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As diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives face continued attacks, it becomes even more important for companies to reaffirm their commitment to DEI practices.
Especially in the tech industry, as technology continues to embed itself into every part of our lives.
“The more I think about it, the more I feel like it’s important for there to be more diversity in tech and particularly in design since, as designers, we’re the ones kind of thinking about what a lot of these interfaces look like,” said Stephanie Lawrence, a Brooklyn-based product designer.
“The more that tech has a very salient impact on people’s everyday lives, the more important it becomes to make sure that we’re really thinking through all of that with as many perspectives as possible.”
Lawrence works at a data analytics startup and said, in layman’s terms, that her role entails designing tools and experiences that best meet customer needs.
While she enjoys the role for its creativity, she noted several challenges navigating the field as a Black professional.
“There are challenges like being heard and having your voice as a Black product designer actually be considered in the same way as your other peers, and that can then make it that much harder to actually do the work of being a designer without having to kind of have that extra emotional labor.”
Data from online job search site Zippia indicates a steady decline in the number of Black product designers from 2010 to 2021, with Black professionals making up only 1.1% of product designers in 2021.
As one of the few Black individuals in her role, Lawrence described the emotional recoil she feels when her ideas are dismissed, while ideas from her non-Black peers are received positively.
“That can be demoralizing and that can be particularly hurtful because you kind of know you can do the work, but the people around you might not want to hear it from you.”
Catt Small, a product designer and game developer with over ten years in tech, echoed similar challenges.
She said while people can be very optimistic about technological advancements, they often don’t realize how they can be potentially harmful to certain communities.
“I think because of my role in society and what I’ve seen through things like we could reference the Tuskegee experiment as an example, there are just so many cases where I think people were thinking about it in one way but not another—and it ends up harming folks that are out there. So I try to do what I can to bring that conversation, and I think that it can be challenging because people often want happy, good vibes.”
Bronx born and raised, Small showed interest in coding and programming from a young age, eventually attending college for graphic design and later transitioning into web design as a career.
Along the way, she’s created games, given speeches, mentored aspiring tech professionals, and even launched her own annual event—Games Devs of Color Expo for gamers of color.
“The event specifically aims to be a platform that really amplifies the work that’s already happening.” she said. “When we were going to games events, we weren’t seeing ourselves reflected in the work that was being highlighted and funded. We knew that those folks were already there, so it wasn’t that we needed to help them get into the industry per se; it was really that we needed to actually make sure that other people could see them.”
The expo is one way Small advocates for diversity in the tech industry, but there is still more work to be done.
Karen Perham-Lippman, a DEI practitioner of almost 15 years, said that substantial change will require collective effort and a systems approach. She used the education system as an example of how companies can systematically address the underrepresentation of Black employees in the tech sector.
“You have to tackle issues along that whole talent pipeline journey,” she said. “It could be early education and outreach [along] with educational institutions at the college level. Partnering with historically Black colleges and universities [and] funding STEM education programs, internships, and scholarships.”
She said the lack of sustainable investment is the reason why some DEI programs fail.
“That initiative, which at one point seemed really exciting and people were very engaged and involved, diminishes because there aren’t other strategies put in place to embed it in the organization across all levels.”
Small emphasized that fostering a truly inclusive company culture requires conscious effort and willingness to accept occasional failure.
“It’s going to be an experiment, and you’re gonna have to be a little bit uncomfortable, which I know a lot of people may not want to be, but if you do want to ultimately create a company that benefits all of its people then you do need to actually invest energy into building some kind of a culture,” she said.
For up-and-coming Black product designers, game developers, and other aspiring tech professionals, Small advised being open to new experiences, while Lawrence talked about the importance of remembering your north star. “Really think about what kind of career you want in tech and think about what you want to carve out and why, and really keep that top of mind as you go through and plan out the steps for your career. Be very intentional. Think about the stuff that you want to take, think about the places you want to work at, think about the people that you want to know and really plan it out properly,” Lawrence said.
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship lab. The lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.
