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I think the conversation about diversity in tech often overlooks a key metric, which is the percentage of tech companies that are founded by and/or employ a maj

I think the conversation about diversity in tech often overlooks a key metric, which is the percentage of tech companies that are founded by and/or employ a majority of minorities. For example, if its accurate to say that over 88% of US tech companies are founded by white people and employ mostly white people, then a diversity issue exists in the number of tech companies founded by black people and employing mostly black people. As a black american, it's interesting that the approach to tech diversity so often revolves around the concept of hiring minorities to help fulfil the goals of existing (mostly white) companies. An approach that feels more altruistic to me would be to empower minorities to build their own tech companies to solve their own types of problems, and hire people who are a good 'culture fit.' Instead of diversifying employees, diversify the companies and let them naturally attract diverse employees.

T2_t2 10y ago
Yeh, I'm not sure that's a great idea. Companies fail a LOT - startups especially. We look at the successes and think "this is the way to do it", but I wonder if the failures would be felt most starkly by the poor. If Zuckerberg failed at FaceBook, he was still Ivy league educated from a middle class family. That safety net really helps take that risk. I'm not saying stop people doing it, but I'm not sure encouraging more high risk taking amongst the most vulnerable is wise. But I agree with your central idea - diversity of options, beacuse diversity, to me, is not forcing every environment to be as diverse as possible, it is about a diversity in the cultural landscape. As a reductio ad absurdum analogy, diversity isn't forcing mosques to server beer and bacon and forcing pubs to have alcohol and pig free sections, it is having a world where there are both Mosques and pubs, and we can all choose what we prefer.
mrkurt 10y ago
The people who can work towards diversified hiring aren't the same people who can work towards diversified founding teams. They're both necessary, I think.
droopyEyelids 10y ago
Dude, that is sharp thinking. Really turns the whole approach to this issue on it's head and poses some interesting questions.
easytiger 10y ago
> For example, if its accurate to say that over 88% of US tech companies are founded by white people and employ mostly white people, then a diversity issue exists in the number of tech companies founded by black people and employing mostly black people. Well america is 12.6% black, so perhaps that is perfectly representative.

T2_t2 10y ago

Yeh, I'm not sure that's a great idea. Companies fail a LOT - startups especially. We look at the successes and think "this is the way to do it", but I wonder if the failures would be felt most starkly by the poor. If Zuckerberg failed at FaceBook, he was still Ivy league educated from a middle class family. That safety net really helps take that risk. I'm not saying stop people doing it, but I'm not sure encouraging more high risk taking amongst the most vulnerable is wise. But I agree with your central idea - diversity of options, beacuse diversity, to me, is not forcing every environment to be as diverse as possible, it is about a diversity in the cultural landscape. As a reductio ad absurdum analogy, diversity isn't forcing mosques to server beer and bacon and forcing pubs to have alcohol and pig free sections, it is having a world where there are both Mosques and pubs, and we can all choose what we prefer.

mrkurt 10y ago

The people who can work towards diversified hiring aren't the same people who can work towards diversified founding teams. They're both necessary, I think.

droopyEyelids 10y ago

Dude, that is sharp thinking. Really turns the whole approach to this issue on it's head and poses some interesting questions.

easytiger 10y ago

> For example, if its accurate to say that over 88% of US tech companies are founded by white people and employ mostly white people, then a diversity issue exists in the number of tech companies founded by black people and employing mostly black people. Well america is 12.6% black, so perhaps that is perfectly representative.