Creating Inclusive Tech Policy Organizations
Our society is diverse. The technology we use should reflect and embrace that diversity. As should the policies and people proposing regulations for that technology. In the same way homogeneous tech organizations can lead to decisions that harm historically marginalized communities, tech policy organizations have a duty to create inclusive work spaces.
When we heard our colleagues at other tech policy and digital rights organizations wanted to promote more diversity in their hiring practices, Alisa Valentin and I co-drafted a guide reflecting our experiences as professional women of color.
“A Seat at the Table: Creating Inclusive Tech Policy Organizations” provides tips on advertising practices, creating opportunities, and retaining diverse employees. Alisa and I highlighted areas where minority candidates are often not considered or accommodated along the hiring process, such as failing to advertise with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) or providing paid internships. We also facilitated a conversation with the Leadership Conference’s Civil Rights, Privacy + Technology Table using this resource. The website includes suggestions made and practices used by members of the Table during this conversation.
Alisa and I intentionally chose the word “inclusive” over “diverse.” More needs to be done beyond hiring. Making a workplace inclusive requires an intentional shift to create a welcoming work culture and ensure minority employees receive appropriate support. Seeking to create a diverse workplace without making it inclusive has detrimental effects on minority employees.
This guide was written with tech organizations in mind but the tips are applicable to all work spaces.
Thank you to Julia Chrusciel and Rootid for managing the website design project.
Additional resources:
- Advancing Racial Literacy in Tech: Why Ethics, Diversity in Hiring & Implicit Bias Trainings Aren’t Enough by Jessie Daniels, Mutale Nkonde, and Darakhshan Mir
- White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
- How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi
- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo
- Designing for Accessibility by GitHub users Sue Spevack and Michael Owen
- 8 Steps Leaders Can Take to Make Their Workplaces More LGBTQ-Inclusive by David Levesley
- How to Make Your Workplace More LGBT Friendly by Andrew Blackman
- Radical Copyeditor Blog by Alex Kapitan (with tips on more inclusive writing)
All book links go to non-Amazon stores.
Gabrielle Rejouis is an associate with the Center. You can find her on Twitter at @gabriellexgem.
Alisa Valentin co-authored this guidebook while serving as communications justice fellow at Public Knowledge and now serves as the special advisor to FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks. You can find her on Twitter @AlisaValentin.
