Black In Tech: Panel Discussion Celebrates Women Veterans, Calls for Increased Diversity
The 11,000+ woman-led professional networking community will present a panel discussion featuring former military troops turned successful tech professionals
Press Release (ePRNews.com) - SAN FRANCISCO - Mar 08, 2022 - Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech (SC: BWiT), a solidarity group dedicated to supporting the work of Black Women in the technology industry, today announced that Women Veterans worldwide are invited to kick off Women’s History Month with a free virtual celebration on March 16, 2022, featuring a panel discussion moderated by Isabel Céspedes, Creative Director of SC: BWiT.
The theme of the discussion is “Solidarity in Transition,” with panelists exploring issues
minority female Veterans face after separation from the military. Guests will share empowering reflections regarding their career journeys, including how non-Veterans can help mitigate potential roadblocks and setbacks for future job seekers.
SC: BWiT members will also serve as panelists, according to founder Alexandria “Lexi B.” Butler.
“It is important to highlight the diverse and complex narratives within the Black female
diaspora,” remarked Mrs. Butler. “The Black woman Veteran experience is a narrative and
identity that is not adequately highlighted. By creating this panel and choosing to spotlight this version of Black life, non-Veterans will know how to hold solidarity and unify with their Black veteran sisters. Black women must choose to understand the nuanced differences among us so that empathy can rise— and support and respect can be born among us”.
Panelists include Tracy Ferguson, US Army (Senior Engineering Manager at Twitter); LaTorya Walker, US Army (SpecTech Diversity Recruiting & Strategic Sourcer at Meta); and Renee D. Cassidy, Air Force (Manager Development Consultant- Twitter).
In a departure from the in-person events that made the SC: BWiT brand popular, organizers promise the experience is in keeping with SC: BWiT mission to provide safe and authentic spaces for Black women to discuss and organize around issues facing their communities.
“We recognized that a significant portion of our members are veterans, and we want to create a space to engage in an open conversation around transferable skills and translating military language for a tech environment,” said SC: BWiT Creative Director Isabel Cespedes. “There is much insight to be gained from these women, and all too often, recruiters pass on extremely qualified talent who happen to be veterans. I hope that this event serves as the beginning of many ongoing discussions.”
Go to Facebook Groups to join the Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech community at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/scbwit.
About Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech:
Sista Circle: Black Women in Tech (SC: BWiT) is a solidarity group dedicated to supporting the work of Black Women in the technology (BWiT) industry from across the Diaspora. Established in April 2017, SC: BWiT is rooted in the deep history of fellowship groups of Black women in the United States. Sista Circle: Black Women In Tech draws inspiration from history using technology and social media to create connections with Black women on a global scale.
