Chat about what ‘tech inclusion’ really means to students

These days, conversations aren’t just limited to face-to-face chats — people all around the world are using platforms like Twitter to discuss some important topics.
Diversity in tech is one of those topics that have been at the forefront of tech communities around the country, including in D.C.
DMV Startup sponsored a “Diversitech” event this past April where local technologists shared their stories about being a minority in the industry.
This Wednesday, InclusionDC, an event hosted by local meetup Latino Tech Community and All Women in Tech (the group behind the Women in Tech campaign) hopes to continue the conversation through what will be a mix between in-person and social media conversations.

The basis of Inclusion is viewing Difference as Enriching not Threatening. Join #InclusionDC https://t.co/1HwX57Dwqu pic.twitter.com/at1b6XxdAh

— ComadresCODE (@comadrescode) June 14, 2016

This is how the event will go: Attendees will have a set of questions to discuss about tech inclusion and will use those questions to structure group conversations, which will each be facilitated by a student and tech entrepreneur from the area. Everyone at the event will be encouraged to tweet answers to questions using “#InclusionDC” in the hopes that people who aren’t able to make it out can still be a part of the conversations.
“Our aim is to have an open conversation about what ‘tech inclusion’ really means to these students, their role in it and how to propose solutions to this problem that could potentially improve access to minorities into the tech sector in different places, but most importantly in the DMV,” said Victor Salcedo, founder of Latino Tech Community and senior program assistant at National Democratic Institute, in an email.
Salcedo said they reached out to students from LearnServe, Latin American Youth Center and South Africa-Washington International Program, to be a part of the event. Local groups and companies like Black Female Founders (#BFF) and D.C.-based mapping software company Mapbox are set to help facilitate with these students.
“We noticed that much of the conversation surrounding tech inclusion focused on how students should get more involved in computer science programs or after-school programs but not really on trying to find what actual students thought about their role,” he wrote. “We came together to organize this event and try to find solutions to the tech inclusion conundrum.”
They’re encouraging anyone and everyone to register for the free event that will take place Wednesday, June 15 from 6-8 p.m. at the Social Driver offices (1030 15th St.).