Let’s Rawk The Web
A Call to Action
Denise Jacobs GitHub’s Public Speaking
Workshop for Women 22 February 2014
Rawk The Tweets The Sista Gettin’ her Speak on:
@denisejacobs
Where we at? @github #passionprojects
What I’m rawkin’ about:
@rawktheweb #rawktheweb
O hai!
Photo: Derek Kearney
Today: Creativity
http://www.flickr.com/photos/massimobarbieri/3998455558/
Have you noticed…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/frozencapybara/1376454002/
An imbalance?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/julia_manzerova/4748112382/
Typical dev conference line-up
UX conferences
Typography conferences
Tech company startup crews
http://www.techxav.com/2009/07/10/lets-activate-the-way-back-machine-the-history-of-twitter-in-pictures/
Tech book authors
Is the tech industry just white dudes?
***
There is plenty of diversity…
***
There is some diversity…
***
There is diversity…
***
There are diverse web experts
So…what gives?
FOWA Miami 2009
http://www.flickr.com/photos/judxapp/3308023998/
And at present…
Much like Kristina…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/judxapp/3307193183/
And just so you’re not confused…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/judxapp/3307193183/
(white) ^
Honest!
Photos: Denise Jacobs
Potatoes & the tech industry
http://www.flickr.com/photos/benmillett/281344513/
Lack of biodiversity
Exponential growth & influence
Newspaper http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:African_American_boy_selling_The_Washington_Daily_News.png
Radio http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StateLibQld_1_105248_Group_of_friends_gathered_around_a_radio_in_Brisbane,_ca._1942.jpg
Television
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Family_watching_television_1958.jpg
Globally pervasive
1) http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcmetroblogger/4731961032/, 2) http://www.flickr.com/photos/dcmetroblogger/3861295403/, 3) http://www.flickr.com/photos/rosipaw/5308977361/, 4) http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiwanja/3169449999/
There are a LOT of different potatoes
http://www.flickr.com/photos/flatbushgardener/2105741902/
Approximately 4500!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/benmillett/241673100/
More voices to be heard
http://www.flickr.com/photos/lynneluvah/3365184823/
(and diversity!) http://www.flickr.com/photos/fynes/1726530589/
The Web
The problem: we’re hiding
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kenzzz_14/7031233649/
My call to action:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/thivierr/1177775772/
Let’s Rawk The Web!
Let’s Tawk
1. Why 2. Where (to start) 3. How (to get started & become visible) 4. What (to do to up-level) 5. When
Roots: How to Rawk SXSW 2010
http://www.flickr.com/photos/adactio/4428737167/
Why?
• Lament in the industry • Lack of role models discourages
potentials • Diversity of voices encourages
innovation
Lament on-going for years “I go to only a small fraction of conferences and what do I see? The same handful of speakers….few new faces, fewer new ideas, rarely anything new to learn.”
- Nick Finck Beyond the A-List, Diversity in the Web Community, February 2007
Need to encourage potentials
http://www.flickr.com/photos/barretthall/3036598475/
Innovation FTW!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shirinwiniger/3680885289/
Well said.
“Diversity and opportunity…in our industry…leads to the best, most innovative, and most successful new creations.”
- Anil Dash, “Tomorrow’s Adas”, 2010
Where to start?
• Get clear • Get inspired • Get a plan/set some goals • Get support
Get inspired
http://royhoes.deviantart.com/art/Out-of-Inspiration-85588391
WebVisions 2005
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/26147599/
Get clear
From this
Photo: Denise Jacobs
To this
To maybe even this!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tedxrheinmain/8621197881/
Get support
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kara_allyson/5358611092/
SXSW 2006
http://www.flickr.com/photos/janbrasna/112338913/
Create goals & make a plan
http://www.flickr.com/photos/angietorres/4564765098/
How to start & become visible?
• Promote yourself • Propose yourself • Reach out & ask • Value yourself • Get mentors
Promote
Reach out
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nogood/211873647/
Be BOLD
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sakocreative/3894673274/
Propose yourself
http://www.flickr.com/photos/orinrobertjohn/2506156264/
Bam!
Ask
Photo: Denise Jacobs
FOWD site March 26, 2010
FOWD site April 15, 2010
Get a mentor/mentors
http://www.flickr.com/photos/wrote/2646295354/
Find those who have done it
Value yourself
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pocait/2847866615/
WWWGD?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dlaughland/3475448568/
Learn from them!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/grothaug/3634720217/
Beware!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/glimeend/2661332153/
Your inner critic will be ready!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/epsos/4887528060/
“They’ll find out I’m an impostor”
“I don’t know enough”
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/Einstein_1921_by_F_Schmutzer.jpg
“I’m skurred”
Photo: Denise Jacobs
Put fear in its place “Fear is not real. It is a product of the
thoughts you create. Do not misunderstand me. Danger is very real. But fear is a choice.”
- character of Cypher Raige (played by Will
Smith), After Earth
*WHATEVER*
http://cdn.makeagif.com/media/1-23-2013/quhKj3.gif
Try a Power Pose!
People will start to seek you out http://www.flickr.com/photos/bcymet/3559319887/
What to do to up-level?
• Volunteer • Be a mentor • Be a Maven • Collaborate • Initiate & Launch
Volunteer
CodeFeverMiami.com
Be a mentor
Photo: Denise Jacobs
Be a Maven http://www.flickr.com/photos/opensourceway/7496803638/
Senongo + FOWD = AWESOME
http://www.flickr.com/photos/placenamehere/8212282613/
Collaborate http://www.flickr.com/photos/argonne/4436484250/
Power-Push Writing Group
Initiate & Launch http://passion-projects.github.com/
Make your ideas manifest
http://ladiesintech.com/
(Are you surprised?) http://www.flickr.com/photos/zen/3446600695/
Neither mad nor petulant
http://www.flickr.com/photos/admiretime/3062187514/
Not about “Viva La Raza” ̀
Photo: Carlos Miller
Not about “Viva La Gender”` Photo: Denise Jacobs
Nor is it about ego http://www.flickr.com/photos/44085287@N05/4055807492/
Visible presence has effects
Case Study : Media Evolution, The Conference MUST READ: http://blog.mediaevolution.se/2012/11/05/gender-equality-at-media-and-tech-conferences/
This is all about Love, y’all
It’s good for EVERYONE “I also wanted to thank you for your presence as a
speaker at [Interlink] conference, because I often find that the speaker lists are, like many things, too often crowded with white men. And as a white man, I really appreciated your perspective as a woman of color, and I'm hoping that it continues to clear the way for a multiplicity of voices in our industry, which is greatly needed.”
- Nick Cox, @everydaytype, 9 June 2011
What I’m shooting for
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bhenak/2663858493/
Conference lineups more like this:
From this version of reality…
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kentbrew/113013880/
Shifting to this one…
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150276276554203&set=t.652726529&type=1&theater
And this!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/loggedhours/7932892142/
And this!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cheryl/3356560366/
Right?! http://www.flickr.com/photos/hellquist/4669645994/
Your mission…
and
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8286330@N03/4322042366/
Give the tech industry your voice and your face
Yes, YOU
http://www.flickr.com/photos/siutou_amy/2306794554/
Bringing out your inner rawkstar
http://www.flickr.com/photos/torley/2761300969/
Is a way of showing up in the world
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dougbelshaw/4168593521/
Starts with you & ripples outward
http://behance.vo.llnwd.net/profiles19/1330505/projects/5455539/30cbf8c45952cdcf360ef545b1dcaba9.jpg
We can change the world for the better – together! http://www.flickr.com/photos/sepblog/3527804859/
So, are you ready to Rawk? http://www.flickr.com/photos/cindyli/5525695760/
Let’s Do This! RawkTheWeb.com
Twitter.com/rawktheweb
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How to find me
Photo used with permission: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aarronwalter/4629078087/