Wow! Thank you Story Changes Culture for providing a platform for me to share my story! Reflecting on writing this article, makes me realize my journey from theater to tech has taught me that our backgrounds and experiences are not just footnotes in our careers, they are the foundation of our unique perspectives and innovations. It's through embracing our stories and leveraging our unique backgrounds that we can truly drive change. In my early years, my love of storytelling nurtured through theatre arts laid the foundation for my creative expression. Yet, it was the stark realization of the lack of diverse voices in theater that propelled me toward a new direction into tech. And when I pivoted into the tech industry, again, I noticed the lack of diverse voices. So I asked myself, "What are you going to do about it?" From there, I began to build a community for women of color in tech to learn and grow from each other in a safe space where they wouldn't feel marginalized. This pivot wasn't just about changing careers, it was about reshaping narratives and fostering inclusivity in a space where it was sorely needed. The community I've been able to build, with the help of our extraordinary volunteers, is now a 501c3 nonprofit known as Philly Tech Sistas. At Philly Tech Sistas, we're not just teaching technical skills, we've built a community where women of color can see themselves reflected in the leaders and innovators of the tech industry. My mission has always been to bridge the gap, to ensure that our voices are heard, and to create opportunities for empowerment through technology. I invite you to read more about my journey into tech and the impact of Philly Tech Sistas in the full article: https://lnkd.in/eTmAGXJx #WomenInTech #Storytelling #Innovation #Empowerment #careerpivot #womenchangemakers #technology #theatre #career
We're celebrating some of our past contributors this month and can't help but continue to be inspired by Ashley Turner, who moved from theater to tech and created Philly Tech Sistas. She's still killing it today, nurturing this community and working as an academic technologist at Swarthmore College. She tells us more about why she started this community and why storytelling is such a big part of her DNA. "In the tech industry, there are so many opportunities for growth and economic empowerment. I felt there needed to be more WoC (women of color) in these spaces being exposed to these same opportunities I was being afforded. However, because WoC weren’t historically encouraged to enter into STEM fields, there was a gap - a huge gap at that. In 2017, I came across a study that indicated women only made up 26 percent of the computing industry. Only 5 percent were Asian women, 3 percent were African American women and 1 percent were Latinx women. When I saw that statistic, I thought those numbers were unacceptable and I wanted to do something about it." Read more about Ashley: https://lnkd.in/g-QxAa7 #storychangesculture #womenintech #womenofcolor #blackwomenintech #storytellers
Well said!
Congratulations Ashley!!
Love this!
You are a true Rock Star !!⭐ 🚀
Fantastic Ashley Turner!
loved reading this article. we have been connected for a long time, yet I know so little about the history and what led you to where you are today. I love when we showcase variety in tech and different places that people come from and the rich experiences they provide! hope this leads you towards more frontiers!
Oh wow - congrats Ashley! What a journey!
Rock star 💫
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9mo<3 This is wonderful! I miss working with you!