Building Communities Online By: Melissa Henderson
How To Make Friends As An Adult To navigate the online space is like choosing designer clothes from the Goodwill. You have to bypass the trash to get to the good stuff and that’s basically how the internet has become. A pile of trash with a few diamonds in the rough. It’s no wonder that private communities on Facebook, Youtube and TikTok are mobilizing, motivating and puting women and non-binary POC on game. Building long lasting relationships as an adult is becoming easier if you’re open to it. Groups like Black Girls Therapy on Facebook easily have over 50k members and provide a safe space to share personal traumas, inquiries and concerns about life, love and careers. It’s operating under the assumption that plenty of people have been in your place, why waste money on trying to do it yourself with little guidance. I met Alexandria Butler in another online group, but we really connected through her online Facebook group called “Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech,” a space that unites black women in the tech industry and provides fellowship to other women who are either transitioning into tech careers or wish to do so. I’ve watched it grow from 50 members to now over 5,000 members in the last two years Go inside our interviews with three of our favorite online and in- person all female led communities. VSZ: What made you create the Sista Circle Facebook group? Alexandria Butler: Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech started in my Oakland apartment in April 2017. I have been in the tech industry my whole adult career and never had a group of Black women of all ages to support me as a professional. I initially started the group to build relationships with some Black women who could help me navigate my career. But I realized very quickly that this group could be something so much more. As the group increased, so did my mission. It was no longer just about people building relationships. It became apparent that tech companies needed to know that we exist and needed to create a space for us to be ourselves. Therefore, I started partnering with tech companies to produce events that catered to the needs of the women in the group such as negotiation tips, brand building and mentorship. Also, our collective power as tech industry professionals is transformative. I made it my mission to partner with Black owned business for our event vendors and we produce an annual holiday gift guide highlighting Black owned businesses throughout the world! It is important that while we support each other in tech, we also find ways to support the greater Black community. 49
