preview

My Obstacles In Diversity

Decent Essays

Interestingly enough, the main diversity-related obstacle I’ve faced in my life has been the categorization of diversity itself and the notion of being “enough” in these categories. I’m a person of color, and I’m a person of mixed race. My late father was English, and my mother is African American. It was always awkward growing up without my father, because I was a drastically different skin color from my mom as a very pale and white child. People often asked my mother ignorant questions like, “Is she yours? Are you watching her for someone else?” Within my own family on my mom’s side, many members straight up refused to acknowledge me as a relative because of my skin color being so light. Meanwhile my mixed race cousins, who were darker skinned, found much more acceptance within our family, they were “black enough”. They were black enough and I wasn’t. This sort of thinking followed me as I grew up, and I always felt like I couldn’t connect with anyone aside from my cousins, they were just like me and accepted me regardless of how “white” I seemed. I’ve seen this binary mindset applied beyond race. I’ve witnessed those who identify as bisexual being rejected because “Bisexuality doesn’t exist”, this notion of either …show more content…

They’re two of the best examples I have, from personal experience, of companies with a strong understanding of what diversity and inclusivity are. Code.org is working to make computer science available to everyone who doesn’t have access to it, period. Everyone is involved, there’s no “right” type of underprivileged person they’re looking to serve. The same goes for Girls Who Code. Transgender, transexual, and agendered females are all allowed to participate in the Summer Immersion Program; and the Girls Who Code clubs, a little known fact, are co-ed. I want to bring more open mindedness like this into the tech industry, because everyone belongs in

Get Access