AnitaB.org

Yay! Thank you to those who have already donated. Please, consider donating 💝 to this amazing nonprofit, AnitaB.org AnitaB.org organizes one of the largest women in tech conferences in the world. Named after a famous Navy Admiral 🚢: Grace Hopper Celebration. https://lnkd.in/dHVyWfVj With your past donations: -Because of you, we have hosted over 250 events for members in the community -Grace Hopper Celebration 2024 was a HUGE success! 🥳 -986 participated in our 2024 🧑🧒🧒 mentoring program -Since 2021, 80% of participants in our Apprenticeship Pathway Program converted to full time roles with our employment partners, with an average salary increase of 135% 🤑 Donate below 👇

It’s the “we listen and we don’t judge” trend, but tech edition and we can't help ourselves... we’re JUDGING. 🤔 🚨 Spill the tea: What’s the most questionable thing you’ve seen a company do in the name of being “inclusive”?

Breaking into and advancing in tech can feel isolating and overwhelming and no one should have to face it alone. AnitaB.org provides mentorship, community, and support for women and nonbinary technologists navigating a male-dominated industry. For so many, this guidance is life-changing: offering confidence, career preparation and advancement resources, and a safe space to grow without judgment. 📣 Now, more than ever, this mission needs your support. Here’s how you can help: ➡️ Donate today to sustain critical programs like Membership, Mentorship, and Apprenticeship that empower women to thrive. https://lnkd.in/gpRdEJjn ➡️ Amplify your impact by starting a Facebook or Instagram fundraiser to rally your friends, family, and colleagues around this cause. https://lnkd.in/grk_bQjV Every dollar fuels progress, ensuring that no one entering tech feels lost or unsupported. Together, we can create an industry where everyone belongs.

💡 "What is your dream for Black women and girls in an increasingly AI world?" AnitaB.org’s CEO and President, Brenda Darden Wilkerson, will take the virtual stage alongside a powerhouse panel of global leaders at the inaugural Sistas 4 Digital Equity Ella Baker Lecture Series. Featuring: 🌟 Kyla Williams Tate – Sisters 4 Digital Equity (US)  🌟 Dr. Safiyah Noble – Center on Race & Digital Justice (US)  🌟 Dr. Pamela Dube – Central University of Technology, Free State (South Africa)  🌟 Linda Kamau – AkiraChix (East Africa)  🌟 Yakima Abbas – Black Feminist Fund (US) 

A mid-career woman in tech, standing just outside a conference room where critical decisions about her future are being made. She’s the one who stayed late to debug the impossible, the one who delivered innovative solutions no one else could see. She knows she’s ready for the next step.    She’s had the conversations—voiced her ambitions to her manager, led high-visibility projects, and consistently delivered results that exceed expectations. She’s advocated for herself in every way she knows how. But when the promotions are announced, her name is missing... again.    As her male peers move up, she’s left behind, wondering why her efforts seem invisible. Each missed opportunity chips away at her confidence, making her question whether all her late nights and weekends were ever enough.    The truth? It’s not just her.    According to the 2024 Women in the Workplace report by LeanIn.Org and McKinsey & Company, for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women make that leap.     For Black women, the gap is even starker at just 54. For Latinas, it’s 65. These numbers reflect the lived experiences of countless women in tech.    But why does this happen?    For one, women are often held to higher standards, expected to “prove it again” while their male peers are promoted based on potential. Caregiving responsibilities—whether it’s maternity leave, caring for a sick parent, or balancing the mental load of family life—can be misinterpreted as a lack of ambition, even in workplaces that tout progressive policies.    The result? A culture where systemic biases and inequities (not skill or potential) determine who moves up the ladder. And it’s not just women who lose out. The entire tech industry suffers when innovation is stifled by exclusion.    We need more than words. We need companies to move beyond performative promises and truly commit to equity. That means creating clear, transparent promotion pathways, normalizing career breaks for all genders, and building workplace cultures where brilliance is rewarded.    It’s time to break the barriers that hold women back. When women in tech rise, we all rise. 🌟 

Time flies when you’re in the zone 🖥️✨

As we prepare to wrap up this year of Generative AI, RAGs, and mainly AI Agents, it is worth reflecting on the evolution of AI/ML and its real world implications. TLDR; It’s not about chasing trends, it’s about nailing the basics, building from there, and setting up this reinforcement cycle between these methods, that first and foremost, significantly improves outcomes for users! That's really the best way to summarize our panel discussion at Grace Hopper conference organized by AnitaB.org this year. I enjoyed moderating a panel of extremely experienced data and AI professionals - Nairwita Mazumder (Walmart Global Tech), Harishma Dayanidhi (Voxel), Danishta Saiyed (Think-A-Move), and Estelle Afshar, PhD (ex Shopify and The Home Depot)! 🔥 Blog link in comments on what we discussed, our insights, and predictions going forward.

💻 Leadership in tech shouldn’t come at the cost of mental health, family, or balance, but for many women, it does. Read the latest Byte Back 👇

From empowering user rights to combating misuse, 2024 has seen monumental strides in making AI more transparent, accountable, and aligned with humanity’s values. But the work doesn’t stop here. We need an AI-powered future that prioritizes people over profits and ensures justice is at the core of every algorithm. 

Today, we celebrate Grace Hopper’s birthday—computer science pioneer, Navy Rear Admiral, and the namesake of the Grace Hopper Celebration. 🎉💻 Her groundbreaking work, including the development of COBOL, reshaped technology and paved the way for women in tech. Her legacy fuels our mission to honor and amplify diverse voices in computing. ✨ P.S. Take a moment today to learn more about Grace Hopper’s life and accomplishments—or share her story with someone who inspires you! https://lnkd.in/g3fgYR5t