. "We have preconceived ideas that a woman can’t do DIY for instance, or she can’t be in the military, or she can’t code, or be in a very high position in the tech industry.” For Yasmina, GTA Black Women in Tech provides a crucial platform for breaking down these barriers, advocating for Black women in tech roles, and creating a supportive network. Her involvement with BWT allows her to mentor and inspire women to overcome industry challenges. “Believe in yourself,” she advises young women entering the field. “If you feel something really truly from your gut, just don’t listen to what people tell you that is going to divert you from what you really want to.”?

Award winning dedication?

Yasmina’s commitment to DEI recently earned her recognition from Microsoft, as she was selected as the Women Role Model Allies 2024 Ambassador for Microsoft France. The Role Model Allies category is for individuals who actively participate in the inclusion of women in Tech companies and for the second year was the only category which was also open to men. It’s an award Yasmina views as a significant milestone both personally and professionally, “it’s incredible because it gives credibility, and it shows as well that my engagement […] about diversity, equity and inclusion is recognised and even more than that it inspires.” It’s this ability to transform a difficult situation to help people and inspire them in believing that everything is possible which is so important to Yasmina.??

Looking to the future??

Yasmina doesn’t see her valuable work and efforts in DEI stopping anytime soon, if anything, it’s just spurred her on to keep having an impact in the industry, raising awareness of diversity in all its forms. “I would say I like to talk about diversity as a whole, because there are visible and invisible forms of diversity. So, it’s how do I raise awareness to help people to understand what inclusivity means?” In Yasmina’s view, one of the biggest challenges is also the key to solving the question – making leaders in the tech industry understand that diversity and inclusivity are not just trends, rather, “[they] really have an impact and bring value to the company because a diverse workforce means that you're going to have a diverse point of view.”??

She remains positive about the potential for change and through her work and advocacy it’s clear that Yasmina is helping to inspire others to build an industry that values and champions diversity at every level.?