This piece was originally published on Join Interact, as part of a series spotlighting their community members. Interact is a community of mission-driven technologists. Applications for the 2019 cohort of fellows are open until January 31, 2019. Find more information at http://joininteract.com New York, New York — Ari Melenciano lives, breathes and thrives in the space where art, technology, and activism meet. A polymath in the truest and sincerest sense of the word, Melenciano is a Brooklyn-based and interdisciplinary artist, designer, creative technologist, researcher, educator, activist and DJ who explores the relationships between
I am indigenous. I am also white. My lineage is that of the colonized and the colonizer, both influencing my identity, beliefs, and voice. As an African American woman and C-level executive in Silicon Valley, I have spent the past 20 years of my life building teams and companies that have changed American culture. Technology companies occupy a position of cultural and economic influence—one that comes with a responsibility to ask yourself how to build a better world with what you’re building and how you’re building it. At Abstract, we see inclusive hiring as
This is the tale of a technology enabled phoenix. This is the tale of the death of a startup. It is the tale of betrayal and survival. It is long. It is a tale of redemption. It is worth the read. In the year 2011, I was inspired to start a technology-enabled primary care practice that would cut the cost of healthcare in half while 10x-ing the patient experience. I knew a lot about healthcare but nothing about running a clinic. Yet, I knew that I had done harder things
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do? I’m Bria, and I am a software engineer at Google. At Google, for my 100% time, I help aggregate data across all of Googles ads tools and generate reports and slide decks for our sales team just so our partners can optimize the money that they spend at Google on advertising. Then I do a lot of volunteering on behalf of Google! Is that the famous 20% time? Yeah. I did a 20% time project for the first two years
Like most children, Asta Li grew up with ambitious and ever-changing career goals. One day, she would envision herself as an artist, or perhaps a designer. Another day, it seemed as though architecture was the perfect path to pursue her interest in art. As a first-generation American, she wanted to continue something that would guarantee financial security. Asta first began coding at the age of 13, when she took a C++ class at a local community college. She settled upon this course while looking to expand her skill set, as
In 2015 we interviewed former Twitter Engineer Leslie Miley. He shot to headlines over his decision to leave the company regarding his disappointment around their diversity and recruitment policies. Since then [amongst other things] he’s been Director of Engineering at Slack, worked with the Obama Foundation and Venture for America and has been a vocal critic of tech’s inability to tackle inequality. We caught up with him to discuss his journery, whether he’s any more optimistic about the diversity conversation and the general state of tech [and much more]. What’s
When Brittney Ball was pregnant and homeless in Washington DC, she never imagined she would be a successful software engineer, public speaker, and mentor just six short years later. But with hard work and determination, she has proven that your past doesn’t have to define your future. When Brittney found out she was expecting, she knew she had to get off the streets. The Salvation Army, Turning Point Center, opened their doors to provide transitional housing for Brittney and later her son, Liam. While there, she enrolled in Year Up,
“I’m now at a point in my career where my skill set is sought after by many tech companies. That is amazing to me; I have leveled up.” For Angie Jones, leveling up is an everyday occurrence. Aside from staying up-to-date in the forever changing tech world, she helps others become better engineers. Angie had no idea that enrolling in her first computer programming class at Tennessee State University would lead to a career in aiding aspiring engineers all around the world. Before beginning her journey as an automation engineer guru and
“The most important thing is knowing that it’s going to be hard and that you’ll learn something every day. Over time, being patient enough for that to play out lets you get so far.” This was surely the case for Zorah Fung, who grew up with a passion for the arts; she played the guitar, bassoon and piano and even dreamed of becoming a graphic designer for Nickelodeon. Despite both of her parents being programmers, becoming a software engineer had been the last thing on her mind. But as the
Congratulations! You’ve made it to the day you’ve been dreaming about since you started the recruiting process: the day you receive your full-time employment offer. This is an honor. This is a blessing. But before we get blinded by the giddiness, we need to get one thing straight: sign on your own terms. Yes, the idea of money is so enticing and oh so close, but remember this is a negotiation. To get the most for yourself, you need to know your own worth. Then add tax. Letsgetit! Step 1: Consider
