THE FUTURE OF FINTECH IS FEMALE
LEADING BY EXAMPLE: WOMEN OF COLOR AWARD WINNERS GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY MEET THE WOMEN ON THE FRONT LINES OF CORPORATE DIVERSITY EFFORTS
Apple commits
$100 million
to
racial equality VP Lisa Jackson leads the way LISA JACKSON Vice President, Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Apple
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contents VOLUME 21 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2021
cover
16| Apple’s new projects
are part of its $100 million Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI) to help dismantle systemic barriers to opportunity faced by communities of color.
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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CONTENTS FOR TODAY’S CAREER WOMEN IN BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY
features
departments
22| Women of Fintech
06| Take Five
The future is fintech, and these women are at the top of their game
Meet Kizzmekia Corbett, one of the leading scientists in COVID-19 vaccine research
08| A Matter of Facts
Gender pay gap results are in. Did we reduce the gap? Find out as we walk through the new report
11| Women Who Inspire
Leaders battle challenges in their communities, including COVID-19
15| Global Sisters in Innovation
First Native American to serve as secretary of the Interior leads the way to the future
28| Champions of
Diversity These women represent diversity at top fintech companies
34| Opportunities in
FinTech Fintech is bigger than you think.
Explore the many opportunities available in this field
36| Know Your Worth
NSA leaders explore tools and skills that help improve leadership habits
38| My Healthy Life
Why relationship building is the No. 1 skill for 2021
42| Last Word
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Innovative. Unfamiliar. Novel. Cutting-edge. Unusual. What do all these adjectives have in common? Dr. Ruthie Lyle tells all
WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
› 3
PUBLISHER’S PAGE Career Communications Group’s
More consumers in the U.S. use a fintech banking platform
For Today’s Career Women In Technology & Business
A
recent McKinsey & Company report reveals that the pandemic has impacted how decision-makers use fintech. Among the highlights in the “How US customers’ attitudes to fintech are shifting during the pandemic” survey, we find that all fintech types—payment, investments, lending, and overall banking—have grown since the crisis began. The survey also found that older generations appear to turn to fintech as point solutions, while younger generations use multiple fintech accounts to approximate a more traditional banking relationship. Gen Z is the most frequent multi-account user of fintech, with 29 percent (or over half of Gen Z fintech users overall) using more than one account. Gen Z saw an increase of 14 percentage points of new users (or a 27 percent increase), and millennials saw a rise of 8 percentage points (or a 17 percent increase). The report said that a substantial number of baby boomers—26 percent—rely on at least one fintech account, contradicting the general perception that digital tools are exclusively for younger people. With more than 24 percent of consumers using a financial technology banking platform, Women of Color magazine brings you a cross-section of top performers in fintech who are helping to spread the benefits of digital transformation, improving the digital experience, making digital accounts easier to use, and leading financial technology companies in a digital economy.
VOLUME 21 | NUMBER 1 EXECUTIVE OFFICE Tyrone D. Taborn, CEO and Chief Content Officer Jean Hamilton, President and CFO Alex Venetta, Associate Publisher, Manager of Partner Services Eric Price, Vice President, Recruitment and Professional Training EDITORIAL AND CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Rayondon Kennedy, Managing Editor Lango Deen, Technology Editor Michael Fletcher, Contributing Editor Gale Horton Gay, Contributing Editor Garland L. Thompson, Contributing Editor Roger Witherspoon, Contributing Editor
GRAPHIC DESIGN
Beverly Wladkowski, Art Director Bryan Davis, Digital Director Rachael DeVore, Digital Channel Manager Courtney Taborn, Digital Marketing Manager
CORPORATE AND Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd, CCG Alumni Committee ALUMNI RELATIONS Chair and President Dr. Eugene DeLoatch, Chairman, BEYA Alumni Group Vice Admiral Walter J. Davis, USN (Ret) National Chair, BEYA Military Alumni Oliver “Bo” Leslie, Retired Program Manager, Historically Black Colleges and Universities/ Minority Institutions, The Boeing Company Monica E. Emerson, Women of Color STEM Conference National Chair Matt Bowman, CCG Military Program Manager Stars and Stripes Committee Executive Director/ Chief of Staff for VADM Walt Davis, USN (Ret.) Ty Taborn, Esq., Corporate Counsel SALES AND MARKETING Gwendolyn Bethea, Vice President, Corporate Development Kameron Nelson, Account Executive Katrina Shaw, Sales Support Assistant Jay Albritton, Social Media Specialist JOBMATCH AND STUDENT Ashley Turner, University and Professional DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Relations Development Manager Rod Carter, Recruitment Specialist, College Relations Shelia Richburg, College Coordinator CONFERENCE AND EVENTS
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Women of Color (ISSN 1937-0555) is a publication for today’s career women in business and technology. Women of Color magazine invites letters to the editor about any topics important to our readership. Article queries and letters should be sent to: CCG – Women of Color magazine, Editorial Department, 729 E. Pratt St., Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202. No manuscript will be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Women of Color magazine cannot be responsible for unsolicited art or editorial material. Subscriptions are $13/year. Please write to: CCG – Women of Color magazine, Subscriptions, 729 E. Pratt St., Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202. Copyright © 2021 by Career Communications Group Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
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Ad
TAKE FIVE
How America got to know this health research scientist from an institute nobody knew existed O
n Jan. 28, 2020, as America began to wake up to the threat of an unknown virus, Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, made the first of what would become daily televised appearances. The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) is one of the 27 institutes that make up the National Institutes of Health (NIH), part of the Department of Health and Human Services. In 2008, the NIAID celebrated 60 years of research that has led to new therapies, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and other technologies that have improved the health of millions of people in the United States and worldwide. But few Americans outside of medical research circles had ever heard of the NIAID. “We have already started at the NIH, and with many of our collaborators, the developing of a vaccine,” Fauci said at the news conference. “Right now, it’s been prepared, and with cautious optimism, we will be at phase 1 trial within the next three months.” However, Fauci warned that the NIH and others were looking at the worst-case scenario. By March, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak had reached pandemic proportions. By the end of the year, COVID-19 had killed more than 346,000 people in the U.S. Vaccines to the rescue! On Dec. 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the first emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in individuals 16 years and older. A week later, the FDA issued permission for the second vaccine. The emergency use authorization allows the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals 18 years of age and older. As people tried to make sense of the speed of it all, the National Urban League (NUL) hosted a conversation with Fauci to address vaccine hesitancy. The NUL joined the Coalition Against COVID-19 to host a town hall on the disease’s threat to Black and Brown communities. Fauci sought to address medical mistrust, which runs deep in Black communities in Alabama, where people still gather in memory of the men who suffered the horror
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
of the Tuskegee experiment. Fauci also spoke about the monitoring board that determines whether a vaccine is safe and the hidden figures of independent clinicians, scientists, statisticians, and ethicists who serve the American public. When asked about African-American scientists’ input, Fauci’s response was heard across the world. “The very vaccine, that’s one of the two, that has an exquisite level, 94 or 95 percent efficacy, against clinical disease, and almost 100 percent efficacy against serious disease, that has shown to be safe; that vaccine was developed in my institute’s vaccine research center by a team of scientists led by Dr. Barney Graham and his close colleague Dr. Kizzmekia Corbett, or Kizzy Corbett,” Fauci said. “Kizzy is an African-American scientist who is right at the forefront of developing the vaccine. You might want to say that an African-American woman developed the vaccines you will be taking. And that is just the fact, and that is something that people do not fully appreciate.” Meet Dr. Kizzmekia “Kizzy” Corbett As the team lead for coronavirus research within the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory (VPL) at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center, Corbett worked on developing an mRNA vaccine with Moderna, which received emergency use authorization after achieving a 95 percent effective rate. On Instagram, Corbett, aka @kizzyphd, reposted a clip from the NUL interview with a seven-word caption: “Dr. Fauci’s take on our team’s research.” In a later post, the rising medical star had more to say. “Today, people will get vaccinated with a vaccine that I woke up on Jan. 11 to help design,” Corbett wrote. “I remember the day, in February, when mRNA-1273 arrived at our lab at NIAID Vaccine Research Center, and mice waited in the basement for their injections. At the time, we just had our sights on phase 1 clinical trial by 100 days, with no idea the virus would spread into a pandemic.” Sixty-six days on, the first human was injected with the vaccine in a phase 1 trial, Corbett shared with her 87,000 followers, and nine months later, “after more than 76 million COVID cases globally, people in the U.S. will
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by Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com
“Kizzy is an African-American scientist who is right at the forefront of developing the vaccine. You might want to say that an African-
American woman developed the vaccines you will be
taking. And that is just the fact, and that is something that people do not fully appreciate.”
- Dr. Anthony S. Fauci
the moment. She had inspired such confidence in communities of color that Baptist minister and politician Jesse Jackson asked her to join him on his vaccine day at a community hospital in Chicago, IL, to help alleviate the fear, he said.
Dr. Kizzmekia “Kizzy” Corbett, team lead for coronavirus research within the Viral Pathogenesis Laboratory (VPL) at the NIAID Vaccine Research Center
receive the vaccine under emergency use authorization. Lives are about to be saved. Hospitals will become less overwhelmed. Normal times will slowly begin again.” A week later, Corbett posted a photo of herself getting a shot in the arm at the NIH Clinical Center. “Today, I got the Moderna COVID vaccine. That is it. That is the caption. Mostly because everything I type makes me cry snotty-nosed tears, and I can’t find the right words. Just...Grateful. Happy. Hopeful,” she wrote. Corbett was not the only one overwhelmed by
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“The hospital in Chicago received 900 doses, and only 100 employees had taken the vaccine thus far,” Corbett explained on Instagram. “This hospital, which has fought to keep its funding previously, serves a 95% African American community,” she said. “There was … hesitancy. And Rev. Jackson said, ‘I can’t watch us be the first to die and last to take the vaccine.’ I was honored, humbled, and awed.” Corbett’s most poignant post was made on the first day of Black History Month, indicating just how much it meant to be counted among the unsung women and men who have made significant contributions to America. “This one, especially as my face is plastered on ppl’s Facebook home pages & I’m getting countless awards this month. But what if @BarneyGrahamMD didn’t pull out the seat at the table?! Passing all the flowers his way (except the yellow tulips, my fav lol).”
WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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MATTER OF FACTS
Little Progress Toward Closing Gender Wage Gap J
ust in time for Labor Day 2020, the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) released its “Same Gap, Different Year” report. The analysis by the IWPR shows that women are almost 40 years from reaching pay equity with men if trends continue at the current pace. The recent earnings data showed persistent pay inequity is particularly pernicious for Hispanic and Black women: • The average Hispanic woman working full-time year-round earned only 55.4 cents for every dollar earned by a white man in 2019, amounting to $29,100 less last year. • Black women’s median full-time, year-round earnings were $24,100 less than white men’s, or 63.0 cents for every dollar they earn. While the pre-COVID economy meant that women’s earnings saw an increase, the median earnings of Hispanic and Black women in 2019 leave a family of an adult and two children in near-poverty, according to the official Census definition. “Each year the wage gap persists, women fall further behind men,” said IWPR president and chief executive officer C. Nicole Mason, Ph.D. “If we want to avoid further stagnation or even widening of the wage gap, immediate measures must be taken to boost recovery in womenconcentrated service sector jobs, overhaul the collapsed childcare infrastructure, and address disproportionate hardships for women of color and single working mothers.” Closing the wage gap is not a zero-sum game—gains for one gender do not require losses for the other, the IWPR said in its report. According to the Economic Policy Institute, the federal minimum hourly wage is just $7.25, and Congress has not increased it since 2009. Low wages hurt all workers and are particularly harmful to Black workers and other workers of color, especially women of color, who make up a disproportionate share of severely underpaid workers.
phasing in a $15 minimum wage by 2025 would be farreaching, lifting pay for tens of millions of workers and helping reverse decades of growing pay inequality. Essential and front-line workers make up most of those who would benefit from a $15 minimum wage. The median pay is well under $15 an hour for many essential and front-line jobs; examples include substitute teachers ($13.84), nursing assistants ($14.26), and home health aides ($12.15). More than one-third (35 percent) of those working in residential or nursing care facilities would see their pay increase, in addition to home health aides and other health care support workers. One in three retailsector workers (36 percent) would get a raise, including 42 percent of grocery store workers. More than four in 10 (43 percent) janitors, housekeepers, and other cleaning workers would benefit. Nearly two-thirds (64 percent) of servers, cooks, and other food preparation workers would see their earnings rise by $5,800 on a year-round basis. Ten million workers in health care, education, construction, and manufacturing would see a raise— representing nearly one-third (31 percent) of the workers who would see a raise. Growing numbers of business owners and organizations have backed a $15 minimum wage. In states that have already approved $15 minimum wages, business organizations representing thousands of small businesses have endorsed a $15 minimum wage. Business groups that have supported a $15 minimum wage include Business for a Fair Minimum Wage, the American Sustainable Business Council, the Patriotic Millionaires, the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, and the Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce. Growing numbers of employers have responded to pressure from workers and raised their starting pay scales to $15 or higher. These include retail giants Amazon, Whole Foods (owned by Amazon), Target, Walmart, Wayfair, Costco, Hobby Lobby, and Best Buy.
The Raise the Wage Act of 2021 would gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2025 and narrow racial and gender pay gaps. The benefits of slowly
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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by Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com
Median Annual Earnings (2019 dollars) Full-Time, Year-Round Workers
YEAR
WOMEN
MEN
FEMALE-TO-MALE EARNINGS RATIO
2010
$43,347
$56,347
76.9%
2011
$42,284
$54,911
77.0%
2012
$42,158
$55,106
76.5%
2013
$43,044
$55,000
78.3%
2014
$42,829
$54,462
78.6%
2015
$43,965
$55,263
79.6%
2016
$44,270
$55,015
80.5%
2017
$44,449
$54,427
81.7%
2018
$45,914
$56,293
81.6%
2019
$47,299
$57,456
82.3%
Each year the wage gap persists,
women fall further behind men.
Source: The Gender Wage Ratio and Real Earnings, 1960-2019, Full-Time Workers, IWPR, SAME GAP, DIFFERENT YEAR, The Gender Wage Gap: 2019, Earnings Differences by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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WOMEN WHO INSPIRE
Community, Contributions, and Charitable Acts: Giving Back Demetria Hall Systems Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics / Lockheed Martin Corporation Demetria Hall is a systems engineer for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and was on the design team that built the F-35 jet fighter currently flying for our military. Her primary role was working on the Wind Tunnel Research and Development team. Hall is very passionate about exposing students to engineering and now leads a diverse group of volunteer engineers that promote STEM at local schools and national events.
T
he most significant changes have been influenced by those who lead by example. In the STEM education community, those influencers come in the form of our volunteers who dedicate their time to showcasing the many STEM careers and opportunities available. For some, the spark to pursue a STEM career begins with watching a plane or rocket soaring through the sky. For others, it starts by witnessing someone who looks like them making the impossible possible. We caught up with three past Women of Color honorees, all Community Service Award winners in their respective industries. We asked them how they began giving back in their communities, memorable moments they witnessed, the impact of their work, how future leaders can become involved in their communities, and what volunteering looks like in a COVID-19 pandemic world.
Hall’s journey to volunteerism began in college when she joined the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, which at the time required a lifetime commitment and oath to public service. Through this organization, she participated in youth programs to help students shape their future and career choices. During her work, she discovered that many of the students did not know about engineering. She saw an opportunity to be a role model and mentor for them and to get them excited about a possible future in engineering and STEM. Currently, Hall is an active member of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics NSBE Professionals. She serves on the executive board, focusing on the Pre-College Initiative (PCI) Committee, and helps lead the College Prep Day, impacting over 400 area high school students. Additionally, she leads a project called Flight Simulation & STEM. This program takes F-35 simulators and other STEM activities to local schools to get students excited about learning a hands-on approach to engineering while showcasing what Lockheed Martin Corporation does. “I ended up taking over the program about five years ago,” recalls Hall. “The project grew so much it eventually became an official project for Lockheed Martin. This program partners with internal partner organizations and brings hands-on STEM activities, workshops, and financial aid and scholarships to local high school students.” The Flight Simulation team also partners with SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers). Hall is a member of the Trinity (TX) Chapter of The Links,
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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By Jessica Rafaeil editors@ccgmag.com
Incorporated and recently served as the vice-chair for the Services to Youth Facet. She has made an immense impact on the chapter’s seminal mentorship program, So SMAART (which is an acronym for Set on Science/ Engineering, Mathematics, the Arts, Aviation, Reading, and Technology). The So SMAART students are young minority girls attending Thomas L. Marsalis Elementary School and William H. Atwell Middle School in Dallas Independent School District. “Seeing the spark in a student’s eyes that may not have realized their potential or the possibilities of a future STEM career—that is an ‘aha!’ moment on the importance of giving back,” Hall said. When asked about how to seek opportunities and organizations to volunteer, she says that “Google is your friend.” Hall recommends starting locally and looking for schools or organizations in your area that need assistance and volunteers. If you’re seeking virtual opportunities, the are many options that are just a click away.
Priscilla L. Ford Electronics Engineer & Workforce Development Specialist Fleet Readiness Center Southwest/Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) Priscilla Ford learned the importance of community service at just 8 years old. Her father was a veteran, and her mother was president of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW. From a young age, she spent a lot of time at the VA hospital and volunteered by helping veterans that came back from the Vietnam War. Ford currently works for the Workforce Management Department on the Workforce Development Team. Because of her love for her community, Ford has served on the Diamond Community Investors (DCI) Advisory Council for 10 years. DCI is a group of 450 community investors that invested in a $10 million shopping plaza called Market Creek Plaza. This plaza is a commercial and cultural center in San Diego, and the first project is to be designed, built, and eventually owned by neighborhood residents. Ford is also the co-founder of Mercury San Diego Track &
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Field, a nonprofit youth track team with over 100 athletes each year from the ages of 5–16 years old and has been the president since the teams’ inception in 2002. The support and services provided by MSDTF go well beyond athletics and include mentorship, academic support, community service, support to families, and prevention and intervention support to high-risk children. The great majority of her student-athletes transition to local high schools, excelling academically, athletically, and in the community. Even more, she sees many of these students come back during or after college to volunteer with the next round of students. “It’s incredible to see the volunteering come full circle,” Ford says. “Having some of the students that went through the youth programs return and give back to the next generation and sharing their experiences is incredibly impactful.” When asked about how to get involved, she recommends starting locally. “Reach out to your local schools and youth programs,”
WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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WOMEN WHO INSPIRE (con’t.)
the leadership team to host a seminar on becoming an engineer to high school students. “I was exposed to a lot of great things, like STEM programs and colleges, at a young age,” LeFlore says, reflecting on her first exposures to STEM. “I understand firsthand the impact of exposure to opportunities at an early age. The more exposure they get early on, the more opportunities they are given to see that they can change their future into what they want it to be.” She co-founded the nonprofit Greater Than Tech (GTT), which teaches girls of color the adaptation of technology and business integration concepts for students to become future business technology leaders. “We wanted to pair the cultivation of the entrepreneurial mindset and how they can combine that with tech,” LeFlore says. “It’s incredible to see the lightbulbs go off when students that might not have thought STEM was a possibility for them, but then learn that they can apply it in a business environment and learn the importance of entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship.” Ford says, “and ask where and how you can get involved. Dance classes, basketball programs, and recreation centers are great places to start. You can also reach out to your district’s councilman office and see what programs need more volunteers.”
Jasmine LeFlore Senior Project Engineer/Nonprofit Founder Collins Aerospace/Greater Than Tech Raytheon Company Jasmine LeFlore grew up next to an airport as a child. With her eyes to the sky, she became fascinated with the idea of flight and air travel. Little did she know that she would one day be paving the way for future women engineers. Volunteering became a part of her life from a very young age. She was exposed to many STEM enrichment programs as a child and was inspired by watching the people who mentored her through these programs to continue giving back to students as an adult. LeFlore currently serves as a senior project engineer at Collins Aerospace and is the first African-American woman to work as the chief of staff for the aerostructures VP of engineering. She began making contributions toward diversity and inclusion in STEM as soon as she started her journey with Collins Aerospace in 2015. As chair of the African American Forum (AAF), she directed
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WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
Since COVID, the programs have evolved to webinars and virtual instructions for students, which is a significant change for such a hands-on program. She has brought leaders in entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship to continue to educate the students in a virtual setting. LeFlore echoes the other WOC alumni regarding volunteering and recommends starting locally and using Google as a starting point to find networks and areas of opportunity within your community. She believes that it is never too early to start volunteering and giving back and encourages students to be vocal on what they are passionate about or interested in and find opportunities there first. Whether it is volunteering with a college organization, getting involved with your employer’s community programs, or giving back to local groups in your back yard, there are plenty of ways to begin volunteering. Each of these remarkable women exemplifies the importance of believing that no act is too small and that impacting just one person’s future career makes giving your time genuinely gratifying.
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GLOBAL SISTERS IN INNOVATION
Women Develop Policies for Everyone and Lead the Way for Future Leaders A
35th-generation New Mexican and an enrolled tribal member of the Laguna Pueblo, United States Representative Deb Haaland (NM-01) also has Jemez Pueblo heritage. Her father was a 30-year combat Marine who was awarded the Silver Star Medal for saving six lives during the Vietnam War. Her mother is a U.S. Navy veteran who was a federal employee for 25 years in Indian education. During her father’s military service, her family crisscrossed America, and she attended 13 different schools. On March 15, 2021, the Senate voted 51-40 to confirm the congresswoman to lead the United States Department of the Interior, making her the first member of America’s Indigenous peoples to serve in the cabinet. The interior department oversees tribal lands and manages national parks, federal lands, and natural resources. As a single mother, Haaland volunteered at her daughter’s pre-school to help pay for early education. Like many New Mexicans, she relied on food stamps at times, lived paycheck-to-paycheck, and struggled to put herself through college. Haaland earned degrees from the University of New Mexico (UNM) and UNM Law School. She and her daughter, who recently graduated from UNM, are still paying off student loans. Always hardworking, Haaland started a small business producing and canning salsa. Mother and daughter drove around New Mexico, delivering cases of salsa together. Haaland recognizes many women still struggle with balancing childcare and childcare costs while working full time. When she noticed her community in Indian country lacked representation in 2004, Haaland started organizing. She showed up at campaign offices and asked for a list of Native American voters. She knocked on doors, made phone calls, and registered voters at feast days and community events. Haaland became chairwoman of the Laguna Development Corporation Board of Directors, overseeing the second largest tribal gaming enterprise’s business operations in New Mexico. She advocated for the Laguna Development Corporation to create Earth-friendly
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business policies. She is also a former tribal administrator and has administered a local service provider for adults with developmental disabilities. Haaland has served as an honorary commander of Kirtland Air Force Base, which gives her a better understanding of its missions and effect on New Mexico’s economy. New Mexico is home to federal research labs, including the Sandia National Laboratories in Haaland’s district, the film industry, and high-tech startups that develop innovative products in agriculture, clean energy, and security.
The Honorable Deb Haaland Secretary, Department of the Interior
Haaland is a proponent of job training programs and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education. She supports the STEM Boomerang program, which connects young people with STEM field professionals. The program also helps create a pipeline for high-skilled workers, entrepreneurs, and employers. Haaland brings her life experience to the job, as do the women she works alongside. She is aware that women are still underrepresented in government, large tech companies, financial institutions, and even political office. Now she has a seat at the table; she sees it as her responsibility to leave the ladder down for women leaders to make a difference. Her office used social media to ensure people have the most accurate information about the pandemic and access to resources and keep people up to date on her legislative work. She sees lots of opportunities for young women who live in a digital age with access to information and technology. Growing up, she did not have a home computer, email, or even a cell phone, so the learning curve was different as she started her own business and organized in Indian country.
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Lisa Jackson leads Apple’s
$100 MILLION COMMITMENT to racial equity and justice APPLE’S CONTINUED COMMITMENT TO RACIAL EQUITY AND JUSTICE MADE HEADLINES AT THE START OF THE NEW YEAR WHEN THE COMPANY ANNOUNCED MAJOR NEW ADDITIONS TO ITS $100 MILLION INITIATIVE TO DISMANTLE SYSTEMIC BARRIERS TO OPPORTUNITY AND COMBAT INJUSTICES FACED BY COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
Apple is known for making some of the most popular technological gadgets globally, but it has also made a clear commitment to advocate and invest in communities facing racism and prejudice. The American multinational technology giant that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics and computer software, Apple has made it clear that these issues are among its top priorities. Apple CEO Tim Cook tapped Lisa Jackson to lead the firm’s Racial Equity and Justice Initiative, which was launched in the aftermath of the killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and other victims of police violence. It will focus on racial equity efforts that address education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform.
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Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy, and social initiatives, has led the company’s environmental initiatives, global community education programs, product accessibility work, community investment, racial equity, justice efforts, and worldwide government affairs. She joined Apple in 2013 and helped it become an environmental leader and a pioneer in clean energy, recycling, and green technology. Under her leadership, the company reached carbon neutrality for its corporate emissions and now powers its operations worldwide with 100 percent renewable energy. This year, the company announced its most ambitious target yet, pledging that every Apple device will be produced with net-
zero carbon emissions by 2030. Before joining Apple, Jackson was the first African American appointed administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) by President Barack Obama. While an administrator, she prioritized reducing greenhouse gases, protecting air and water quality, preventing exposure to toxic contamination, and championing environmental justice by expanding environmental outreach to underserved communities and communities of color. She holds a master’s degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University and a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Tulane University. Women of Color magazine asked Jackson for insight into Apple’s efforts in racial www.womenofcolor.online
by Gale Horton Gay editors@ccgmag.com
equality, justice, and the environment.
WOC: Why is it important for Apple to be involved in racial equity and justice? Jackson: There is no question we need to do more and to rededicate ourselves to these efforts. This is something I care deeply about, and I feel so lucky that our CEO and colleagues across Apple share that commitment to putting in the work to address systemic issues of racial equity and justice. At Apple, we believe we have a responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. Part of that work means investing in our communities and ensuring all people—regardless of race or zip code—have equal access to the tools, resources, and opportunities to succeed. www.womenofcolor.online
Inequity cannot be ignored. And at Apple, we are committed to helping create the positive outcomes communities of color deserve.
WOC: Why is Apple addressing these issues at this time? Jackson: The events of the past year have made it abundantly clear that the work to achieve racial equity and justice is urgent and unfinished. Our collective future relies on every American having an equal shot at opportunity, success, and of course, health. Last year’s killings of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and too many others reinforced the critical importance of this work and the urgency with which we all must commit ourselves to tackle systemic racism. And while there is a WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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Lisa Jackson, Malala Yousafzai, and Tim Cook take a selfie at an event at Steve Jobs Theater at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, CA. new urgency in this moment, this work is not new to Apple. We have been working with partners in this space for several years, including Ed Farm and the HBCU community. So, when our CEO Tim Cook committed $100 million to our Racial Equity and Justice Initiative this past summer, it was in recognition that this was a moment that called for leadership and required us all to come to the table in new ways. It was a call for Apple to build on our existing work and use our voice and resources to knock down the systemic barriers for people of color in this country. We have expanded and focused our existing work—in everything from education to the environment to the economy—in service of advancing equality and creating new opportunities for underrepresented communities. And it is that focus on equity that will help our work have the greatest possible impact.
WOC: What exactly are racial equity and 18 ‹
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justice from Apple’s point of view? How do you expect Apple to have an impact on these issues? Jackson: Racial equity and justice mean dismantling systemic barriers to opportunity and combating injustices faced by communities of color. It means every student has access to high-quality education, and every family can live in a community with clean air to breathe and freshwater to drink. It means Black and brown entrepreneurs have the same access to funding as their peers and that people of color are treated with fairness and humanity under the law. Like our work on the environment, we believe racial equity and justice are issues where Apple can make a lasting and sustained difference. We have deep roots in education, so we are committed to bringing our support to HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions. Unfortunately, so much of a young person’s educational outcomes are
dictated by where he or she lives. Working alongside our partners, there is so much we can achieve together to address educational equity. If you look at economic empowerment, as a company, Apple has a lot of buying power and works with a lot of suppliers. There is an opportunity for us to invest in minority- and women-owned businesses and include them in our supply chain, building wealth through equitable spending. Equity is about all these things and more. But the key to creating meaningful and lasting change is for people with power, who have benefited from an unjust system, to use that power to make a more just world.
WOC: How will you measure success in these areas? Jackson: We set big goals for ourselves because we know that long-term commitments are key to making a dent in long-standing racial inequities. So is www.womenofcolor.online
accountability. Across each of our commitments, we have specific criteria we will be assessing to ensure we are achieving the kind of progress we expect. Whether it is the number of students we have supported, entrepreneurs who have learned new skills, or started new businesses—we want to make a real difference in people’s lives.
WOC: When will the HBCU education hubs and developer academy come to fruition?
energy that powers our operations, the materials in our devices, the companies we do business with, and the health and safety of those who make and use our products. We have led our industry in reducing our environmental footprint for years, but we know there is more to do. So, we have set a groundbreaking new goal to further reduce our impact on the planet we share. By 2030, we are committing to total carbon neutrality. We are already carbon neutral for our corporate emissions—we
resources to understand how companies are taking action to protect the planet. We know it can be confusing for consumers to evaluate which companies have effective programs and policies to better protect the planet. It is why we think it is so important to share what exactly we are doing. Each year, we put out detailed environmental reporting on our full impact, including the lifecycle of our products. Empower your network—use your voice, your platform to raise awareness and
“WE HAVE EXPANDED AND FOCUSED OUR EXISTING WORK—IN EVERYTHING FROM EDUCATION TO THE ENVIRONMENT TO THE ECONOMY—IN SERVICE OF ADVANCING EQUALITY AND CREATING NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR UNDERREPRESENTED COMMUNITIES. AND IT IS THAT FOCUS ON EQUITY THAT WILL HELP OUR WORK HAVE THE GREATEST POSSIBLE IMPACT.”
Jackson: We are so thrilled to start offering programming through the Apple Developer Academy later this year, starting with virtual learning before the program transitions to in-person instruction. There is ongoing work across the HBCU community to bring coding and creativity opportunities to three dozen campuses, and the Propel Center will build on that. We expect the Propel Center to begin construction on its physical campus toward the end of this year, and HBCUs will have access to extensive virtual programming before then.
WOC: How are you helping Apple minimize its impact on the environment? Jackson: There is nothing more urgent than our planet and making sure future generations have clean air, clean water, and a safe environment to live in. I have dedicated my career to this mission and am proud to carry on that work here at Apple. Apple has dedicated our resources—and our best thinking—to considering the environment in everything we do: the
www.womenofcolor.online
use 100 percent renewable electricity for our facilities, and we are investing in projects that protect and restore forests, wetlands, and grasslands. And we are well on our way in our supply chain, bringing more clean energy sources online and innovating to reduce emissions at every stage of the process. But we are going further to cover our entire, end-to-end footprint—down to the shipping that moves our products worldwide and the energy used to power our customers’ devices.
WOC: What tips do you have for minimizing one’s impact on the environment? Jackson: Start with “I”—be mindful of what you eat, how you get around, where you live, and your at-home routines. For Apple, this means focusing on the areas where we can have the most impact: reducing our carbon footprint and the footprint of our suppliers, creating a circular economy for our products where we create new ones without taking from the Earth, and advancing smart chemistry. Stay informed. Your readers can tap into
challenge your leaders. Climate change is one of the greatest threats facing our planet. This is why Apple is using its voice to advocate for strong climate policies that promote decarbonizing our economy and support renewable energy. As part of this work, we regularly meet with leaders and policymakers worldwide to push for smart environmental policies and join groups like RE100 to support these efforts. You probably recently saw our CEO Tim Cook speaking about these issues at the UN Climate Ambition Summit last December. It is important to show up. Climate change is a universal challenge that impacts all of us. But its impacts are not felt evenly. And we can use our voices and amplify others to make sure equity is always a part of the conversation. We all need to understand that there is no justice without environmental justice.
WOC: How is Apple addressing climate change? Jackson: We recognize that climate change is one of the greatest threats of our time and that we have a responsibility WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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to take urgent action to address it. For well over a decade, Apple has taken robust action to reduce our carbon footprint and drive energy efficiency in our products and processes. We announced this past July that by 2030—so 10 years from now—Apple will be carbon-neutral. Not just for our operations, because we are already carbon-neutral the way a lot of companies measure carbon neutrality. Our stores, our data centers, our offices all run on 100 percent clean energy right now. Our goal is to extend that progress to our entire supply chain. We have hundreds of suppliers. And so, the challenge will be, in 10 years, to move all those suppliers over to clean energy. That will be huge. And we have gone one step further and said by 2030, we also want our customers to be able to charge their devices on clean energy, as well. And so, we committed that, by 2030, our customers will be able to do that. So obviously, that is not something we can do all alone. It is something that we can help with. We have sponsored cleanenergy projects around the world. But we also want to work with governments to make sure that there is more and more access to clean energy on grids around the world, especially in areas that, right now, have been under-invested in terms of clean energy.
WOC: Are there other ways in which you are helping to change the culture at Apple for the better? Jackson: Apple has an incredible culture of collaboration, innovation, and creativity. People here feel empowered to speak their minds and lead with their values—and you see that reflected in the products we make. My goal has never been to change any of those things. But what we have done is harness that energy and innovation as a force for good in our environmental work, our advocacy for equity and justice, in our support for students and teachers. Apple was doing this kind of work long before I got here. But over the last few years, we have renewed and
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accelerated our progress—and that has meant drawing on Apple’s culture and our people, drawing on that innovative spirit, and tackling challenges like climate change in ways only Apple can.
WOC: What are some words of encouragement you have for young people who may be interested in your line of work? Jackson: Donna Brazile is a good friend who has said this a lot over the years— “Open the door and leave it open wide enough for somebody to follow behind you.” Whatever your field, wherever your curiosity takes you, to break down barriers and make a difference, you have to bring other people with you. I have had great mentors during my career who have challenged and encouraged me. Now I am trying to be a mentor and a cheerleader for young people striving to break down barriers and to carry the baton even further.
WOC: What can students do now to prepare for working in your field? Jackson: I have had a bit of a winding career path. I have worked in government for most of my life on environmental issues, and with Apple, I took on a new challenge. But for me, the common thread has always been trying to make a positive impact on people—whether in environmental justice, public health, technology, or what have you. The best way to prepare is to find your common thread and find mentors who can teach you. The learning does not end when you graduate from school—and the best way to prepare yourself is to follow
your curiosity and find a great group of people to share the road ahead.
WOC: Can you share a little about your background and how you arrived at your position? Jackson: When I was a little girl, I wrote a letter to President (Richard) Nixon imploring him to move forward with establishing the EPA to protect the health of people and the environment. That same year, we celebrated Earth Day in the U.S. for the very first time. And by the end of 1970, the EPA officially opened its doors. At the time, I had no idea I would go on to work at the EPA and one day lead it, or that I would one day be at Apple working on these issues. But I did know that at the heart of my concern for the planet was the health of people. Communities. Families. Everyone deserves a healthy place to live, clean water to drink, and clean air to breathe. Today’s 8-year-olds are facing some of the same challenges and some new ones. But they also know a thing or two about the urgent work that lies ahead—and that the health of our planet and neighbors is a cause worth fighting for. Something I have found inspiring over the past year has been how young people have stepped up to speak out for what is right. It gives me a lot of hope about what our young future leaders, inventors, educators, and beyond will do to leave the world better than they found it.
www.womenofcolor.online
40%
According to New CBcampus.com Survey
of hiring managers would hire college interns for full-time, permanent positions.
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WOMEN FINTECH of
by Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com
The future is fintech, and these women are at the top of their game!
Women of Color magazine rolled out its “Most Powerful Women in Finance” list in spring 2010 and has featured diverse women in the financial services sector ever since. The 2010 list showcased 40 women who were trailblazers in banking, investment, finance, and insurance companies. The list also included women who were governing the ways Americans own homes and do business, with famous names like Rosa “Rosie” Gumataotao Rios, who served as the 43rd treasurer of the United States; leading women at the Securities and Exchange Commission, which protects American investors and the national banking system; Mellody Hobson, then president of Ariel Investments, one of the largest African American-owned money management and mutual fund companies in the U.S.; and a team of senior vice presidents and vice presidents from American Express. But it was not all big business and high finance. Women of Color magazine also looked at startups. Many were redefining terms such as fixed-rate mortgages, asset turnovers, and working capital for modern times. For a new decade, we bring you another cohort of women who expand their financial technology (fintech) presence, all while taking the time to serve their communities. They are movers and shakers in banking, education, and investment management, helping people better manage financial processes by utilizing software and algorithms used on computers and, increasingly, smartphones. 22 ‹
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www.womenofcolor.online
Gianna Driver
BlueVine’s online platform offers banking to small businesses. Their products include business checking, line of credit, and invoice factoring. As chief people officer, GIANNA DRIVER helps organizations scale their people function while creating fun performance cultures. APRIL DANILE brings over 20 years of financial services experience to BlueVine from Goldman Sachs and Capital One. As vice president, Danile thrives on improving the customer experience. Before assuming her current position in 2019, CHRISTINA COLE served as vice president of marketing communications at Citi Ventures, Citibank’s innovation arm. As the first public relations hire, she was responsible for building awareness of Citi Ventures and Citi’s chief innovation officer.
CAROL WILSON began her career in finance and transitioned into tech. In her role as a senior customer success manager at Branch, she executes digital user experiences with a focus on mobile adoption. Branch Metrics specializes in increasing mobile revenue with links built to acquire, engage, and measure across all devices, channels, and platforms. Wilson has also taken on diversity initiatives by founding a resource group for Black employees.
LEANNE KEMP is the founder and CEO of Everledger, which develops technology to create a secure digital record of an asset’s origin, characteristics, and ownership. Kemp also co-chairs the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Manufacturing and takes part in the Global Future Council on Blockchain. She leads workstreams at the Global Blockchain Business Council, co-chairs the World Trade Board’s Sustainable Trade Action Group, and is on the IBM Blockchain Platform Board of Advisors. In 2018, her entrepreneurial success saw her as the Queensland chief entrepreneur in Australia. More recently, Kemp has been appointed to the Global Blockchain Business Council as a regional ambassador of Australia, an adjunct professor in the Institute for Future Environments at the Queensland www.womenofcolor.online
University of Technology, and Blockchain Advisory Board member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
LUAN COX is the founder and CEO of FinMkt, a leading software as a service (SaaS) provider of point-of-sale consumer finance technology. FinMkt’s platform has processed billions in loan application volume since launching in 2016. Cox is a seasoned fintech veteran going back to the mid-’90s in Silicon Valley. At that time, she joined a group of fintech pioneers that democratized access to stock quotes and “Wall Street quality” information to the masses via the web. Since then, she has not stopped bringing new and revolutionary fintech products to the market. She is an advisor to the Springboard Accelerator program comprised of women-led media and technology companies and is a Techstars mentor for its fintech accelerator. In 2019, Cox was included in the NYC FinTech Women’s Inspiring Fintech Females list to recognize her outstanding leadership and support of the community of women in financial technology. In September, she again joined a prestigious list of female leaders, named one of the Top 25 Women Leaders in Financial Technology of 2020 by the Financial Technology Report. At FinMkt, she directs the company’s flagship multi-lender platform, Lending Gateway, and the recent launch of the company’s SaaS, omnichannel, home improvement, medical, and retail consumer point-ofsale loan origination platform, FinFi. This state-of-the-art technology has paved a pathway for banks, credit unions, and alternative lenders to enter the rapidly growing point-of-sale consumer financing marketplace quickly and seamlessly.
April Danile
Christina Cole
Carol Wilson
Leanne Kemp
SAIMA KHOT is a quality assurance and tech support engineer at FinMkt. She leads the team with testing web and mobile services and lender policies. Her work is vital to the performance and reliability of the end-to-end workings of FinMkt’s point-of-sale and consumer cash loan platforms. Before FinMkt, Khot worked as an adjunct professor at Pace University and the Borough of Manhattan
Luan Cox
Saima Khot
Community College, teaching computer science classes.
ROBIN PALMER is head of risk
Robin Palmer
Chaitali Mehta
management at FinMkt. She has nearly 20 years of credit experience, including managing a portfolio of over $400 million at V.W. Credit and a portfolio valuing $17 billion at Toyota North America. Before FinMkt, she was head of merchant risk at Mosaic, a solar and home improvement financing company. In her role as head of risk management at FinMkt, she applies her expertise to enhance risk management efforts within the rapidly growing portfolio of merchants. She is responsible for developing solutions to address better partner needs regarding fraud assessment and mitigation, financial analyses, and forecasting. Since joining the company, she has been instrumental in improving productivity within the underwriting and risk department.
CHAITALI MEHTA is a business
Mugdha Vaidya
Justine Inton
Camille Rosales
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and financial analyst at FinMkt. She began her career as an intern. Her range of responsibilities now includes accounting, financial planning, and analysis, optimizing cash conversion cycles, managing, and maintaining state license compliance requirements. She also works with the chief financial officer and senior management to develop the annual budget and monthly investor report representing the company’s key performance metrics. She also analyzes industry trends and implements processes to improve profitability collaborating with stakeholders on financial and operational objectives. Mehta manages several analytical projects to assess expenditures and optimize revenue operations with high visibility and data sensitivity. She holds a master’s degree in business administration, specializing in financial management and technology management, which she obtained while also working full time.
MUGDHA VAIDYA is one of the rising stars behind FreedomPay’s commerce platform. As a quality assurance team lead, she heads a team of engineers to ensure payment processing service,
loyalty programs, and FreedomPay’s solution used by businesses, such as Marriott International and Lloyds Bank. She is also an integral part of FreedomPay’s Commerce Academy, training production support and technicians on new products and features, system setup, and configuration. Vaidya is a certified tester from the American Software Testing Qualifications Board.
JUSTINE INTON has professional experience in legal services and financial technology industries. As a software quality assurance analyst at FreedomPay, she works with payment hardware devices and point-of-sale systems within a lab environment, performing tests that guarantee the customer is provided with quality software solutions. Inton is skilled in agile testing, Team Foundation Server, Jira, Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio, agile methodologies, and test cases. CAMILLE ROSALES is the director of customer support at Hippo. With over 12 years of insurance experience at Fortune 100 companies, Rosales has grown her leadership in process improvement and strategic direction. She is an advocate for women and people of color advancing in the insurance industry. She has been a part of leadership discussions and panels focused on encouraging diversity in the insurance industry. She works with mentees to grow and develop their respected career paths as an active mentor through the Everwise mentor program. Over the last 15 years, VIJEYTA AGGARWAL has led products and teams at startups and legacy technology companies. As director of product at homeowner’s insurtech company, Hippo, she has helped the company grow and earn its mark as an InsurTech Unicorn in 2019. Before Hippo, she led the mobile application at PayPal, where she established the product as a consumer acquisition channel. Under her leadership, app activations increased by 33 percent globally. Before PayPal, she led billing and payments at Upwork, a www.womenofcolor.online
Vijeyta Aggarawal
leading marketplace for hiring freelancers. Aggarwal advises early-stage companies and mentors high school and college students interested in technology. Propel builds technology that helps low-income Americans improve their financial health. Its free app, Fresh EBT, is used by over 2 million Americans. Growing up in Jamaica and southeastern Florida, RAJAY LEE-JAMBET decided to study economics. While at university, she interned in East Asia for finance and technology companies. After graduating, she joined McMaster Carr Supply Company’s management rotation program in Atlanta, GA. Desiring more startup environment experiences, she spent the next few years of her career working in operations for various directto-consumer startups in New York, NY. Currently, Lee-Jambet serves as the head of the customer experience for Propel and works to help deliver high-quality customer service for Propel’s suite of financial product offerings.
SHENAE SIMMONS committed to a career change after working as a line cook and restaurant manager for 10 years. She completed a web development fellowship from Per Scholas and then graduated from General Assembly’s Software Engineering Immersive Program in 2019. Simmons is a technical support engineer at Plaid, a company focused on democratizing financial services through technology. The firm started by building the specialized infrastructure APIs that connect consumers, traditional financial institutions, and developers. Simmons’s first hackathon at Plaid subsequently launched FinRise. This Plaid-sponsored program supports early-stage founders that are Black, Indigenous, or people of color with resources to establish their businesses. She was an ambassador for Ladies Get Paid, an organization that offers access to education, resources, and a community that helps empower women, whether it is their career or bank account.
JANE ULLAH is a software engineer at Plaid with over five years of building software experience. Born in Nigeria, she moved to the United States to pursue www.womenofcolor.online
higher education and earned bachelor’s degrees in biology and computer science. Before her current software development career, she worked in the natural sciences as a laboratory and research technician. An avid learner, Ullah is excited about introducing kids to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math), completing challenges on Strava, and clean coding.
Rajay Lee-Jambet
ANDREA CRUZ is a program manager for Plaid’s technical operations team. She recently launched a foundational piece to the evolving Product Inclusion Program, dedicated to weaving inclusive practices into how Plaid builds.
Shenae Simmons
At Personal Capital, SUSAN SURAPRUIK is a senior director for mobile technology. She leads the mobile app development team as a digital wealth manager. She transformed requirements into a thriving app that caught the world’s attention in Apple and Google’s app stores. Previously, she spent nine years at Stanford’s Pediatric Emergency Department as its lead iOS kiosk application developer. She received her B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley, in cognitive science. “As a senior director of technology, she is keenly aware of the many nuances of both business and engineering concerns. On top of all that and more, she is also immensely insightful of the current fintech industry and its trends. In a nutshell, Susan is a deserved nominee for the Top Women in Financial Technology,” wrote one of her teammates.
Jane Ullah
Andrea Cruz
YINKA MORAKINYO is a recruiting manager at Personal Capital. Her passion within the fintech world (aside from financial empowerment) is understanding and channeling each person’s unique strengths in working for Personal Capital. “Without experience in the financial advisor world, she has stepped in and recruited advisors successfully. She challenges the roadmaps people have created towards diversity beyond just a checklist since she knows it is more than today. It is how we plan for our future,” her manager said.
Susan Surapruik
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Yinka Morakinyo
In 1998, Sage came to North America to acquire leading desktop accounting software company Peachtree. Today, Sage has 13,000 employees and serves over 3 million customers in 23 countries. Kangelon “Kay” Dexter
Keshia Ellis
After growing up as an Air Force “brat” living worldwide and adapting to new situations, KANGELON “KAY” DEXTER now serves as a global product marketing intelligence strategist at Sage. Based in Atlanta, GA, she advocates for risk-takers, startups, and entrepreneurs. Her career focus has been on consumer buying behaviors, product marketing, market and competitive intelligence, campaign creation, and go-to-market strategy. She champions diversity and inclusion as a co-leader for BUILD (Blacks United in Leadership & Development) at Sage, a colleague success network. Dexter is also Sage’s Global 2019–2020 Inspirational Woman of Year.
KESHIA ELLIS serves as a customer Lisa Godwin
success coach at Sage, where she helps small business owners using Sage’s SaaS-based mobile app. In 2018, she transitioned to the role of senior Microsoft 365 analyst. In this position, Ellis helped other Sage colleagues and business owners adequately utilize the Microsoft 365 suite. Ellis is a diversity and inclusion champion and a co-leader of BUILD at Sage.
LISA GODWIN serves as the U.S. Nidhi Kashyap
employee relations consultant at Sage. Godwin has held HR leadership roles for small, privately held tech companies and practiced employment law as an attorney in Texas for several years.
art of automated testing and understand the various facets of a customer. Through Sage’s company culture of innovation and experimentation, Kashyap started exploring DevOps practices and thus embarked on a new journey.
JAN CHONG is vice president of engineering at Tally, a financial automation company in San Francisco, CA. She leads the company’s client engineering, infrastructure, and security and technical operations teams. Before joining Tally, Chong was an executive at Twitter, where she played a critical role in launching and scaling the social networking platform’s core mobile and web products. She led an overhaul of the entire engineering and recruiting process, implemented mentorship programs, and equipped managers with essential leadership skills through her peer coaching forums. Before joining Twitter in 2012, Chong ran client and server development at a cloud gaming platform. In 2013, Chong was named one of the Top 5 Rising Technical Superstars by Hackbright Academy. She received her master’s degree in computer science and a doctorate in management science and engineering from Stanford University.
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NIDHI KASHYAP is a development
Jan Chong
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operation (DevOps) and test automation lead at Sage and provides technical expertise and guidance on quality and CI/ CD. Always intrigued by how software impacts human life, she was inclined toward automated testing to engage her technical knowledge and systems thinking. Early in Kashyap’s career, she worked in diverse industries such as media and the financial sector to learn the www.womenofcolor.online
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2021
CHAMPIONS of
W
Diversity
omen of Color magazine’s Best Employers “get it” when it comes to diversity. More than half have inclusive hiring programs led by employee resource groups. The majority also have a clearly stated diversity policy and conduct diversity training. Recent Career Communications Group (CCG) surveys have shown that employers who consistently make the most admired lists cultivate a diverse workforce. They have mentoring programs aligned with
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career progression and promotion, career development events, and learning opportunities. Although the single most crucial factor that helped survey respondents decide where to work was compensation, other significant benefits were telecommuting (40 percent), flextime (31 percent), tuition reimbursement (37 percent), childcare (31 percent), retirement benefits (33.8 percent), and gym facilities (32 percent). Employers at the 2020 Women of Color
STEM Conference included General Motors, Consumers Energy, Amazon, AWS, Boeing, MITRE, NOAA, Defense Information Systems Agency, NASA, Department of the Air Force, AT&T, DTE, Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin, U.S Army Corps of Engineers, Cisco, IBM, Mattel, Navy Civilian, Forest Service, Ford, the U.S. Navy, PNC, Leidos, Kohler, and Infosys. Following are some of the top diversity and inclusion stories of 2020.
www.womenofcolor.online
In July, Angela Thompkins was named vice president and chief diversity officer of CMS Energy and its principal subsidiary, Consumers Energy. Thompkins is responsible for setting the diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy and partnering with leaders across the organization to improve DEI results. Additionally, she has responsibility for establishing and building relationships with communities and organizations that increase the availability of diverse talent within CMS’s long-term talent pipeline. A month later, General Motors (GM) announced Telva McGruder’s appointment as chief of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In this role, she leads the development and execution of strategies that will ensure positive change toward a high-performing, inclusive organizational culture. She also partners closely with functional teams, GM employee resource groups, and centers of expertise to provide excellent practices for hiring, developing, and retaining diverse candidates at all levels. McGruder also works to mature and build community partnerships that align with General Motors’ commitments.
Rhea Antoine is vice president of supplier quality for Collins Aerospace, where she provides leadership and strategic direction. She is also an active member of the Collins Black Executive Council (CBEC). The CBEC is comprised of the www.womenofcolor.online
top Black executives within Collins Aerospace and has partnered with 52 participants across all of Collins to promote, enrich, and champion. In partnership with a colleague, Antoine developed the Black Talent Accelerator program designed to promote and champion young Black leaders across the organization. The mission is to support/influence increased Black professional representation in critical roles and succession slates, provide executive networking and exposure for Black professionals, support professional development actions for key Black professionals, build community, and encourage mentoring of emerging Black professionals. Antoine says the efforts of employee resource groups such as the CBEC and Black Accelerator program must not be special projects, initiatives, or activities that are only here for a limited time. She stressed the importance of having diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) programs that are lasting, and tailored to drive sustainable improvements in attracting, developing, and retaining Black talent across the organization. “As a result, our performance in DE&I will be planned, measured, and targeted just like other business-critical areas like quality and manufacturing,” Antoine said. “To do so, we have incorporated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) into the very operating systems of our business and track both driver metrics and outcome metrics to ensure we’re making progress,” she added. Over the last six months, Antoine has had the opportunity to partner with the Aerostructures business unit to ensure DE&I is a foundational part of our culture. As a member of Collins Aerospace’s aerostructures senior leadership team, Antoine worked to develop metrics to support the organization’s DE&I efforts. She was actively involved in the African American Forum (AAF) and worked with the AAF Board to develop strategic initiatives and activities while providing
leadership coaching. “Since joining Collins, I have had the pleasure of partnering with our AAF employee resource group on several critical initiatives to drive DE&I within our organization,” Antoine said. “Key initiatives include the Global Town Hall in recognition of Juneteenth, the creation of Career Development Profiles for AAF members, and speed mentoring events.” Before joining Collins Aerospace, Antoine worked at John Deere for over 15 years. She also led John Deere’s Black Employee Resource Group to implement a mentoring program and enhanced its community outreach programs. Antoine earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Tuskegee University, a historically Black college and university (HBCU) in Alabama. She also has a master’s degree in management from her alma mater and is an advocate of diverse talent. She is passionate about inspiring the next generation by mentoring and providing access to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields. “I remain connected to Tuskegee and provide mentorship for the Freshman Accelerated Start-up and Training for Retention in Engineering Curricula (FASTREC) students,” Antoine said. “I mentor and coach female leaders who are early in their careers and work to introduce elementary school children to STEM.” Antoine also formed a partnership with Tuskegee University to support oncampus activities and provide a talent pipeline via the hiring of interns. The Quality Leadership Team or QLEADS at Collins Aerospace partners with Smith College, a historic women’s college in Massachusetts, in addition to Tuskegee University, to recruit for college hire rotational programs that ensure Collins Aerospace has a diverse slate of candidates and builds a diverse pipeline. “One of my greatest lessons at Tuskegee University, a historically Black college in Alabama, was that we could accomplish almost anything with great people WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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who were always willing to support and challenge each other to be better,” Antoine said. “I’ve carried this lesson with me throughout my career, and it speaks to the type of people I surround myself with and the type of person I try to be for others,” she said.
Toni Vanwinkle is the senior director of digital workplace experience at Adobe. In 2019, she was named “Digital Workplace Leader of the Year,” recognizing the impact of her innovative leadership. Currently, she leads Adobe’s Digital Workplace Experience organization under the CIO’s office, focused on keeping Adobe employees collaborative and productive from anywhere. In addition to her functional role, Vanwinkle founded Adobe’s Black Employee Network and currently serves as the Site Council Leader at Adobe’s headquarters in San Jose, CA. In her site leader role, she is an employee ambassador leading a site council whose mission is to amplify Adobe’s culture and connect employees to the communities where they live and work. “I got involved in D&I after being approached by one of our HR executives about becoming the executive sponsor for an affinity group at Adobe,” Vanwinkle said. “Before responding to the offer, I asked one of my mentors, an employee network sponsor, at another tech company in the Bay Area. He was so excited for me. He said that the D&I work he was involved in was the most rewarding career. Shortly after that call, I said yes to the offer and founded Adobe’s Black Employee Network. It was a leap of faith. I knew I had a lot to learn. So, I did my research by attending classes, reading books, HR research papers, D&I articles, listening to TED Talks, and watching documentaries. 30 ‹
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There was a consistent theme across all this information; a lack of role models for pursuing tech careers. I stood in the truth of what I experienced my entire career. I was often the only woman and almost always the only person of color in the room. From that point on, my mission was to help give employees, students, partners, and peers a voice and a sense of belonging at Adobe. “In the next five to 10 years, I see D&I as an expanding field focused on creating community and connection around the world. Organizations will begin to see diversity as an asset and inclusion as a tool to motive and inspire their most asset, people.”
Carita Marrow is a diversity and inclusion talent program senior manager at Adobe. She drives strategy around attracting and recruiting diverse talent into Adobe in close partnership with key stakeholders such as talent acquisition and branding teams in addition to employee networks. Before joining Adobe, Marrow was a senior manager for science education at the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), where she comanaged UNCF’s $48 million Fund II Foundation science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) Scholars Program, the UNCF Merck Science Initiative, and the historically Black college and university (HBCU) Innovation Summit. “I dream that D&I will not be an add-on to tech and tech-adjacent companies but woven into the fabric and foundation
of emerging and existing companies. I hope that companies will continue to peel away the barriers of exclusion and that each company’s demographics will mirror the U.S. census and beyond for fair representation across protected classes,” Marrow said. One thing Cymantia Tomlinson has made a note of during her time in tech is the startling lack of diversity. “I am often the only one. I go to different meetings and attend different events, and I rarely see anyone who looks like me. We do exist, but based on my experience, in small numbers,” Tomlinson says, adding that she recognizes that organizations are making a concerted effort to be more inclusive but does not see those efforts reflected in the tech workforce. As a customer success manager at Workato, Tomlinson works with many business and information technology users building their automation workflows. She is charged with removing any barriers to successfully using the tool and expanding their knowledge of Workato capabilities. Workato offers a low-code automation platform and is a leader in the software as a service (SaaS) space. She is moving into her second year with Workato and loves the culture of collaboration.
LaTrice Ross serves as global diversity and inclusion program manager at Sage. She has more than 20 years of experience as an organizational and human capital development professional, helping people and organizations turn potential into success. Her specialties include training facilitation, instructional design, and organizational development, www.womenofcolor.online
focusing on culture, engagement and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Ross has worked with organizations to develop and implement corporate diversity strategies to promote greater diversity and inclusion.
Phoebe Anderson is the people services hub leader for Sage North America, bringing more than 25 years of experience in various HR functional areas. Anderson started her career in the United States Marine Corps as a personnel administrator. She has held various HR transformation roles at Sage. She has also served in global continuous improvement roles identifying improvement opportunities for People Services, aligning with trends and business demands to meet and exceed defined service levels. LaShena Matthews is a global talent and employer brand manager at Sage, affectionately known as “Recruitalina.” She has been in the recruiting industry for more than 20 years, helping global technology companies attract and hire the best talent. She is a regional co-lead for the Sage Belong Champions Diversity and Inclusion colleague success network. She is also the inspiration behind igniting other colleague success networks, such as Future Business Leaders of Sage and BUILD (Blacks United in Leadership & Development).
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Gill Oakley is vice president of the Customer for Life at Sage People and brings more than 25 years of operational and services experience within the human capital management, human resources information systems, and payroll domain. Oakley now leads the Sage People Customers for Life Team, made up of Professional Services, Learning Services, Customer Support, Centre of Excellence, and Customer Success.
providing high service levels, coupled with successfully cultivating partnerships and managing projects and skillfully leading teams to achieve organizational goals. Moreover, she has unparalleled expertise in developing recruitment strategies, championing change management, ensuring employee engagement, and managing process improvements.
Faith Ramusetheli is transformation director, Sage Africa & Middle East. She is responsible for driving business transformation at Sage South Africa, including compliance with the broad-based Black economic empowerment codes and regulations. Ramusetheli brings to her role extensive experience in driving HR strategy and highperformance cultures, talent management, diversity and inclusion, and employment equity within the context of multinational technology companies. Mia Venson is senior talent acquisition partner at Sage. Her role focuses on developing partnerships with leaders, developing recruitment strategies, and driving results. Venson has been recognized for WOMENOFCOLOR | SPRING 2021
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from ordering a cup of coffee on mobile devices to handling banking transactions on smart tablets, fintech is all around us.
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www.womenofcolor.online
by Gale Horton Gay editors@ccgmag.com
opportunities
infintech Financial technology, or “fintech,” continues to make an indelible mark on the global economy. Originally focused on back-end processes, fintech now greatly impacts consumer-focused services. As with most other industries, the digital revolution is changing the finance sector rapidly and significantly. As such, new opportunities are opening up for professionals from various backgrounds to enter and positively impact the field.
and clients alike. Additionally, they may allow more streamlined experiences by integrating various systems together. Because the experiences and needs are expanding, the professional base and expertise fields must expand also.
From ordering a cup of coffee on mobile devices to handling banking transactions on smart tablets, fintech is all around us. Not only that, but it is growing at an everexpanding rate. There are many reasons for this. However, one primary reason why fintech is rapidly increasing is because businesses and industries are focusing more on customers and responding to their need for seamless, easily accessible transactions. Those demands have created innovations in mobile and contactless payments, mobile wallets, identity verification, and strengthened security features.
This is why there are so many career opportunities in fintech to take advantage of. The industry will always need developers; they are the backbone of any new technology application, software, or service. Data scientists and analysts are needed to retrieve, manipulate, clean, and validate information. These professionals’ roles are essential to making sure data-driven decisions are based on accurate insights. A myriad of business intelligence and functional analyst positions are needed to drive stronger applications dedicated to user experience configurations. These roles are a part of most major project implementations. Further, they can make sure companies understand what users’ needs are, why they have those needs, and how to emulate that with technology.
Newer fintech advancements now incorporate artificial intelligence (AI) functions as well as an expanded use of robotics for process automations. The industry is also moving more into utilizing machine learning, predictive analytics processes, and cloud-based applications. The goal of these advancements is to provide better, smarter, faster, and easier financial solutions for businesses
There are just a few roles and responsibilities needed throughout the fintech industry. Opportunities abound for business, finance, and STEM-based professionals. No matter which side of the field you want to focus on—the finance or technology sector—any professional looking to join the fintech industry must be able to employ business communication
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skills. There is a very strong emphasis on these skills throughout the field. It is imperative to interpret, understand, and relay terminology and application benefits from both sides in ways that industry-specific professionals know and understand. There are several key ways these skills can be achieved. Getting a degree is the first and most obvious step. Beyond the degree, though, hands-on experience in an IT or finance field or project can be extremely helpful. Because a career in fintech will call for professionals to wear several different hats, it would not hurt to have a working knowledge of both finance and technology foundations. Practical on-the-job training or work centered on a financial or technological project will be a win for anyone aspiring to work in the fintech sector. Fintech is expanding beyond its current boundaries. It is so much more than coding, electronic transfers, and payments made on Google Pay or Apple Pay. There is a strong momentum within the fintech industry that is creating amazing opportunities for finance and STEM professionals by the day. If your professional goals center on providing customer-focused solutions and experiences in a rapidly evolving technology industry, consider the many opportunities a career in fintech offers.
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KNOW YOUR WORTH
Stepping Into Power: Becoming a Leader that Makes a Difference O
ur world is being made better each moment by individuals who have the courage, motivation, knowledge, and skills to step into their power assuredly. Indra Nooyi took on roles of progressive executive leadership from her position of vice president of strategy at Motorola to becoming the CEO of Pepsi. Madeline G. Swegle was the U.S. Navy’s first Black female tactical jet pilot. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman to ever serve in the U.S. congress. The list of women who broke glass ceilings with pivotal accomplishments is extensive. The achievements of the aforementioned women might feel unattainable at first glance, but we can all be leaders who make a difference in our own right. You, too, can move into your power boldly, confidently, and as empowered as these trailblazers if you’re willing to take a few crucial steps and take advantage of this three-tiered method: Visualize, Strategize, and Actualize. Visualization is a powerful tool that is regularly stifled by self-doubt, fear, and imposter syndrome. It can feel impossible to become a leader in your field if you are unable to even picture it in your mind’s eye. Be deliberate about aligning your thoughts with the goals you wish to achieve. Use positive affirmations, vision statements, and vision boards to bolster and sustain motivation. Write it and see it. Next, strategize by creating an action plan that includes milestones that are essential to achieving your goals. To do this, start by identifying the competencies required to be successful. Set short- and long-term goals and seek out mentorship, sponsorship, and championship to assist in bridging the gaps to opportunities. Lastly, actualize to impact! The journey doesn’t end after you’ve achieved your goals; you must continue to grow as a professional and think bigger.
The road to aspirational leadership has its challenges. To make a difference you must be different.
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Remember, this isn’t just about being a leader; it’s about being a leader who makes a difference. Celebrate those wins and own your success, but stay humble. Paying it forward is one of the most effective ways to make a lasting impact. Be audacious and dare to leave things better than how you met them. “Aspire big” by visualizing possibilities larger than yourself. Then, set aspirations that are farreaching. When you do that, your gains and successes cause you to “inspire wide.” Your example leaves a lasting legacy for those who will come after you. “Set the world on fire” with courageous resolution! Even if you aren’t the first to do a particular thing, you can most certainly elevate to new levels and shatter the glass ceiling. It is important to remember this quest is never internally focused. With each favorable outcome, we improve things for the greater good. That is priceless. The road to aspirational leadership has its challenges. To make a difference, you must be different. Within the business sphere, seek to get buy-in from your current leadership. Know your audience and what motivates them. Ensure that the strategy you are presenting has the power to positively impact your company and drive revenue. Step into your power and reject the symptoms of imposter syndrome. Put your plan into action and implement an approach that will set your company and yourself apart from the competition. Carefully thoughtout strategies driven by relevant intelligence and skill will always put you on the path to the success you desire. We all have access to the tools needed to achieve our goals because the power lies within us. All we need to do is move ourselves from a place of thought to action. Once we do that, we clear the path for all the others who will be inspired by us to do the same.
For more stories like this, please visit us at
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by Terrence Dove editors@ccgmag.com
“Aspire big” by
visualizing possibilities larger than yourself. Then, set aspirations that are far-reaching. When you do that, your gains and successes cause you to
“inspire wide.”
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MY HEALTHY LIFE
Three Ways to Reduce Anxiety Without Medication
A
ccording to a 2005 report published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, 18 percent of the adult population in the United States suffers from an anxiety disorder. A 1999 study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychology found that the treatment of anxietyrelated disorders costs the United States over $42 billion each year. Benzodiazepines, the class of prescription drugs typically used to treat anxiety, can be addictive and potentially dangerous. As the author of a report published in a 1995 edition of Psychiatric Annals explained, benzodiazepines are potentially addictive and can cause psychological and pharmacological
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dependence. According to the report, a person can become dependent on benzodiazepines after using them for only a few weeks, and long-term users are at an increased risk. Fortunately, there are natural ways to relieve anxiety without risky medications. Read on to learn more. Lower Anxiety with Exercise If you have been suffering from anxiety, regular exercise may alleviate your symptoms. In a study published in a 2012 edition of the journal Acta Kinesiologica, female participants performed two weekly sessions of aerobic exercise for 10 weeks. At the end of the study, these women had lower levels of anxiety, stress,
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by Jenni Jacobsen editors@ccgmag.com
and depression, whereas women in the control group experienced no significant changes. A second study, published in 2009 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that just a single aerobic exercise session could reduce anxiety. In the study, men and women completed 20 minutes of bicycling and experienced significantly reduced anxiety and negative moods after the exercise. If you have been suffering from symptoms of anxiety, develop a regular exercise routine. You may experience reduced anxiety immediately after the exercise, as well as in the long run. Reduce Anxiety through Dietary Methods Aside from exercise, specific factors in your diet may play a role in reducing anxiety. One such factor is your consumption of certain fatty acids. A study published in a 2013 edition of the British Journal of Nutrition found that consumption of a fatty acid called DHA was linked to a decreased risk of having anxiety. Study participants who consumed the most DHA were 50 percent less likely than those who consumed the least DHA to have anxiety disorders. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health, fish and organ meats are good sources of dietary DHA. Dietary magnesium may also be related to anxiety. A 2012 study published in the journal Neuropharmacology found that rats that were deficient in magnesium showed more anxiety-related behaviors. The authors of a report published in a 2010 edition of Nutrition Journal explained that several studies have shown that magnesium supplementation reduces anxiety when taken along with other vitamins. Specifically, a study published in a 2004 edition of Current Medical Research and Opinion found that a supplement consisting of magnesium and two plant extracts reduced anxiety among patients with mild to moderate generalized anxiety disorder. Patients who received the supplement experienced greater decreases in anxiety than those who were given a placebo pill. According to a 2013 report published in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine, magnesium can be found in spinach, black beans, sunflower seeds, and figs.
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Add these foods to your diet to potentially lower anxiety. Bring Home a Pet to Reduce Anxiety In addition to exercising regularly and adding certain foods to your diet, becoming a pet owner may reduce your anxiety. A 2003 study published in the journal
If you have been suffering from symptoms of anxiety, develop a
regular exercise routine. You may experience reduced anxiety immediately after
the exercise, as well as in the long run. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping found that the act of petting a live animal reduced anxiety among participants who were faced with a stressful situation. Having a pet may also help you remain calm. A study published in a 2002 edition of Psychosomatic Medicine found that pet owners had significantly lower heart rates and blood pressure levels than those who did not own pets. Furthermore, pet owners experienced smaller increases in heart rate and blood pressure during stressful activities than those without pets. Bringing home a pet may help you lower your anxiety levels. Begin a regular exercise regimen and add fatty acids and magnesium to your diet to experience an even greater anxiety reduction. These methods may help you relieve your anxiety without ever setting foot in a doctor’s office for a potentially addictive medication.
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LAST WORD
Inventions, Innovations, and Entrepreneurship Innovative. Unfamiliar. Novel. Cutting-edge. Unusual. What do all these adjectives have in common? Each has likely been used to describe a conceptual idea or brainchild. For the pioneer, the path is new and waiting to be explored. Perhaps the journey is precisely where curiosity, invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship intersect.
M
ary Beatrice Davidson Kenner has been called the forgotten Black woman inventor for revolutionizing the menstrual pad. In 1954, Kenner was issued a patent for the sanitary belt. It started because of her ability and willingness to use her own experiences to think differently, to wonder, “what if?” With over 181 issued patents myself, I, now more than ever, understand why curiosity, invention, innovation, and entrepreneurship can be so powerful at every level. Whether it was nature or nurture, I grew up in a household with a mom and dad who both had a great impact on my love for inventing. Though he never attended mechanic school, I can vividly remember my father always fixing things around the house. My dad was adept at repairing everything from plumbing to electrical issues in our home and the homes of close friends. I watched him take things apart and put them back together, and it fueled my curiosity and interest in invention early. Most can agree that invention, the primary reason we enjoy so many of the modern conveniences we currently have, is a great thing. But why does it matter so much to have intellectual property formalized as a recognized patent? In short, potential advantage. Patents give the owner the ability to restrict others from using, making, or selling the patent’s idea. In some sense, a patent provides a time-limited monopoly. It is an undeniable asset, and
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Ruthie D. Lyle, Ph.D. Principal Technical Patent Architect NVIDIA
the list of benefits regarding patents is extensive. Even if a patent owner elects not to take the product or idea to market, it becomes an asset that can be sold or licensed. Many tech companies have huge patent portfolios, which allows for assignment and licensing opportunities, and
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by Ruthie D. Lyle, Ph.D. Principal Technical Patent Architect, NVIDIA
There is not a single set of people that has the market for invention. It is available to anyone who is observant,
inquisitive, sensitive to problems, and willing to learn. startups consider patent assets in funding strategies. Put simply, well-drafted and appropriately prosecuted patents are powerful and valuable. It would be one-sided not to mention that the act of acquiring a patent requires competence in patent prosecution, among other costs, which is an expensive endeavor. The objective should always be to ask yourself, “Should I pursue a patent for this idea?” and “What do I hope to do with the patent asset once it is issued?” Acquiring a patent is not a lofty goal. However, like any pursuit and subsequent decision in life, expertise and experience go a long way toward making good decisions. With that said, every journey begins somewhere. I urge young people to realize and remember that great ideas can originate from almost anyone. There is not a single set of people that has the market for invention. It is available to anyone who is observant, inquisitive, sensitive to problems, and willing to learn. If you can take your personal experiences and couple them with concepts you are learning in other areas together with lateral thinking, you are already on the cusp of unique and potentially inventive ideas. Remember Kenner? She was a woman who sought to improve something she
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experienced. While her invention may not seem like a big deal today, it was quite significant. In this case, it can be viewed as a liberating cultural outcome. Women who would have been in the home were able to go into the workplace, all because one woman dared to wonder, “What if I could do this?” She might not have even had the foresight to say, “What might it enable?” But her action helped lay the groundwork for change. That is a visionary in action who herself may not have seen the entire vision at the time. So, how should you start? That is simple. Purpose within yourself to be observant, understand what has already been done, and question what is possible. Write out the problem, the solution, and how you believe your solution is different from what someone skilled in the space would know or find obvious. If you believe you have a good idea, document it to the best of your ability. Do not make a public disclosure, and should you choose partnerships, those who will share the cost for pursuing ownership of a resulting patent, choose wisely. Seek out the advice of an expert, like a patent attorney or agent. They may be able to help you determine the viability of the idea. Remember, patent expertise comes at a cost, so be prepared to invest if you want to be the owner of the resulting patent. Organizations like the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) or the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA) may be able to help you find mentors. Your employer or participation in a startup incubator may be a great place to cultivate mentoring relationships. Having patents adds to the strength of your ability to have exclusivity in a particular space. The value they add to a business cannot be overstated. The realized invention is what creates the innovation in the world around us, thought by uncharted thought. Patents are a reward for individuals refusing to accept limits on what is possible. I hope more people of color dare to dream boundlessly. That is where the magic of invention lies. Disclaimer: This article does not reflect the opinion of sentiments of NVIDIA. This article does not constitute professional advice or specific suggested action on the part of the reader. This article does reflect, in general, the author’s opinion.
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