This conversation between Backstage Capital founder Arlan Hamilton and Michael Berhane is from this #Techish podcast episode. It has been edited for clarity. I’ve always wanted to know when you first had the idea for Backstage Capital. What was the first thing you did? Cried [haha] It didn’t happen overnight. I studied, I started my education to understand venture capital. I had to. The old guard, the people who are already there, perhaps they needed a little bit more of a shakeup when it came to their perspectives. And so
A system cannot fail those it was never built to protect — Dad (@fivefifths) July 14, 2013 In 2013 the writer and journalist Van Newkirk, who goes under the moniker, fivefiths tweeted, A system cannot fail those it was never built to protect. It is was tweeted in the light of the dismissal of George Zimmerman who was acquitted of the murder of Trayvon Martin. The quote is often wrongly attributed to black historian W E Dubois but there is no record he said this and people were probably
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do? I’m a data journalist analyzing and covering trends in the black tech ecosystem related to public policy, equity, education, and the growth of black tech communities. I am also the founder of ThePLUGDaily.com—the first daily technology newsletter covering founders and innovators of color. I also run BLKTECHCLT—Charlotte’s first black tech hub supporting black entrepreneurship and research initiatives in the city. How and why did you get involved in tech I learned to code in high school thanks to an internship
Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do? After being raised in Saginaw, MI, I graduated from the prestigious Tuskegee University with a BS in Computer Science. I came to the DC area right after college after landing a Government contracting gig. I did a lot of soul-searching those first few years of my career after I realized Government work wasn’t for me. I eventually broke into the startup world which is much more my cup of tea (I like my tattoos and jeans). After some time, a
I sat down with Dara Elass only expecting to discuss life as a Data Engineer at Spotify. As I went on to uncover the amazing person that she is and more about her life journey, I knew that this discussion would go more in-depth than work and her life in tech. We thank you, Dara, for being so brave and welcoming to POCIT and for understanding how important it is to share your story with the communities and individuals you may reach. Tell us about your journey into tech. I
The noise about disruptive tech is deafening; Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) creating crypto-millionaires at a pace causing even governments to worry, brain + machine interfaces and your face replacing your fingerprints/passwords. These, and other propositions that indeed make it seem like we live in a world that is moving faster than most of us can adapt to. But which of these technologies will go beyond the hype and change our lives at scale? Which of these will be a General Purpose Technology (GPT). What is a General Purpose Technology (GPT)?
I am a 22-year-old woman in tech currently working as a Junior Data Engineer. Two months ago, I worked in a customer service role, and I was very fortunate to be offered this role as a secondment. I am now almost halfway through my secondment, working with a great team of people. I am learning about programming in Python and SQL and solving problems within Big Data. My life was completely different three months ago, and I am here to share my story with you. My background Just three months
When tackling culture bias in Artificial Intelligence (AI), it is important to understand how much we use AI in our everyday lives. There are quite a few applications, and while they all have different names, a few of them are becoming more familiar to the general public. There are fields such as machine learning, face recognition, computer vision, virtual and augmented reality. You can also find artificial intelligence in traffic lights, GPS navigation, MRIs, air traffic controller software, speech recognition, and robotics. The point is, unlike the 90s, when AI
Quick note before you dive in: This post (largely based on recent McKinsey Global Institute and Executive Office of the President reports) includes some doom and gloom about the negative impacts artificial intelligence may have on your life and career. The last thing I want is for you to leave feeling freaked out, so try reading to the end, where I discuss the potential AI has to change your work for the better. If you can’t make it that far, save it for later or share it with a friend
I recently took the opportunity to head down to NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California to see the arrival of Juno from behind the scenes. I was there as a social media ambassador with a group of other thought leaders to share in NASA’s next big moment of space exploration. While I was there, I met people I would not otherwise meet; the scientists who had an active part in designing the instruments on Juno, the project managers who drove the mission forward and even the Assistant Director for
