USCTO - Megan Smith's Call To Action Made IT Personal
Earlier this month, I took up an invitation from the Pittsburgh Technology Council to attend a briefing by Megan Smith, the CTO of the Whitehouse. She was in town a day early for the Frontiers Conference at Carnegie Mellon University. (I wasn't quite cool enough for a ticket to that event but I did catch the live stream).
In attending, I had some expectations for what I might hear. I expected an information overload on what is happening now with security, new advancements with robotics and health technology. What surprised me was her passionate initiative to get the community to revitalize the image of a technology professional, specifically for helping younger girls know there is a future for them in technology.
Even in 2016 - a time when any kid with a pulse knows can work a tablet - has coding in schools and an email address, 10 of 14 technology professionals on television are played by males. The notion surprised me that the media image of tech is still so masculine.
Her speech inspired me to stand up and take part in the conversation. It's not enough to be a woman in tech. It's not enough to confidently say that my boss - our Chief Operating Office is an amazing woman in tech. It's not enough to want to hire women in tech. It's the perspective from outside the industry. Far flung from the HR offices and the inclusion specialist's desk. It is within the youth culture and you know what, perspective is reality. I imagined myself a part of the Dr. Seuss story Horton Hears a Who where the all of the whos are chanting "We are here, we are here, we are here!" Megan's call to action said to me "be a voice" in the local community and to help shift the perspective to say that there are women right here in Pittsburgh who are at the heart of technology and I am one of them.
Someone once told me you can climb the ladder, but you move up a lot faster when someone at the top extends their hand to help pull you up. If you know of a school program or a mentoring program where I can extend my hand to a young person in the community and help them understand that technology has many faces, I would appreciate the recommendation.
#Women #Tech #Pittsburgh #Washington #Inspiration @USCTO