• 20+ years in tech • Eastern Washington University Computer Science double alum • EWU CS Professional Advisory Board • Founded Future Ada • Civic leader and DEI advocate
Our data. Our decisions. Our values. • Without diversity, AI can reflect and amplify biases, not fix them • Biased data → biased outcomes • Hiring tools, facial recognition, policing algorithms Your perspective can help shape AI (and ALL of tech) so that works for everyone • Diverse teams ask different questions and catch problems others miss • Fair, inclusive AI needs people from all backgrounds and identities
perspectives • Diverse teams solve problems faster and more creatively • Different backgrounds = different ways of thinking = better and more innovative solutions • Innovation dies in echo chambers • We need difference to disrupt • Breakthroughs happen when someone asks: “What if we did it differently?” • Your way of thinking could spark the next big thing
story… they all matter! • No one else sees the world exactly the way you do, that’s your edge • Your lived experience helps tech reach more people, more fairly • The challenges you’ve faced? They’ve built empathy and resilience • Tech needs your lens to create solutions that serve everyone
– an organization that works to challenge bias in decision-making software, using art, advocacy, and research to highlight the social implications and harms of AI. Co-Founder of Black in AI, an advocacy group that has pushed for more Black roles in AI development and research. Founder of the Distributed Artificial Intelligence Research Institute. Founded Black Girls Code – a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing technology and computer programming education to African-American girls.
needs • If we don’t understand people, we can’t build solutions that truly help them • Empathy helps us design for inclusion, accessibility, and fairness • Diverse life experiences make us better at anticipating others' challenges • You bring unique insights that make tech more human
design, virtual try-ons, and AI stylists • Passionate about climate change? • Tech drives clean energy and smart cities • Care about mental health? • Apps, AI chatbots, and data can support well-being • Into art or music? • Tech enables digital creativity, NFTs, and AI-generated art • Want to change the justice system? • Tech is shaping bias detection and civic data tools Whatever your passion is, tech needs it Your interests = your way in
your story, your ideas • You don’t need to “fit in” to have impact • Innovation comes from those who think differently • The future of tech isn’t complete without you in it • Every space you enter becomes more powerful because you’re there
smarter, and innovate faster • True great tech isn’t made alone; it’s made together • Inclusion isn’t just kind, it’s strategic • The best teams value every voice at the table • You get to choose: What kind of team do you want to build?
• Be proud of your story • Look for spaces that welcome and celebrate your perspective • Lift others up as you grow • Don’t hesitative to ask questions, speak up, and build boldly The future of tech is yours to shape
tech (like Girls Who Code & AI4ALL) • Explore fun tools: Scratch, Replit, Canva, ChatGPT • Create your own projects! • Follow tech leaders who inspire you—your role models are out there • Ask a teacher or mentor about coding clubs, STEM camps, or robotics teams • Practice problem-solving through games, puzzles, or designing apps Most of all: Stay curious. Stay brave. Stay YOU.
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