Five Myths Driving Racial Inequity in Tech
By Naomi Uwaka, Research and Operations Associate
When breaking down racial inequity in the tech industry, it’s tempting to focus on what we already know: The truths — like discrimination and unconscious bias for example — that perpetuate it. While these are crucial to the conversation, the untruths, the myths, that drive inequity are equally important. This is because the powerful thing about myths is that the people who believe them don’t realize that they are, in fact, myths. So when people embrace and operate under these fallacies, they uphold structures that were built on them.
We’re all susceptible to falling for myths that reify inequity. I have yet to see anyone harness the level of wokeness required to be absolutely free of problematic and oppressive thinking. But that doesn’t excuse anyone from failing to challenge oppressive belief systems, especially the folks who actually benefit from the status quo (and who tend to be much more inclined to accept myths as truth). At the end of the day, building the capacity to challenge norms is dependent on first acknowledging that these normed beliefs are really just myths.
Here are five myths that perpetuate racial inequity in tech. These myths were identified by tech professionals surveyed as part of a 2017 Code2040 study aiming to understand how tech professionals view inclusion and equity and participate in advocacy work.
Myth 1: Diversity and equality are the same as inclusion and equity
Too often diversity is watered down to mean ‘difference.’ That’s the limited definition companies rely on when they describe their mostly white, male engineering teams as diverse because they come from all over the United States. My definition of diversity is the presence of folks living at various intersections of identity such as race, gender, sexual orientation, and class. But even with that expanded definition, what diversity alone leaves out is inclusion, making sure that people across the spectrum of difference feel welcome and valued in the spaces where they exist.
The truth is, many people of color, women, and LGBTQ folks in tech feel actively unwelcomed in the industry. For example, in the Code2040 study I referred to earlier, only 30% of Black tech professionals responded that they never or rarely feel excluded because of their racial identity. What does it mean to be or feel unwelcomed in this sense? Well that can look like being tokenized, being stereotyped, being ignored in meetings, or being passed over for a promotion you deserve — those are just a few examples, and keep in mind that unwelcoming behaviors can range from subtle to explicit.
On top of that, ensuring equity is only feasible when women and people of color are offered additional resources to level the playing field with their white or male counterparts. For instance, it’s important that companies provide engagement opportunities such as affinity-based ERGs (employee resource groups) and allocate money and extra resources to recruiting talent from HBCUs (historically Black colleges and universities) and other non-PWIs (non-predominantly White institutions).
Equality alone just doesn’t cut it; giving each person the same resources would not properly acknowledge how resources have historically been unfairly distributed.
Myth 2: Meritocracy drives the tech industry
Meritocracy, which implies that success is determined by skill and effort, does not drive the tech industry. Bias does. Discrimination and exclusion play a large part on who enters the tech space and thrives in it. For instance a member of our community recently recounted a scenario where a hiring manager expressed they didn’t think a candidate who was “pretty street” was qualified for a role. The candidate almost didn’t make it past the phone screening because of that racialized bias, but ended up getting an offer…because they were qualified. Racism, sexism, and discrimination show up in various ways in tech, like the underrepresentation people of color in executive positions and inequitable pay. For example, studies surveying the tech industry have shown that Black women earn $0.79 cents for every dollar white men earn. So the notion that success in tech all comes down to merit is simply untrue.
Myth 3: There is a lack of people of color in the tech pipeline
Here’s one I fell for. I used to think, ‘well, folks of color haven’t been afforded the opportunities needed to exist in the tech pipeline, so there is a lack of Black and Brown folks in the pipeline.’ (Maybe that’s a little better than thinking that people of color don’t have the interest or skills needed to be in tech.) However, it’s problematic nonetheless because there ARE people of color in the pipeline. In fact, Black and Latinx people make up only about 5% of the tech workforce despite holding almost 19% of computer science bachelor’s degrees. The challenge is that tech recruiters and hiring managers perpetuate systemic racism and sexism — -some of which is rooted in the myths we’re talking about — -that keeps them out of the door.
Myth 4: Change only happens it if is profitable in tech
Here’s the thing: research already shows that increasing diversity in tech is economically beneficial. Despite that, we’re not seeing much progress on this issue. What’s really needed to change the tech industry on a large scale is a shift in ethical standards to which companies will be held accountable. Companies need to internalize a code of ethics that promotes and ensures diversity and racial equity regardless of profitability. Racial equity work is all about advancing toward liberation, and if it is dependent on the trends of a capitalist structure, we will never achieve liberation. This is because capitalism is rooted in profit and competition, while racial equity is rooted in equitable resource allocation and shared collective power.
This is much more than about profitability — it’s about dismantling racism and sexism and re-envisioning ethical standards that center racial diversity and inclusion in tech as core values.
Myth 5: Real change only comes from people at the top
A lot of folks, people of color included, agree with this one. People tend to believe that those at the top need to drive change for change to happen. But in reality, it’s usually folks on the ground — activists, coalitions, advocates — that catalyze social change by giving issues visibility, holding people in power accountable, and visualizing change in a way it doesn’t yet exist. People on the ground have the power to be influential agents of change, but when they don’t recognize their potential, that power goes to waste and oppressive systems continue to stay in place.
While people at the top do have power to implement change through the use of money, social capital, and other resources when they’ve been held accountable, they’re usually not driving it.
By not checking these myths, we normalize inequity in tech. What does it look like when we’re able to create solutions outside of the confines of myths and limiting beliefs? I think that looks like a world where we can reach social and economic liberation by actively changing systems of thought. Here’s how to do that in the tech space:
- Providing and advocating for the allocation of resources to students and tech professionals of color
- Designing and implementing equitable systems for hiring, promotion, and recognition
- Utilizing change management and capacity building to situate racial equity as an ethical standard in the tech space
- Speaking up and organizing at all levels (individuals and coalitions) to advocate for and drive change
How will you start busting these myths?
Sources:
[1] Jalil Bishop and Celeste Winston. (2017). Code2040 Community Study, Code2040.
[2] Shawn M. Carter. (2017). Tech pays some of the highest salaries in the US — there’s just one problem, CNBC.
[3] Code2040. (2018). Get the Facts: Why Diversity in Tech?. http://www.code2040.org/background/
[4] Sources on the economic benefits of diversity: “Diversity Matters.” 2015. McKinsey and Company; “Tech Leavers.” (2017). Kapor Center for Social Impact; “Diverse companies see higher profit and have better focus — here’s why.” (2017). Business Insider.
