This past week, I had the pleasure of attending the Grace Hopper Celebration in Philadelphia, PA. If you have never been to Philadelphia, I recommend adding it to your travel list, as it is a beautiful city with great food and culture. The Grace Hopper Celebration is where women and nonbinary technologists attend interactive sessions ranging from hands-on labs to thought-provoking panels discussing careers, technology trends, workplace culture, and job seeking. Not only could I attend, but
One quote was echoed throughout the event, made famous by Grace Hopper herself.
"The most dangerous phrase in the English language is 'we've always done it this way." – Grace Hopper, Computer World 1976."
We started with the opening plenary, which brought the President of AnitaB.org, the award recipients of the Abbie Award, and America Ferrara to the stage. This session described the theme of the event, which was Me+We. During this session, America spoke about her experience advocating for herself and other Latina women in the entertainment industry. She spoke about the importance of "staying in the room," especially when you are the only one representing yourself. When asking Safiya, she mentioned the same important conversation.
The opening plenary was just the beginning, the agenda was packed with sessions, it was hard to choose which ones to attend. Through the many sessions I attended, there were some that I found to be very informative. One titled, Building Spheres of Influence in the Workplace, discussed the qualities of being a good leader, and how that in turn can inspire action in others. The host, Kimberly Jung, CEO of Blanchard House, discussed the importance of listening to understand and how inspiring others requires a sense of vulnerability. One section of this session that really resonated with me was the saying, "Go to the Motorpol". As a veteran, she brings this phrase from her time in the military. To lead and inspire effectively, you need to go to the front lines and see how the nuts and bolts are screwed. From this, you can build relationships at all levels because you can better understand how people who may not be high-ranking officials struggle on the job. Understanding the challenges and nuances others face on the job enables you to lead more effectively by appreciating diverse experiences.
Architects of Fandom: Creating Ultimate Digital Experiences with Product Management was another session that caught my attention. This panel discussion featured product managers from Crunchyroll, LucasFilms, and WP Engine and emphasized engaging fans in different ways such as participating in forums, hosting watch parties, and through immersive, interactive experiences. It also highlighted that not all fans have the same political or cultural views, but your platform needs to be a safe space where everyone is welcome.
One of the last sessions I attended (besides the closing plenary) was 100k Underpaid: How I Closed the Gender Pay Gap In Tech, presented by Laura Berger, CEO, Berdeo Group and Courtney McShane, Global Head AWS Business, ServiceNow. One topic that was discussed during the session was the "grateful" mindset. We can be grateful, but we also need to shift our mindset to believe in our power, confidence and ability to execute and also be adequately compensated for that. She discussed how in many cases she excelled and over-exceeded job requirements, but she was underpaid compared to her male counterparts. Instead of having a bad attitude, she exerted her self-confidence. She presented why she should be paid adequately by aligning her accomplishments with the values that the company represented. She shared her experiences by providing examples of the steps she took to accomplish her mission. As a people manager, she highlighted the importance of negotiating and advocating for oneself, and if someone that she hired didn’t do this, she hired the wrong person.
The event concluded with the closing plenary, which... had Viola Davis as a speaker! Viola discussed her experiences and how she used them to better herself and become the strong leader she is today. She mentioned that before we can lift others up, we must first ensure that we, ourselves are lifted first. We can't be an advocate or leader for others if we are in turmoil with ourselves or don't believe in ourselves. She is a testament to resilience and going after what you want, even if the odds are not in your favor.
The Grace Hopper Celebration was an amazing event with some amazing sessions and content. Not only were there discussions of career growth and progression, but it was also filled with technical sessions that discussed security, AI, data analytics, burnout in tech, and so much more. It was truly a celebration with the theme of Me+We felt throughout the event.
