ISSUE 48/DEC2022 - Flipbook - Page 71
Africa’s Most Influential Women | EVERYDAY HEROES
It’s really important for us as Black women to ensure we
are in those rooms where decisions are made, ensuring
this rollout of technology isn’t disproportionately
harming us and our part of society.”
ice rink or dealings with the police or trying to renew
a passport. For us as Black women in particular, who
haven’t been documented or included in datasets in the
past, but who are also not part of decision making or
even prioritisation processes, the more technology that’s
used and deployed that doesn’t think about us, the more
we are not considered in that technology, and the more
we end up being left behind. Hence, it’s really important
for us as Black women to ensure we are in those rooms
where decisions are made, ensuring this rollout of
technology isn’t disproportionately harming us and our
part of society.
In the book, you write, “For all the times we’ve
been taught as women that Maths isn’t for
us or the technical things are beyond us, it’s
imperative that we remain boldly and loudly
curious.” In a different section, you talk about
the fact that when people disregard women in
the tech space, it’s because they are banking
on their ignorance. What does the picture of
being both bold and loud with your curiosity
and engagement with tech look like? And why
is it crucial women take control and do it
unapologetically?
The book’s conclusion is dedicated to the different
visions of what it could look like when we take up space
unapologetically. I’m excited for the possibilities. I don’t
know if I have one version of it because it’s hard to have
one version of the future, but I think it looks like more
problems being solved than has been created by the
technology we use. It looks like hopefully, more equity
and equality for our experiences in life; whether that’s
in jobs, accessing finance, education, representation,
progression or leadership. It looks like improved quality
of life. But it’s important to take up that space and be
there because having that literacy and control is an
extra tool. There are so many things which we know in
reality are unfair or not right. Or for historical reasons,
have ended up putting certain groups in society at a
disadvantage. I hope for more equality and a bit more
balancing of resources and the distribution of resources,
or at least not having those privileges being predicated
along the demographic lines of skin colour or gender.
Rather, it should be because of the type of person you are
or the competency you have or your intelligence. For me,
that’s what I’m excited about.
Gatekeeping remains a danger to women.
In what ways can women get around the issue
of gatekeeping in a strategic way that serves
their purpose and their potential within the
tech space?
A lot of people have given me feedback about the book,
and everyone’s favourite part is the Getting Started
sections at the end of each chapter because of the
practical and accessible advise it gives. Ultimately, getting
around gatekeeping is taking that first step and getting
started — do the first tutorial, listen to the podcast or go
to that first event. Tactically, you have to give things a go
and see how it goes. You are giving it a go, not knowing
if you are going to be successful. But you’re giving it a go,
knowing you’re going to learn from whatever happens.
It is great to start, but you also need a tribe to learn with.
This is so important. We are really good at organising
ourselves, and this is an amazing and a major key. A big
part of success is having a community you can learn,
celebrate and commiserate with, and share the ups and
downs together.
Additionally, and this is something really important,
know your value, know what you already know, and
know what you’re bringing to the table. There’s so much
going on in the tech world — medtech, healthtech,
femtech and agritech, all of these things. But it’s not
the tech alone. If you’re a lawyer, that’s your value. You
can’t come into the space and say I don’t know the tech
and so I don’t know anything. No, no, no. You know the
law. Strategically and tactically, these are the things we
need to be doing. Find your communities to compare
notes with, know what your value is, and what you can
stand on, because as much as knowing how to code is
fantastic, if you don’t know or understand the medicine,
it’s useless.
Finally, get started and don’t feel like because you’re
starting in one place or a small space, you don’t know
everything. No one will ever know everything.
Women can also be gatekeepers and not be
aware of it; how can women check themselves
and build a bridge with other women in the
tech space for the greater good? ▶
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Dec 2022 New African Woman
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