Author, Investor, Speaker, Mentor
Many companies like to say that they invest in diversity. But the truth is, they treat investing in diversity far differently than their other investments, and that’s a problem. Problem #1: They don’t have an investment thesis with a target return. When companies make investments, they generally have an investment thesis that spells out the … Continue reading Investing In Diversity
I like to write about and advocate for diversity and inclusion. But what diversity advocates often forget or ignore is the importance of emphasizing what we have in common, in addition to what makes us different. The old-fashioned description I grew up with of America as a “melting pot” is seldom used today. I think … Continue reading Diversity of Experience and Ideas, Shared Values and Goals
Diversity and inclusion are important and beneficial, but should be pursued in an inclusive way. I get a queasy feeling when I read quotes like this, on why the interviewee prefers Elizabeth Warren to Bernie Sanders as the Democratic nominee: “If I have a chance of voting for an old white man or a less … Continue reading The Inclusive Pursuit of Diversity and Inclusion
Too often, diversity and meritocracy are presented as opposites, when in fact, the two go hand in hand. The grand irony is that many of those who use the concept of meritocracy to argue against greater diversity are in fact working against the interests of a true meritocracy. The biggest logical fallacy that most pro-“meritocracy” … Continue reading Why Diversity Increases Meritocracy
Those who favor and oppose diversity actually share very similar concerns. This thought occurred to me when I read the end of this interview with Slack developer Kaya Thomas: The interview ends with the following exchange: “Brown: As one of the few black women in the industry, have you ever felt tokenized? Thomas: Yeah. It’s … Continue reading Common ground between those who favor and oppose diversity hiring
Everywhere one looks, Silicon Valley seems ascendant. Tech companies like Apple and Google are among the world’s most valuable and admired, while tech titans like Larry and Sergey, and Mark and Sheryl are given the first-name-only treatment of offline celebrities. Silicon Valley has even stuck its nose into broader society, helped by the fact that … Continue reading Will Success Ruin Silicon Valley?