Welcome to the Women & Allies In Technology community group. One of the core goals of our community is to create a place for women to be empowered to have a voice, collect insights on community resources, and educate through shared experiences.
Our Goals
Of course, our goal is to create a safe place for development and growth, but we have some additional guiding factors beyond this.
- A place where topics relating to professional growth, technology, and events can be posted.
- Submit conversational posts to collaborate on various topics and expand on ideas by asking questions.
- Find professional help by seeking mentors, asking for advice, posting about events, and other support groups.
- Provide advice about real-world experience, offer to take on mentoree, and encourage allies.
WAIT: Why Am I Talking
Why Am I Talking is our defining guild line with responding to a community engagement. WAIT is a structure to remind ourselves to be considerate and constructive in our engagements. In practice, this means asking if the interaction you are about to engage with is positive or necessary. Is what you’re adding helpful to the community and the person you are responding to? Taking ownership of your actions allows others to feel safe sharing and expanding on their ideas.
Questions-> Answered
Q: Can anyone post here, or just women?
A: Anyone can post here if it contributes to contrastive conversation, adheres to being an ally, and aligns with driving inclusion.
Q: Where can I report if there is any conflict?
A: Any listed leaders are happy to assist and mitigate any conflict.
Q: How do you engage in a mentorship?
A: If you are seeking a mentor, you may post a question denoting what you are looking for assistance with, and our community will respond. If you are a mentor looking for assistance, post on the request with your experience. As leaders, we can help you get connected.
Tribute
This community’s logo is a tribute to Hedy Lamarr and her patent diagram for frequency hopping. Hedy was primarily known as an actor in her life, winning many acting awards. But what many people did not know was that she was an inventor. It was not until 1997 when Hedy, at the age of 84, received the Pioneer Award for a technology she patented in 1942. This technology, “frequency hopping, spread-spectrum communication system” was used by the US Navy in the war and laid the groundwork for modern wireless signals. She also invented other technologies like tablets that dissolve to make soda and traffic stoplights, never receiving any formal engineering training. She helped to show the world that no matter our background, we all have something to offer and deserve a place to be heard and seen.
Closing
In closing, feel free to post about your experiences, technology you are excited about, and ask questions to create constructive conversation. We hope to help provide inside the scoop on women's conferences, highlight women speakers, and provide valuable tips for both women and allies. Again, welcome, and thank you for joining our group.