Meet Women in Data DC, a community built on education, opportunities and improving diversity

If the events of the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that we need to unite for the greater good and to create positive change. One of the most effective ways to do this is to develop open, welcoming communities where members can come together to learn, grow and challenge one another to break down barriers.

Women in Data is a global nonprofit focused on increasing diversity in the fields of data and technology. Our goal is to create an open community that is a safe and welcoming place for all and we fulfill our mission by providing education, awareness and opportunities for our members. Our organization was launched in the fall of 2015 and has since grown to 24 global cities with over 9,000 members in our community. The Washington, D.C. chapter of Women in Data officially launched in October 2019 with a successful networking welcome event and currently has over 450 members, according to D.C. chapter lead Justine Perkowski.

Since the arrival of COVID-19, our network of chapters has been hosting virtual events every month, which are open to all members worldwide. These virtual events can be found on our YouTube channel.

Women in Data recently launched its new founding membership. Membership in this organization would mean receiving access to our exclusive events, mentorship, support programs and more. This membership is exclusive and separate from our open Slack community. Visit the website for more information.

This month, the D.C. chapter is also launching a global Women in Data book club. More details on the first book club meeting, to be held on Tuesday, June 30, and focusing on “Weapons of Math Destruction” by Cathy O’Neil, can be found on our Meetup page.

The goal for our Washington, D.C. chapter is to provide our members with rich networking and learning opportunities, and fortunately, the DMV region has a unique concentration of technical talent and industry leaders that we can take advantage of. We are looking forward to hosting more events over the coming months and are open to forming partnerships with organizations, universities and other nonprofits similarly dedicated to the mission of increasing diversity in data and technology.

We also welcome anyone who is interested in sharing their expertise with our members, whether that is discussing specific data-related tools or topics or helping our members develop important career skills. Help us create the type of supportive community that will break down barriers and creates positive change! If you are interested in partnering with us, please email us at dcwomenindata@womenindata.org.