International Women's Day 2023 Women in Tech

Written by: Weslyn Harmon + L.A. Carpenter

On Wednesday, March 15, 2023, the Center for Women, Gender and Global Leadership hosted the seventh annual International Women’s Day celebration, Breaking Barriers and Making Change—Black Women in Tech. The virtual roundtable featured Erica Terry Derryck of Intuit, Denasia Pinkard of Meta, and Ms. Chanelle Hardy of Google. Panelists unpacked Black women's unique challenges in the industry and their contributions as disruptors--creating space and community that reflects the diverse values and ambitions of different individuals and groups.

The event also aligned with this year’s United Nations Women’s International Women’s Day theme “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality,” which, among other areas, is focused on promoting gender equality and supporting policy and innovation that meet the needs of women and girls.

Technology continues to shape every aspect of our lives, and the panelists had unique insights for overcoming barriers one may face in the future while building a career in the tech industry. Women make up 27% of tech, and only ¾% are BIPOC. Our panelists also discussed their experiences working in tech and transitioning to leadership roles.

Denasia Pinkard is a Content Design Manager and Equity Lead at Meta. Before beginning her current role, she started her journey in a junior position at Meta three years ago. She utilized strategy to grow within her role and performed at a level above her title, and she was promoted within six months. Pinkard emphasized the importance of being a high performer in your role and “avoid fixation on a role or title, instead focus on building a career and skills within a firm.” She created a terminology list for her colleagues during the height of the push for diversity transparency that began in corporations in 2020. Pinkard advised participants to build relationships with mentors and sponsors who recognize their work's quality and will advocate for them within their network. 

Chanelle Hardy is the Head of Civil Rights and Strategic Outreach for Google. She leads engagement with multicultural and civil rights organizations and develops the corporate civil rights program. Hardy has been at Google for over seven years and is the first person of color to achieve her role at Google. She argued that one of the biggest barriers in the industry is the inability to picture Black women in leadership roles in tech outside of STEM-focused concentrations. She started with a public service career focus. After becoming a Teach for America Fellow, she desired to see the structures that contributed to the hardship that schools and communities faced. Hardy saw how companies such as Google impacted their users and where she could make a difference.  

Erica Terry Derryck leads global communications for Intuit’s Small Business and Self-Employed Group. As the VP of Communications, Ms. Derryck provides a different perspective on technology from most of her colleagues. This is critical when a firm wants to see its products from a consumer standpoint. When Derryk transitioned from the public to the private sector, she evaluated the company values to ensure they aligned with hers. The DEI department at her firm is essential, and access to resource groups within the firm is also important. Both DEI and resources groups present formal and informal ways for employees of underrepresented groups to be represented and stimulate change within policy and company culture. 

Multiple questions were asked to the panelists during the event on the advice they would give to black intellectuals trying to enter the tech industry. HBCU recruitment has become an essential source of talent searching for firms. At Google, for example, initiatives are starting to grow offices in areas where underrepresented groups are populated. Diversity and Inclusion are the focus of a profitable business model in any industry, and tech companies such as Intuit are making strides to invest in businesses led by people of color. The panelists told the audience of 90 participants that there are various roles within large tech companies for people in non-STEM fields. They advised students to reach out and gain information from people in the current role they want to be in. 

One panelist advised the audience to enter a field with a skill-building mindset and stated, “If I am going to be the smartest person in the room, then it is probably not the opportunity for me” In other words, students should join organizations where they will be challenged to learn and grow their skills and talents. After beginning a position, one panelist emphasized the impact of resource groups at her firm on her career. Resource groups are spaces where individuals can join with others for mentorship, advice, or community. 

The Center is especially excited because this conversation starts a new area of programming for the Women’s Center, focusing on Black women and technology. We are developing a research program and student-focused events that examine the topic from the social sciences, humanities, and STEM.