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Why Do We Dance Around Diversity in Tech? | Benjamin Williams | TEDxStanford


[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

[Music]

[Music] what do you want to be when you grow up

what do you want to be when you grow up

what do you want to be when you grow up do you remember the first time you asked

do you remember the first time you asked

do you remember the first time you asked that question an ambitious 12-year old

that question an ambitious 12-year old

that question an ambitious 12-year old you might have said I want to be the

you might have said I want to be the

you might have said I want to be the next president I want to be a doctor a

next president I want to be a doctor a

next president I want to be a doctor a lawyer a teacher in astronaut me too I

lawyer a teacher in astronaut me too I

lawyer a teacher in astronaut me too I said those things too but you know what

said those things too but you know what

said those things too but you know what my friends and I never said I want to be

my friends and I never said I want to be

my friends and I never said I want to be a computer scientist now you may be

a computer scientist now you may be

a computer scientist now you may be thinking oh I never said that either and

thinking oh I never said that either and

thinking oh I never said that either and that is okay as we get older and our

that is okay as we get older and our

that is okay as we get older and our aspirations get a little toned down you

aspirations get a little toned down you

aspirations get a little toned down you might go from astronaut to pilot you may

might go from astronaut to pilot you may

might go from astronaut to pilot you may now say president of insert company name

now say president of insert company name

now say president of insert company name instead of just president still nobody I

instead of just president still nobody I

instead of just president still nobody I know from back home from Chicago says

know from back home from Chicago says

know from back home from Chicago says computer scientists why is that it

computer scientists why is that it

computer scientists why is that it bothered me why do so few people from my

bothered me why do so few people from my

bothered me why do so few people from my community and I’m sure many others talk

community and I’m sure many others talk

community and I’m sure many others talk about tech or know about the

about tech or know about the

about tech or know about the opportunities that it can bring for the

opportunities that it can bring for the

opportunities that it can bring for the answer I think back to two kids I knew

answer I think back to two kids I knew

answer I think back to two kids I knew growing up Devon and Annie Devon loves

growing up Devon and Annie Devon loves

growing up Devon and Annie Devon loves film especially editing videos he takes

film especially editing videos he takes

film especially editing videos he takes normal things like a person going for a

normal things like a person going for a

normal things like a person going for a walk in reverses it slows it down chops

walk in reverses it slows it down chops

walk in reverses it slows it down chops it up until he has something that’s

it up until he has something that’s

it up until he has something that’s brilliant you’d probably say he has a

brilliant you’d probably say he has a

brilliant you’d probably say he has a knack for computers and he’d agree and

knack for computers and he’d agree and

knack for computers and he’d agree and then there’s any she’s all into social

then there’s any she’s all into social

then there’s any she’s all into social media she knows all the apps that allow

media she knows all the apps that allow

media she knows all the apps that allow you to track how many followers you have

you to track how many followers you have

you to track how many followers you have and how to monitor them if anyone in her

and how to monitor them if anyone in her

and how to monitor them if anyone in her family has a problem with any technical

family has a problem with any technical

family has a problem with any technical device she’s the first responder you

device she’s the first responder you

device she’s the first responder you probably say she’s always with her phone

probably say she’s always with her phone

probably say she’s always with her phone and she’d agree and one day naturally

and she’d agree and one day naturally

and she’d agree and one day naturally they both wonder how does all this stuff

they both wonder how does all this stuff

they both wonder how does all this stuff work because to them as well as to most

work because to them as well as to most

work because to them as well as to most of us

of us

of us computers are a box of magic so they

computers are a box of magic so they

computers are a box of magic so they asked they talked to their friends their

asked they talked to their friends their

asked they talked to their friends their family their teachers so you want to be

family their teachers so you want to be

family their teachers so you want to be a rocket scientist

a rocket scientist

a rocket scientist came from their friends and honestly I

came from their friends and honestly I

came from their friends and honestly I don’t know anything about apps came from

don’t know anything about apps came from

don’t know anything about apps came from their teachers mixed feedback but that

their teachers mixed feedback but that

their teachers mixed feedback but that didn’t stop them years passed and by the

didn’t stop them years passed and by the

didn’t stop them years passed and by the time we were applying for college Devon

time we were applying for college Devon

time we were applying for college Devon in any knew more about code and

in any knew more about code and

in any knew more about code and computers then I learned from my first

computers then I learned from my first

computers then I learned from my first year at Stanford now today they’re both

year at Stanford now today they’re both

year at Stanford now today they’re both working at big tech companies probably a

working at big tech companies probably a

working at big tech companies probably a company one of you will have some

company one of you will have some

company one of you will have some connection to we all may consider their

connection to we all may consider their

connection to we all may consider their journeys proper and their

journeys proper and their

journeys proper and their accomplishments today deserving the only

accomplishments today deserving the only

accomplishments today deserving the only issue with this story is that it isn’t

issue with this story is that it isn’t

issue with this story is that it isn’t true now don’t get me wrong there are

true now don’t get me wrong there are

true now don’t get me wrong there are some stories like this but for most

some stories like this but for most

some stories like this but for most people this isn’t reality as a tech

people this isn’t reality as a tech

people this isn’t reality as a tech community we talk a lot about diversity

community we talk a lot about diversity

community we talk a lot about diversity but have we actually ever considered how

but have we actually ever considered how

but have we actually ever considered how the Annies and devons of this world are

the Annies and devons of this world are

the Annies and devons of this world are seen and valued even a fake story about

seen and valued even a fake story about

seen and valued even a fake story about two people it isn’t just about two

two people it isn’t just about two

two people it isn’t just about two people their friends family teachers

people their friends family teachers

people their friends family teachers interviewers bosses are all characters

interviewers bosses are all characters

interviewers bosses are all characters in this story if you are in the story

in this story if you are in the story

in this story if you are in the story with what character would you be would

with what character would you be would

with what character would you be would you be that that teacher that

you be that that teacher that

you be that that teacher that interviewer that boss that recognizes

interviewer that boss that recognizes

interviewer that boss that recognizes that we desperately need to engage our

that we desperately need to engage our

that we desperately need to engage our black native lateen ex queer people in

black native lateen ex queer people in

black native lateen ex queer people in various various gender identities that

various various gender identities that

various various gender identities that are represented in those populations the

are represented in those populations the

are represented in those populations the reality of it is you all are already

reality of it is you all are already

reality of it is you all are already characters in other people’s stories

characters in other people’s stories

characters in other people’s stories so it’s important we ask ourselves what

so it’s important we ask ourselves what

so it’s important we ask ourselves what type of characters do we want to be

type of characters do we want to be

type of characters do we want to be better yet what type of people do we

better yet what type of people do we

better yet what type of people do we want to be when we grow up thank you

want to be when we grow up thank you

want to be when we grow up thank you [Applause]

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