Shaving my head made me a better programmer - TechSummit Amsterdam 2017

Opening keynote for TechSummit Amsterdam on 6.1.2017 (35min)

Summary:
How do perceptions and stereotypes affect those in software and on engineering teams? This talk tells the true story of how I hacked my appearance, by shaving my head, to change the way I was perceived as a programmer.

This talk also serves as a primer on unconscious bias and stereotype threat, and their effects on individuals and teams. I will provide actionable advice on how to make engineering teams more inclusive, more diverse, and thusly more productive, successful, and attractive to potential hires.

Transcript

1. shaving my head made me a better programmer @alexqin #shavedmyhead #TechSummitIO
2. my story #shavedmyhead @alexqin
3. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
4. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
5. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
6. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
7. #shavedmyhead @alexqin you had me at “hello, world”
8. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
9. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
10. #shavedmyhead @alexqin it felt like I was hyper visible and invisible at the same time
11. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “Prove it… do you know what a terminal is?”
12. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
13. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?” “Well not really… I’m trying to become one…”
14. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?” “Well not really… I’m trying to become one…”
15. #shavedmyhead @alexqin the act of programming makes you a programmer
16. #shavedmyhead @alexqin 1. discrimination 2. imposter syndrome
17. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
18. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
19. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
20. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
21. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
22. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
23. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
24. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?”
25. #shavedmyhead @alexqin why do I love code if code doesn’t love me back
26. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
27. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
28. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
29. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
30. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “When I cut my hair short, I stopped getting harassed at tech events.”
31. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “Become a BAD ASS programmer”
32. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
33. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
34. #shavedmyhead @alexqin BAD ASS
35. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “How do I talk to women at bars?”
36. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “How do I talk to women at bars?”
37. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “How do I talk to women at bars?”
38. #shavedmyhead @alexqin BAD ASS
39. #shavedmyhead @alexqin NOPE
40. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
41. #shavedmyhead @alexqin NOPE
42. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
43. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
44. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
45. #shavedmyhead @alexqin HACKER
46. #shavedmyhead @alexqin I was no longer hyper sexualized and under skilled
47. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
48. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
49. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
50. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
51. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
52. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
53. #shavedmyhead @alexqin HACKER
54. #shavedmyhead @alexqin my environment doesn’t allow capable, passionate people to succeed
55. #shavedmyhead @alexqin what can I do to fix this?
56. #shavedmyhead @alexqin TEACH
57. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
58. #shavedmyhead @alexqin greatness in programming can come from anywhere
59. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
60. #shavedmyhead @alexqin Skillshare engineering team 40% women 60% people of color
61. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
62. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
63. #shavedmyhead @alexqin software | education | access
64. what I learned #shavedmyhead @alexqin
65. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
66. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
67. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
68. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
69. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
70. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
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76. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
77. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
78. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY
79. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY why should you care?
80. #shavedmyhead @alexqin some bad reasons
81. bad reasons to care because I have to because of PR / Branding because it’s charitable #shavedmyhead @alexqin
82. #shavedmyhead @alexqin some better reasons
83. I want to make a lot of $$$ #shavedmyhead @alexqin
84. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
85. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
86. #shavedmyhead @alexqin $$$
87. I want to have the best team #shavedmyhead @alexqin
88. I want to build the best product #shavedmyhead @alexqin
89. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
90. I care about equality #shavedmyhead @alexqin
91. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY how do I do it?
92. understand the problem before you solve it #shavedmyhead @alexqin
93. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY why is this an issue in software?
94. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
95. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
96. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
97. systemic discrimination #shavedmyhead @alexqin
98. systemic discrimination #shavedmyhead @alexqin invisible hurdles at every step of the way that make it harder for certain groups of people to enter and succeed in technology
99. the “pipeline problem” #shavedmyhead @alexqin
100. “I would love to have women in tech but there aren’t that many who are interested in this” #shavedmyhead @alexqin
101. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
102. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
103. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
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108. #shavedmyhead @alexqin the “leaky pipeline”
109. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
110. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY let’s talk about it
111. A diverse environment is one where people from all backgrounds are represented. An inclusive environment is one where people from all backgrounds receive equal treatment and equal opportunity by design. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
112. #shavedmyhead @alexqin the language of diversity & inclusion
113. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?” “Well not really… I’m trying to become one…”
114. imposter syndrome #shavedmyhead @alexqin
115. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
116. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
117. imposter syndrome #shavedmyhead @alexqin
118. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
119. #shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?”
120. unconscious bias #shavedmyhead @alexqin
121. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
122. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
123. microaggressions #shavedmyhead @alexqin
124. microaggressions #shavedmyhead @alexqin “You’re such a great coder for a girl!” “You’re too cute to be a nerd” “Are you really a programmer?” “You look very exotic”
125. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
126. erasure #shavedmyhead @alexqin
127. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
128. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
129. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY
130. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY you will make mistakes - that’s OK
131. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
132. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
133. “code is gender/race blind” #shavedmyhead @alexqin
134. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
135. #shavedmyhead @alexqin Alexandra
136. #shavedmyhead @alexqin Alex
137. “I don’t want to lower the bar for my team” #shavedmyhead @alexqin
138. #shavedmyhead @alexqin when you hire minorities, you raise the bar
139. “affirmative action is discriminatory” #shavedmyhead @alexqin
140. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY
141. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY what do I do?
142. #shavedmyhead @alexqin lack of diversity often happens by accident diverse & inclusive environments happen on purpose
143. #shavedmyhead @alexqin how can rethink my company’s hiring and culture in a way that provides equal opportunity for all?
144. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY measure progress
145. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
146. audit your hiring process outreach -> resumes -> phone screen -> technical interview -> culture -> interview -> offer -> join the team #shavedmyhead @alexqin
147. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
148. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
149. #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY change the system
150. care understand the problem is systemic start a dialogue make mistakes measure progress change the system #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY & INCLUSION
151. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
152. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
153. #shavedmyhead @alexqin
154. – Beverly Daniel Tatum “I sometimes visualize the ongoing cycle of racism as a moving walkway at the airport. Active racist behavior is equivalent to walking fast on the conveyor belt. Passive racist behavior is equivalent to standing still on the walkway. No overt effort is being made, but the conveyor belt moves the bystanders along to the same destination as those who are actively walking. But unless they are walking actively in the opposite direction at a speed faster than the conveyor belt – unless they are actively anti-racist – they will find themselves carried along with the others.” #shavedmyhead @alexqin
155. @alexqin engineer & educator @codecooperative @skillshare #shavedmyhead @alexqin