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

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shaving my head made me a better programmer @alexqin #shavedmyhead #TechSummitIO

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my story #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin you had me at “hello, world”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin it felt like I was hyper visible and invisible at the same time

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “Prove it… do you know what a terminal is?”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?” “Well not really… I’m trying to become one…”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?” “Well not really… I’m trying to become one…”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin the act of programming makes you a programmer

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin 1. discrimination 2. imposter syndrome

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin why do I love code if code doesn’t love me back

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “When I cut my hair short, I stopped getting harassed at tech events.”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “Become a BAD ASS programmer”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin BAD ASS

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “How do I talk to women at bars?”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “How do I talk to women at bars?”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “How do I talk to women at bars?”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin BAD ASS

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin NOPE

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin NOPE

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin HACKER

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin I was no longer hyper sexualized and under skilled

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin HACKER

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin my environment doesn’t allow capable, passionate people to succeed

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin what can I do to ﬁx this?

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin TEACH

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin greatness in programming can come from anywhere

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin Skillshare engineering team 40% women 60% people of color

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin software | education | access

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what I learned #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY why should you care?

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin some bad reasons

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bad reasons to care because I have to because of PR / Branding because it’s charitable #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin some better reasons

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I want to make a lot of $$$ #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin $$$

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I want to have the best team #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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I want to build the best product #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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I care about equality #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY how do I do it?

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understand the problem before you solve it #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY why is this an issue in software?

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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systemic discrimination #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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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

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the “pipeline problem” #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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“I would love to have women in tech but there aren’t that many who are interested in this” #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin the “leaky pipeline”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY let’s talk about it

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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

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin the language of diversity & inclusion

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?” “Well not really… I’m trying to become one…”

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imposter syndrome #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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imposter syndrome #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin “Oh, you’re a programmer?”

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unconscious bias #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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microaggressions #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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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”

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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erasure #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY you will make mistakes - that’s OK

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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“code is gender/race blind” #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin Alexandra

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin Alex

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“I don’t want to lower the bar for my team” #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin when you hire minorities, you raise the bar

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“afﬁrmative action is discriminatory” #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY what do I do?

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin lack of diversity often happens by accident diverse & inclusive environments happen on purpose

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin how can rethink my company’s hiring and culture in a way that provides equal opportunity for all?

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY measure progress

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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audit your hiring process outreach -> resumes -> phone screen -> technical interview -> culture -> interview -> offer -> join the team #shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY change the system

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care understand the problem is systemic start a dialogue make mistakes measure progress change the system #shavedmyhead @alexqin DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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#shavedmyhead @alexqin

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– 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

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@alexqin engineer & educator @codecooperative @skillshare #shavedmyhead @alexqin