ColorComm 2015 - Women of Color in Communications - Epic

ColorComm 2015 - July 30th - Aug. 1st - Miami, FL.  ColorComm 2015 was one of the most engaging, thought provoking and enlightening communications conferences I've ever experienced.  I attended at least 80% of the sessions and events during the 3-days of workshops/seminars and each one gave up-to-the minute and real-time information and tools that can be applied to both fledging and seasoned professionals.  Above all, the networking was taken to the next level where speakers and fellow attendees did not just exchange business cards as a matter of habit, but there was high level, one-on-one engagement that moved the dial on relationships and new connections.  One of my most memorial experiences at the ColorComm was Linda Clemons' session, "It's What You Don't Say That Speaks Volumes".  Linda, CEO, Sisterpreneur, Inc., Sales & Body Language Expert, is an extraordinary speaker who delivers with energy that you know is authentic and comes from a genuine place. Understanding how your very stance during a presentation to your hand movements while answering questions was an eye opening revelation.  I am positive every attendee in the standing-room-only session, walked away with information to improve their skills the public relations and communications profession.

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Photos from ColorComm 2015

Tech Round-Up: Pinterest | Tech 808 | 43North | Intel

Pinterest has a new Diversity Initiative.  On Tuesday, July 28th Pinterest hosted the Bay Area Blacks in Tech Meet-up group in their continued effort to be true to their commitment to Diversity in Tech.  The speakers were Aston Motes, Developer of Dropbox.com website and Entrepreneur; Nancy Douyon, UX Researcher, Google Speaker, Global Innovator, Storyteller; Grant Oladipo, Engineer, Entrepreneur, Mobile Leader and Medium.  More than 100 millenials and tech enthusiasts gathered for thought provoking conversation and not just chatter or noise. 

So many are burnt out on the conversation of the lack of diversity in tech and it's time to talk solutions and Pinterest wants to lead that charter.  Not just by hosting an event, but launching an innovative diversity project.  Pinterest is putting a huge stake in the ground by setting specific, measurable goals, targets and a 2016 timetable to achieve its diversity and inclusion goals.  This is a very aggressive date, but more palatable for those who have been anxious and waiting for change.  Additionally, Pinterest is opening an experimental lab inside the walls of the company to apply the human ingenuity to test new strategies for building more diverse, inclusive companies. Read more about Pinterest's diversity project.

Two African American women are now a significant part of 43North.  43North's $5M Challenge is the largest prize money in the country as a carrot to attract entrepreneurs from around the world to build their fledgling tech businesses in Buffalo.  Two African American women, Angel Davis and Lauren Washington, are among the 2014 winners of the 43North business-idea competition.  Davis and Washington have been friends for more than 10 years and have won a $250,000 prize for the app they developed, KeepUp.  This application is currently available on the iTunes App Store, is a productivity tool that helps users filter out non-essential posts from six major social media feeds, like Twitter and Facebook, and limit incoming messages to as many as a dozen milestone-type events.  The prize comes along with office space in 43North’s incubator, access to area business resources, like University at Buffalo’s Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership, and mentors to develop and nurture their venture.  Read more about Angel Davis, Lauren Washington and 43North.

Tech808 comes to Oakland, CA.  Tech808 takes place on Saturday, August 15th at ImpactHUB Oakland with a line-up of 14 speakers.  Tech 808 was created for minority and millennial entrepreneurs and appeals to those interested in the intersection of hip hop culture, tech and entrepreneurship. The first conference kicked off in 2014, but this year multiple stops will extend the experience for attendees across the country. The three stops include D.C. (which happened in June), Oakland and a finale in NYC, where the original conference began.  The next Tech 808 conference will happen on August 15 in Oakland  in collaboration with Impact HUB Oakland and sponsored by Kapor Center for Social Impact and MailChimp.  The Phat Startup’s conference will once again link entrepreneurs, tech enthusiasts, students and more together in order to elevate and motivate those looking to succeed in the tech industry.  Read more about Tech808 and get tickets.....

Intel ups referral bonus to achieve more diversity in its workforce.  Intel will pay up to $4,000 in bonuses to employees who refer a woman, minority, or veteran to its workforce, the company confirmed in a statement to the Wall Street Journal on Monday. The fee is double Intel's current referral bonus and viewed by the company as a way to increase chances of having women and minorities receive more representation in a job applicant pool that has disproportionately consisted of white men. At the end of 2014, Intel had nearly 54,000 employees and over three-quarters of its workforce was male and 56 percent of employees were white. Just 8 percent of the company's employees were Latino and 3.5 percent were African American. Intel did not share data on veterans. Read more about Intel's new initiative here...