New apps. Social media. Cyberterrorism. Cloud hackers. Email hackers. Billion-dollar dot-com IPOs. These are the topics that we all read about and talk about almost daily, but who are the players really making these things happen? Just because you don’t see Black faces in most headlines doesn’t mean there isn’t a substantial and growing cadre within our community making things happen and carving their own niches in the tech space. By bringing talent and resources together, Technologists of Color and Minorities in Technology are two organizations helping to grow the Black tech sector in ways that can benefit you if you are an employee, employer or entrepreneur.
At a recent happy hour meetup in Atlanta sponsored by Cisco, I found technologists from many different sectors; including app developers, software programmers, security specialists, custom computer makers, and recruiters looking for new talent for their organizations. Entrepreneurs were discussing their new ventures, and those who are creating programs to introduce our youth to the benefits of tech were talking about the benefits of their programs. More than anything, everyone was having fun while talking tech. While this particular meetup was in Atlanta, there are Black tech meetups growing in many urban ares throughout the country. When I’m in Los Angeles, I attend Blacks In Technology meetup and always find it very informative and “connective” to many different areas of tech. For more info on the Atlanta group, go to www.techsofcolor.org meetup.com/technologists.
Enjoy the pictures from the Atlanta happy hour meetup at 5 Seasons Brewery in West Midtown.
