Black Caucus zeros in on tech
Event today in D.C. will push for diversity
The Congressional Black Caucus wants the tech industry to focus its innovative energy on building a more diverse workforce.
The 46-member caucus’ diversity task force hosts its Tech 2020 event in Washington today to let tech giants know that the influential group is looking for results.
Over the next five years, about 1.4 million tech industry jobs are expected to be created, according to estimates from the Level Playing Field Institute. “We want to work with our friends (in the tech industry) to try to ensure that a large segment of the new hires are African Americans,” says Rep. G.K. Butterfield, D-N.C., the caucus chairman and task force member.
Diversity in the tech workforce has become a hotbutton issue. This time last year, Google was among the first tech companies to release diversity figures.
Its tech workforce skewed male (83% of workers were men) and white (60%), with blacks making up 1% of tech workers. Among company leadership, 72% of leaders were white; 23% were Asian; 2% were black; and 1% were Hispanic.
Subsequent releases of diversity figures from companies such as Apple, Facebook and Yahoo revealed similar shortfalls. “The data we have seen coming from tech companies is deplorable and unacceptable, and most of these companies recognize that,” Butterfield says. They “want to work with us, or with someone, to try to improve their diversity.”
Indeed, Google, Facebook, Intel, Apple and other companies have announced major initiatives to improve diversity.
“The numbers tell the story, and action is long overdue,” says Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. “Inclusion of African Americans in the tech workforce has been treated as an afterthought for far too long. ... Companies are starting to see innovation requires a representative and diverse workforce.”
But more than talk is needed, says Ben Jealous, a partner at Kapor Capital, a venture capital firm that invests to improve underserved communities, who will moderate the event.
“Silicon Valley is to America in the 21st century what Detroit was in the 20th century: It is our primary engine for growth. Unfortunately, it is not much more inclusive in the first part of this century than Detroit was at the start of the last,” Jealous says. “Ensuring that Silicon Valley evolves from its present situation as a ‘mirror-to-cracy’ into an actual meritocracy requires that it will become inclusive.”