Diversity & Inclusion

I’m searching #PTW17 for a woman-of-color developer

CrashSpot founder Chantelle Bateman is tired of the white maleness of Techlandia. Here are the events she's scouring at Philly Tech Week 2017 presented by Comcast in her quest to build a diverse startup.

How do Philly's inclusivity efforts stack up? (Photo by Flickr user WOCinTech Chat, used under a Creative Commons license)

So I’m new here. Not new to Philadelphia, but rather to the semi-secret society with a rapidly growing local chapter: “The Tech Scene.”

About six months ago I set out to solve one of my own problems and along the way realized that I’m building a tech company. So far, I’ve been engaging the scene from a relatively safe distance (i.e. the innanets).

Safe from what, you ask? Well, if you have to ask, you’re probably one of the people I’ve been trying to avoid. People who ask me awkward questions about Black hair, look at me cray when I ask them to interpret some ridiculous jargon like “dev” (why can’t ya’ll just friggin say “development”?!?), or corner me into a political conversation and be splained to by [insert privileged group].

I’ve learned enough on the innanets to know that not only am I, CrashSpot founder Chantelle Bateman, new to the tech world, but everyone who looks like me is relatively new. And we aren’t expected to be here. I’ve known from the beginning that I want to challenge that expectation by building a company full of women leaders. What better way to find the feminist UX designer of my dreams than during Philly Tech Week! Here are the places my search is taking me:

Career Changer Panel/Happy Hour

  • May 1, 6 p.m.

This is sponsored by Girl Develop It so I’m for sure looking for girls who like to develop it. This was a no-brainer. Besides, if anyone knows how to survive a career change, it’s people who have some of the most barriers. I’m excited to learn from women who have already done what I’m working to do.

Startup Advice: Planning Your MVP

  • May 2, 3 p.m.

Do. Not. Speak. Tech. The organizers of this event expect participants to come away with a better understanding of how to hone in on the feature you really need, avoid paying for the ones your users won’t care about and how to better communicate your product needs with designers and developer. I just want my work wife to understand me.

3rd Annual Women in Tech Soiree

  • May 3, 5 p.m.

I’m looking for a work wife (read: cofounder) who likes long walks through customer journeys, mood boards and InVision. Must love kids at the office, inclusive design thinking and productivity tools. All jokes aside, I decided pretty early on that I will combat the frightening white maleness of Techlandia by arming my company with women leaders. If that’s you, cash me ousside.

Startup Pitch Bootcamp

  • May 6, 12 p.m.

By this point in the week, I should have had enough practice introducing myself to strangers, I’ll finally be ready to introduce my business model. Maybe some amazing design skills having woman will hear my plan and fall deep in work love with me.

This is a guest post by CrashSpot founder Chantelle Bateman.
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