There is
Nationwide progress for African Americans and Hispanics
To be honest, African Americans and Hispanics have made genuine progress in penetrating the nation’s technology sector. African Americans , for example, have increased their presence in several important tech occupations, such as computer programming and operations research.
Hispanics as well have increased their representation in the overall occupational group, moving from 5.5 % of workers in the sector in 2002 to just under 7 % of workers in 2018.
And yet, with that said, the presence of blacks and Hispanics in computer and math jobs remains starkly inadequate at the national level. Blacks make up 11.9 percent of all workers but only 7.9 percent of C&M workers. The gap is even larger for Hispanics, who make up 16.7 percent of all workers but only 6.8 percent of C&M workers. In some instances, the diversity picture is even worst. While tech companies across the nation have over and over said that blacks and Hispanics still remain underrepresented in tech jobs by nearly 50 percent, they still are not doing much to push the agenda.
Blacks and Hispanics
each remain underrepresented in Technology occupations
To be sure, blacks and Hispanics each remain almost universally underrepresented in Technology occupations across U.S. metros. Blacks’ share of C&M employment, for example, falls short of their workforce share in 89 of the 97 largest metros for which we have data, with some of the worst representation gaps in metros like Jackson, Miss. (-17.4 percentage points); Memphis, Tenn. (-15.9 percentage points); and Richmond, Va. (-14.0 percentage points).
Hispanic underrepresentation extends
to 88 of 90 large metros
And Hispanic underrepresentation extends to 88 of 90 large metros, with some of the worst underrepresentation in C&M occupations occurring in Bakersfield, Calif. (-27.9 percentage points), Los Angeles (-27.6 percentage points), and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, Calif. (27.3 percentage points)
Hispanics representation in the overall occupational group 2018.
blacks are represented in C&M
Blacks’ share of C&M employment in largest metros (97)
Black underrepresentation in
Midwest and South, Hispanic in the Southwest
Relatedly, 49 and 43 of the largest metros have seen their representations of blacks and Hispanics, respectively, actually decline since 2010. Representation has slipped the most for blacks in Columbus, Ga. (by 22.6 percentage points); Huntsville, Ala. (-12.1 percentage points); and Durham-Chapel Hill, N.C. (-11.3 percentage points). Parallel problems have affected Hispanics in Sunbelt metro areas: McAllen, Texas (-12.4 percentage points); Tucson, Ariz. (-5.9 percentage points); and Stockton, Calif. (-3.7 percentage points). Overall, black underrepresentation appears worse in the historically “black-white” metros of the Midwest and South, whereas Hispanic underrepresentation appears worst in the Southwest, where inroads into tech remain modest and Hispanic populations remain heavily clustered.
Black underrepresentation is
currently less than 5 percent in 39 out of 97 larger metros
And yet for all of these daunting statistics, the story varies in some places, and suggests both variation across many places and genuine progress in some spots.<br /> In regional terms, blacks and Hispanics are doing relatively better in the West and East, respectively, where each groups’ underrepresentation appears less pronounced.<br /> In terms of absolute representation, black underrepresentation is currently less than 5 percent in 39 out of 97 larger metros across the country, with Deltona, Fla.; Las Vegas; and Greenville, S.C. appearing to be some of the most inclusive markets.
Few increments
of progress
In parallel fashion, Hispanic representation achieves the same standard in a third of the 90 larger metros for which we have data, with St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Rochester appearing the best places for inclusion, followed by Buffalo, Cincinnati, Columbus, and Baltimore.
In short, while blacks’ and Hispanics’ inclusion in tech is unacceptably low almost everywhere, a few increments of progress are being made in a variety of cities—most often markets characterized by longstanding black or Hispanic presence.
WHAT WE ARE
DOING FOR THE COMMUNITY?
What can be done to improve things? Reversing African American and Hispanic populations’ broad exclusion from tech occupations that promise significant upward mobility is for sure critical to long-run efforts to address racial inequality. Along these lines, our recent NO LABEL agenda pushes efforts on all fronts to expand the diversity of the IT talent groups, at the high end of the skills continuum, as well as to radically expand exposure to entry-level tech skills.<br /> For the past 4 years, we become advocates in this field and are solely involving ourselves with initiatives, campaigns, lowcost developments and Educational Agendas all over the LA County area.
Top five lessons_
Top five lessons that we have learned from our experience as working with Minorities?
1.
Accept the things that you cannot change and always hold your head up high in the face of adversity.
BE not ashamed to admit that you have made some mistakes in your life and that you come from the other side of the tracks. The path that you are on is most certainly a difficult one and not an even-leveled playing field, but accept the challenge of still playing this game.
2.
The majority does NOT care that you are a minority.<br /> Truth be told, everyone regardless of race, has their challenges. It seems that people of color and women, have it the hardest in the tech world. However, we believe that you cannot let that deter you from accomplishing your goals.
3.
The “friends and family” finance round for early-stage underserved founders does not apply to you.
We believe that the expensiveness of mobile app development for tech-startups is one of the primary reasons that hinder you from moving forward. Unfortunately, if you are a minority founder, 9 times out of 10, you don’t have the friends and family needed to round up nearly six figures to build your platform. Truth be told, when you are out there asking “others” for money to invest in my startup, it feels like you are asking for 40 acres and a mule. Basically I you got to know those outside investments from angel investors etc. would never come. However, putting yourself out there and believing in yourself, will bring you to the point of potential success. We will help you created a bridge and find the right path.
4.
4. Eventually, the cream does always rise to the top.
In this world we believe people who fall in the “underserved” category have to work twice as hard and be twice as smart. However, though that may seem unfair but on the flip side of things if you can push through the challenges mentally & physically, you become far more advanced then your counterparts and in doing so will rise above the competition.
5.
We truly believe that collectively, we can all get to the finish line together; but most certainly divided we will not.<br /> In our efforts to get ahead and be in front of the pack, we oftentimes forget to extend an arm and pull those who may be behind, up to our level. Also we occasionally run into successful people of color in the tech industry and because they worked so very hard to be where they are, this sense of entitlement is apparent. If we are to succeed in this arena, we must come together outside of just an occasional tech event here and there. We must bind together and uplift one another, daily! Hence why we created the “100 STARTUPS” initiative. 100 founders coming together with $10k collectively will give We The Incubator the ability to build these founders just about any mobile application they need for their business to move forward. There is strength in numbers.
