The Women Interactive Technology Festival’s mission is to create an environment where women educate and inspire each other to use technology to create impactful content. Rolling out sat down with the founding curators, Sabrina Harvey and Ashia Sims, to learn more about the upcoming festival and the women behind this empowering movement.
Please introduce yourselves and tell the readers how you contribute to the technology industry and to this conference?
Ashia Sims: I am one of the founding curators of Women Interactive focusing on programming and general logistics with the rest of the team serving as the backbone of the festival. Additionally, I educate individuals and companies in technology and social media workshops using digital storytelling and video production to maintain their image.
Sabrina Harvey: I am also one of the founding curators of Woman Interactive. As friends and business partners, Ashia and I came up with the idea together. We are technology educators. We conduct workshops and build curriculum for nonprofits, corporations and educational institutions.
Why is it important for women to be creators of content?
Sabrina: It is important for women to be creators of content in order to control our narrative as far as who we are as women and what we contribute to society. If women are more involved in decision- making we can even out the playing field and create a more positive imagery for women.
Ashia: Oftentimes when you do not take control of your image, you tend to lose control of what it looks like. If more women take an active role n the creation of products, it will balance things out more when products are made for women.
How early should technology be introduced to young girls?
Both: Children are born into technology. As soon as they are at a cognitive level, introducing them to use technology to help form their mind and as a tool will prepare them as they grow.
What do you hope attendees will take away from this conference?
Both: Practical how-to tips to utilize in their career and idea process and are inspired to form relationships with others that they meet at the festival and go on to create more awesome projects.
Who is your role model and why?
Sabrina: My grandmother, mom and my aunt. They are all examples of really strong women who have always worked hard. It’s because of them I am as old as I am and continue to strive to create and give back to others.
Ashia: My mom. She showed me how to get in there to handle business, stay organized and keep everything intact.
If I interview you a year from today, what are you hoping you have accomplished by Oct. 2014 in terms of outreach and education?
Both: ‘Women Interactive’ expands to more cities and collaborated with great tech company to achieve our goals to educate and encourage women to be a voice in the world of technology.
The second annual Women Interactive Creative Technology Festival will take place Nov. 9 at Spelman College in the Cosby Building. Purchase tickets at www.womeninteractive.com.
