Create external-facing events(meetups, hackathons, etc.) that advertise the culture you want to build, then recruit through them. This will also give you experi

Create external-facing events(meetups, hackathons, etc.) that advertise the culture you want to build, then recruit through them. This will also give you experience in thinking about the overall work environment. I firmly believe that the "bigger 80%" of the problem when discussing equality/diversity issues is in putting together an appropriately inclusive space, one where people can exchange thoughts without feeling like they're in an argument. At the high level this means successfully tapping into groups outside of your personal circles and getting people from those groups into your events. (The easiest way to do this is to find a well-connected co-host to represent the groups unavailable to you.) The rest is a matter of managing the event so that respectful intent is maintained and it doesn't turn divisive. If the balance is already good, and you've hit on a type of event that is welcoming to everyone, you won't have to fight fires. The troubles appear when you have a definite minority and the format ignores minority concerns. Again, your co-host can help you avoid the problem areas.