People of color are well-represented in Canada’s tech sector, a new report by the Tech and People Network (TAP Network) has found. However, Indigenous Canadians and women remain underrepresented among tech employees. TAP Network’s Diversity in Tech report provides an annual benchmark for Canada’s tech sector to track its progress in increasing the representation and inclusion of equity-deserving groups within the industry over time. Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Data from nearly 200 employers showed positive trends in Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (EDIB) policies and practices at tech organizations.
Relevance Ventures and Skoden Ventures have announced the launch of the Native American Capital and Investment Alliance (NAICA) to bridge the gap between Native American founders and capital providers. Relevance Ventures is one of the only privately owned and operated Native American venture capital firms in the US. They provide strategic venture assistance and guidance to entrepreneurs who foster balance and harmony while delivering a positive societal impact. Skoden Ventures is a boutique venture fund investing in early-stage startups with Indigenous, Black, Brown, and women founders. Native American Founders For
Native Americans are using technology to revitalize their communities’ threatened languages through online dictionaries. As part of a project by the Language Conservancy, Native American women are working with Rapid Word Collection (RWC) software to revive, remember, and record dozens of Apache language words related to everyday living. Disappearing Languages There are approximately 150 Native North American languages spoken in the United States today by more than 350,000 people. However, the majority of Native Americans today speak only English. This is due to a number of reasons, including the federal
A new report by the Kapor Foundation has highlighted the challenges faced by Native communities in computer science education and within the US tech ecosystem. The State of Tech Diversity: The Native Tech Ecosystem report was published in collaboration with AISES, a non-profit professional association dedicated to advancing Indigenous people in STEM. “The findings of this report underscore the pressing need to eliminate these disparities through continued awareness and advocacy, educational resources, and professional development tailored to our communities,” said Dr. Kathy DeerinWater, VP of Programs and Research at AISES, in
Every year, on the second Monday in October, the US commemorates Indigenous Peoples’ Day to honor and celebrate Indigenous communities’ rich cultures, traditions, and contributions. Here, we shine a spotlight on some remarkable Indigenous leaders who are pushing the boundaries of tech and inspiring the next generation. 1. Robin Máxkii: Tech Creative And Storyteller Robin Máxkii is a tech creative, filmmaker, writer, and student advocate renowned for her efforts to broaden Indigenous participation in tech and education. Máxkii was raised in Houston, Texas, after living in the Stockbridge-Munsee community in
A holistic career accelerator platform for indigenous founders, Natives Rising, has received extra funding to help support and grow the number of indigenous women graduating college with STEM degrees. The non-profit organization, co-founded by Danielle Forward and Betsy Fore, is on a mission to close the racial gap, which sees only 0.6% of scientists and engineers from a Native American background break into the industry. According to a recent National Center for Education Statistics report, a small number of Black and Indigenous women – approximately 4% – end up leaving
This article by Kelly Boutsalis was originally posted on Linktree. As Indigenous people continue to face marginalization across the world, we spoke to three powerful women working in tech who are paving the way for future generations. Celebrated every year on August 9, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People recognizes the need to voice Indigenous people’s inclusion and involvement in modern society, so that they can receive the same social and economic benefits provided to all. Despite the reconciliation efforts that have been made over the years, social inequity
This week, a systematic review of 28 studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association found that telehealth-delivered interventions for patients of color were most effective in treating and managing many conditions. The study, led by researchers from Monash University in Victoria, Australia, focused on examining telehealth’s effectiveness for non-Indigenous patients of color. Telehealth was and still is being used extensively during the pandemic as some hospitals remain open primarily for urgent care patients. Researchers in the study wrote: “Findings from this systematic review indicate that telehealth for mental
Thirteen Lune, a direct-to-consumer beauty platform that was launched last year in LA with $1 million in seed funding from Diddy and Gwyneth Paltrow, has just announced $3 million in additional seed funding. The round was led by Fearless Fund with participation by Capstar Ventures, Fab Ventures, Swiftarc Beauty, and Gaingels. This round brings funding raised to date to $4.5 million. The Fearless Fund is a venture firm that was founded by women of color and is making its mark by focusing exclusively on backing women of color. Thirteen Lune
