Underrepresented Groups in Technology

I want to share an idea that’s been rattling around my head for a while. I figure, if I get it out and make it public, I’ll have to follow through. I might even find a few people who are interested in the idea as well, and that would be great too.

Let me start with the premise that technical fluency is now akin to literacy. Being able to use a computer and surf the internet (is that still a term?) is kind of like reading at an elementary school level. That’s where I am. In terms of technical fluency, I’m stuck at about a 5^th or 6^th grade level and I don’t think I’m ever going to get much past there. Setting up this website, finding a place to host it, and managing the plugins needed to keep it functioning feels like a huge accomplishment to me. With respect to technical fluency, that is pretty sad.

The thing is, I’m not alone. In fact, as far as I can tell, I’m ahead of the game when it comes to most Latinos. Same goes for women and black people. There’s a paucity of technological expertise among these underrepresented groups in technology. This is a real problem, not just for the community of people who are underrepresented in technology, but for our entire country. Women make up half of our population and, in fairly short order we’re going to become a majority minority country. Taken together, these groups might soon make up 75% of our country. Can you imagine what it would be like if 75% of Americans read at a 5^th grade level or lower? Something has to be done.

Read the rest of this article on the NewME Accelerator Blog 

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