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...

Who moved the dial on diversity at Rev. Jesse Jackson's PUSHTECH2020 Conference?

Rev. Jesse Jackson's PUSHTECH2020 Conference took place on May 6th in San Francisco, and during his remarks throughout the day you would often hear him say, 'here in Silicon Valley'.  Clearly an implication that SF can be considered Silicon Valley and the movement of closing the gap of diversity and inclusion among the tech giants needed to happen in both the Bay Area and SV.  Rev. Jackson's PUSHTECH2020 initiative of Diversity + Inclusion = Innovation has drawn national attention and just about every tech and corporate giant who has diversity and inclusion initiatives,  were in the house at the conference.  Well of course they were because when Rev. Jesse Jackson talks, people listen.

While there is certainly a reason to continue the conversation about the diversity gap in technology,  Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP Environmental Initiatives, said in her keynote address to not discredit the non-tech jobs (which are 60% of the jobs in SV), that are held by a diverse population at Apple because these jobs do feed families.  In Apple's effort to show their movement to divide their resources among diverse communities, Ms. Jackson further stated that Apple has donated $10M to NCWIIT (National Center for Women in Information Technology) and extended more than $3B to diverse suppliers.  Those are indeed impressive numbers, however Mr. Butch Graves, President & CEO of Black Enterprise called it 'window dressing' because Apple, along with several other tech industry companies represented at the conference, do not have 'one' person of color on their Board of Directors.  Particularly, during the Leading from the Top: Minority Board of Directors on Advancing the Diversity & Inclusion Agenda panel, Mr. Graves stated that Apple's idea of a 'diverse supplier' is women and many of those women-owned companies who receive contracts from Apple are not from a diverse populations.  Desiree Johnson, CEO, Johnson Publishing, who was also on this panel, stated that attention must be paid to ad buys in Black media.  That while many of the tech firms represented at this conference buy millions of dollars in advertisement, those ads are not seen in Black media.

Lastly, Lisa Jackson wanted attendees to know that Williams Capital Group, manages Apple's bond investments, where Christopher J. Williams, Chairman and CEO is an African American.

Who put money on the table and moved the dial at the conference?  Who took a first step in showing a monetary investment right here in Oakland?  Intel!  Brian Krzanich, Intel's CEO announced  they will invest $5 million over the next five years in a new pilot program to teach computer science to high school students in the Oakland Unified School District.  The goal of the program will be to send 600 high school graduates to college to study computer science engineering in preparation for jobs with Intel or other companies.

Several comments during Rev. Jesse Jackson's keynote address reigned true and received applauds.  Rev. Jackson stated, "Let’s turn pain to power by hiring youth and not shooting them down", "Diversity & Inclusion is not the cost of doing business, it’s doing good business",  and "Let's move the conversation from diversity to equality".

By: Y'Anad Burrell - Glass House Communications

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Film Season Is Now! 58th San Francisco Int'l. Film Festival - April 23rd - May 7th

The 58th San Francisco Int'l. Film Festival is taking place right now and running through May 7th.  I must say, this year's selection of films is the best I've seen in several years and I have more than 12 on my radar to see.  I am hopeful I will make at least half of them as this is a very robust effort on my part.  I am thrilled about the diversity in programming and applaud the SFIFF team for their selections this year.  From Nina Simone to an intimate evening in conversation with stellar actor Richard Gere, bouncing between the Kabuki and Castro Theaters is well worth the ride.

Opening night on April 23rd with the screening of Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine (Doc) did not disappoint. Director and Oscar-winner Alex Gibney was brilliant in not just pulling together such an amazing story around the build-up of how many people live now, iLife, but the sprinkles of Jobs' life showing the audience how many strived to understand a man who was a volatile enigma even to those closest to him during most of his life as a tech giant.  Even to the point of, in the early days when he was worth $200M, only agreeing to pay $500/month in child support to the mother of his first born. How did a man who so valued enlightenment as he practiced Zen, act in often brutal self-interest when it came to work and family?  After seeing this film I was definitely convinced that people did not fall in love with Steve Jobs, but rather the products he created that enhanced and changed lives forever.

In Conversation With Richard Gere - Screening: Time Out of Mind.  On April 26th, the long lines of admirers started to form close to 2 hours before the highly anticipated arrival of Richard Gere at the Castro Theater, for what we all knew would be one of the most engaging conversations with an actor we would have in San Francisco. The evening with Mr. Gere, preceding the film screening of 'Time Out of Mind', was funny, enlightening, bold and above all genuine.  He remains, by far An Officer and a Gentleman we loved so much on screen over 20 years ago.  Richard has been a Buddish since his 20s and he came to learn about this religion while going through growing pains and wanting to have a deeper understanding of his place in this life.  He found comfort and answers for his life in the study of Buddism and Zen, and at 65 years old it remains a strong force in his life.  One thing Mr. Gere made clear, was that on the many occasions he has been with Dalai Lama, they have never talked about films.  A huge 'aaaahhhaaa' moment for the audience. Imagine that!  My favorite part of Richard's interview was when he mentioned that when searching for media consultants and interviewing many who represented high profile Democrats, he says, 'there was something unreliable about them'.  The crowd burst into laughter and as a media professional, I definitely 'got it'.  Mr. Gere went on further to say, that Roger Ailes was a solid in that area.

The film Time Out Of Mind is was about a homeless man trying to figure out how to pass the time when you have nowhere to go? How to get identification when you have none to start with? Disheveled and red-faced, George Hammond (Richard Gere) wanders New York’s cold streets, facing these questions The film exposes the bureaucracy of social services and a stirring glimpse into the lives of those on the margins.

 

Yves Saint Laurent - Wow! I was really and very much expecting to see much more glamour, fashion and couture, but the film was largely about the 'dark side' of the legendary Yves Saint Laurent.  Fashionistas, like myself, are very much aware of the drugs and alcohol abuse, which is somewhat common in the industry, so I was very hopeful that we would have an opportunity to see much more of the creative process, the design mind behind the genius designer and have take-a-ways to use in the field.  But watching a dog eat pills that accidentally made their way to the floor and watching that dog go into overdose and die was heart wrenching.  From a production perspective, film well done.  In the area of content, would have enjoyed seeing so much fashion.

There are a ton more films showing through May 7th so get your tickets NOW!  Purchase here: SFIFF

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Tech Talk: 91 Year Old Tech Designer | CODE 2040 | Toddler Tech | Pandora's Diversity Program

Toddler Tech: YouTube. Can you image your 3 year child being memorized for hours and hours by a bright screen with vibrant colors and lots of movement dancing across the screen?  Have we considered what this does from an educational learning perspective or even more importantly from a physical one?  When it comes to marketing, dollars and corporate brand, these questions, I would imagine, are nowhere close to the top of the list.  Google jumped into the world of toddler tech when it introduced YouTube Kids late last month, marking Silicon Valley's first big step in appealing to a lucrative and largely untapped demographic of mobile device users: kids under 5. Amazon launched a kid-safe tablet in the fall, and other companies are likely to follow.  YouTube Kids offers a solution to the problem of uncontrolled viewing with a timer parents can set. And by giving parents more control over what children watch, Google and other tech companies are trying to earn the keys to a well-protected kingdom.  Educators and healthcare professionals are chiming in on this conversation and I am sure we will be hearing more from these industries.  What in the world will happen to programs such as First 5 or Head Start?  Details at 11.

Founded in 2012, CODE2040 has a simple mission that dovetails with the growing and resounding message pressing Silicon Valley to use its significant brainpower to make tech less of an ivory tower.  CODE2040 provides college-age African-American and Latino students who have shown an interest in computer science with both an encouraging network of peers and, more pointedly, a summer internship program aimed at placing them at tech companies whose narrowly focused recruiting efforts often overlook them.  Tristan Walker, Co-Founder of CODE2040 and CEO of Walker & Company Brands, is quoted in USA Today saying "If you're a smart company, you'll want an ethnically diverse team empathetic about the needs of your diverse consumers. What we're doing at CODE2040 isn't charity work. We're trying to help tech organizations because there is a real business imperative here."

Pandora's Diversity Program.  Last year, Pandora, located in downtown Oakland, joined a wave of Silicon Valley companies that revealed the makeup of their workforces. The music streaming site said that about 70% of its U.S. employees are white, and 3% are African-American..  More recently the numbers have shown that nearly half of Pandora employees are women, a far better gender balance than most tech companies have achieved, but the majority of them are White.  This diversity in tech conversation will go on for many years, but it's important to track certain companies and their efforts in, at least, working on more diversity in the field.  When Lisa Lee, Diversity Program Manager, joined the company last spring, she spent her first month simply listening and learning about what people were already doing. “She asked them about some of the things they were proud of that had happened in the past and what else they would like to see in the future. Instead of instructing employees on what they should do, Lisa incorporated their opinions and insights as she drafted the company’s diversity strategy.  The strategy of empowering different employee groups so they can have a voice in the diversity dialogue, both in the company’s culture and the way it conducts business is critical to inviting employees to drive diversity initiatives. 

As a young girl, Barbara Beskind dreamed of becoming an inventor. Now, at 91 years old, she's seeing it through.  Beskind works as a tech designer for IDEO, a Silicon Valley design firm. Two years ago, she read an article about IDEO, which is famous for creating the first mouse for Apple, and decided to apply for a job, saying: Beskind primarily works on projects pertaining to aging. She feels like her coworkers can't always put themselves in the shoes of the elderly.

 

And go!

Out On The Town: Super Bowl 50 | $75M Donation to SF General | MoAD Opening Reception and more.....

Feb. 19. Super Bowl 50 Business Connect @ Scottish Rite Auditorium, Oakland, CA.  This Business Connects links the Bay Area's diverse business community to contracting opportunities to Super Bowl 50, the largest annual sporting event in the world.  This year it takes place in our own backyard, at Levi Stadium on February 7, 2016 and there will be weekof events starting Feb. 2nd.  The Business Connect 's goal is to increase contract opportunities for minority, women, disabled veteran and the LGBT owned business enterprises to conduct Super Bowl business. The application deadline  to be considered for these Super Bowl contracts is April 30th and you must have be certified.  Details and application process can be found at Super Bowl 50 Business Connect.  And go!

 

 

Feb. 12.  Hearts After Dark, A fundraiser for San Francisco General Hospital Foundation. 

Hearts After Dark brings takes place at AT&T Park and over 1,000 young professionals gather under a covered tent with music, complimentary drinks, unlimited desserts and the best small bites from various San Francisco restaurants.  The atmosphere of celebration is in the air given the recent announcement of a $75M donation to the hospital from Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook CEO) and his wife Priscilla Chan.

This event, in combination Heroes & Hearts, generates the Foundation’s largest source of unrestricted revenue which is used for improved patient care and have the potential to develop sustainable funding.   Read more about Hearts After Dark. {Photo: Franchesca Allan, 7x7 Magazine (Middle)}

 

Feb. 12. Ernst & Young's Annual Black History Month Executive Roundtable.  It's a rare chance to have a fireside chat with C-Suite executives to hear their journey of how they landed their positions.  EY creates a platform for young professionals and veteran executives to hear these dynamic and inspirational stories.  Through panel discussions, the audience heard stories of the career paths and achievements of several successful Black professionals, while participating in thought-provoking discussions and taking advantage of an abundant networking opportunities.  Moderator: Gracelyn Hodge – Partner, EY. Panelists: Daniel Boggan, Jr. – Interim Chief Executive Officer, Alameda Health System. Sheila Talton – CEO, Gray Matter Analytics, James White – CEO, Jamba Juice.

 

Feb. 3.  MoAD's Opening Reception - Artist Marie Johnson Calloway: Legacy of Color.  MoAD's exhibits are becoming more and more intriguing for me and certainly their opening receptions of new exhibits are 'must attend' events.  I had NO idea the legendary, talented and very graceful Marie Johnson Calloway was not only an Oakland resident, but the most exhilarating 94 years young woman I've ever met.  All the stops were pulled when celebrating Ms. Calloway's exhibit, 'Legacy of Color', during this opening reception and more than 300 attendees were thrilled to meet Ms. Calloway and happy to see many of her friends including Belva Davis, Willie Brown, Anette Harris, Pam Moore and the list goes on.

From vibrant painting to textile assemblage, Marie Johnson Calloway (b. 1920) uses various media and techniques to convey her experience as a Black female artist. Inspired by her family and the Bay Area, Calloway represents the rhythm and spirituality of Black life through color. With a life spanning over nine decades, Calloway’s contributions are celebrated as an educator and an artist.  Over the years, the artist has been actively involved in civic and civil rights activities, such as serving as president of San Jose, CA branch of NAACP, frequent lecturer and advisor on art and civil rights issues, participant in the Selma March, and serving on numerous civic and human relations advisory committees as well as public art selection committees.

Marie Johnson Calloway's exhibit is open at MoAD until April 5th. You will miss a treat if you don't see it before it's gone.  And go!

Photos from MoAD Opening Reception by Glass House Communications.

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19th Annual Art of Living Black - Over 75 Artists Featured - Exhibiting in Richmond and Oakland, CA

The Art of Living Black (TAOLB) Exhibiting at the Richmond Art Center.  TAOLB was founded 19 years ago by the late sculptor Jan Hart-Schuyers and late painter Rae Louise Hayward after their realization that black artists were not being represented by galleries in any significant way. This year’s exhibition at the Richmond Art Center (RAC), located at 2540 Barrett Avenue, Richmond, CA, will showcase a broad range of works by more than 75 artists from throughout the Bay Area.

Artist Talks Sat, Feb 14, noon – 1:30 pm: Artists: Dania Frink, Alix Magloire, James Knox, Julee Richardson, Hilda Robinson, Arthur Norcome. Moderated by Raymond L. Haywood

 The Art of Living Black Open Studio Sat, Mar 7, 11 am – 5 pm.  A unique opportunity to meet a selection of artists and purchase their work in our main gallery.

Several artists will also be exhibiting at Oasis Gallery @ American Steel Studios, 1960 Mandela Parkway, Oakland (enter on 20th Street) on the follow days and times: Feb. 28th & Mar. 1st, 11 am - 6 pm, Mar. 6th - 6 pm - 9 pm and Mar. 7th, 11 am - 6 pm

Artists featured in the 19th Annual The Art of Living Black: Dana King, Latisha Baker, Doug Blanc, Timothy Bluitt, Lorraine Bonner, Cedric Brown, Marguerite T. Browne, Stephen Bruce, Lawrence Buford, Melanin Buford, Sydney “Sage” Cain, Claude Lockhart Clark, Duane M. Conliffe, Courageous, Kelvin Curry, Bill Dallas, Paula de Joie, Jim Dennis, Cheryl Patrice Derricotte, Gene Dominique, Ann Edwards, Jimi Evins, Dania W. Frink, Anjuelle D. Floyd, Naomi Floyd, Donna Gatson, Delores Gray, Renata E. Gray, Nannette Y. Harris-Jones, and many many more.

About The Richmond Art Center (RAC)

RAC is the largest visual arts center in the East Bay. Their four galleries and sculpture courtyard allow them to mount rotating exhibitions that display the works of emerging and established Bay Area artists. Throughout their long history they have showcased artists such as Richard Diebenkorn, Jasper Johns, Jay DeFeo, Wanxin Zhang, Hung Liu, Ed Rossbach and Peter Voulkos.

Post by Glass House Communications.

Grammy Award Winner and Songbird DENIECE WILLIAMS - Feb. 8th

Out On The Town: Van Jones | Never Park Again | Hot Shot of the Week | Colors of Christmas | 100 Black Men and More...

Dec. 10th - Movement 50 Hosts Van Jones.  Earlier in the day Mr. Jones moved the crowd with his introduction of keynote speaker Rev. Jesse Jackson at the Intel/Diversity in Tech event in Santa Clara, CA.  During the evening, the same day, Mr. Jones commanded the stage at Impact HUB Oakland and in his true to form nature, always having a strong message to deliver, he addressed the movement around "Black Lives Matter" to the mission of #YesWeCode, which is a new initiative, founded by Mr. Jones, to train 100,000 people from low-income communities to code.  Mr. Jones put into very plain context that it's not that law enforcement officers are afraid of the violence that African American boys and men may do to them, but rather they are afraid of the potential of success of these individuals.  Movement 50, the group that hosted the event, are a group of new leaders, activists, artists, entrepreneurs, and pioneers energized about the future direction of Oakland and motivated to engage the larger community in joining that movement.  The organization started with the need to bring together the Bay Area's diversity and talent in order to harness that collective power towards change.

 

Dec. 13th - 100 Black Men of the Bay Area, 26th Annual Scholarship Dinner.  The damp weather in San Francisco did not stop close 600 supporters from gathering at the Marriott Hotel dressed to impress and ready to celebrate the many successes of their various programs throughout the year. The organization has several programs supporting youth: Youth Movement Program, The Junior 100 College Bound Mentoring Program, and The Collegiate 100 Black Men at UC Berkeley.  In 2014 they awarded $25,000 in scholarships and since their inception in 1988 they have awarded over $1.2M in educational scholarships and grants. The Gala Chair this year was Mr. Danny L. Williams and the MC of the hour was the funny and talented Daniel Dugar, and award recipients were: Michael Morgan, Oakland East Bay Symphony - Community Achievement Award; KBLX 102.9 - Corporate Community Achievement Award; Kazan, McClain et al - Corporate Achievement Award; and Robert L. Harris, Esq. - Lifetime Achievement Award. 

100 Black Men of America, Inc. seeks to serve as a beacon of leadership by utilizing our diverse talents to create environments where our children are motivated to achieve, and to empower our people to become self-sufficient shareholders in the economic and social fabric of the communities we serve.  Now more than 100 chapters and 10,000 members and still growing.

{Photo Lf to Rt: Daryle Wyte, 100 Black Men; Dr. Pastor Charley Hames, Jr., Beebe Memorial Cathedral; Michael DeFlorimonte, theREGISTRYBayArea}

 

ZIRX - Never Park Again.  I think I've FINALLY found a driver - well a driver of sorts - and I never have to worry about parking again.  For the many meetings and events that I attend in a day, I have to actually factor in time just to find parking which can add close to two additional hours to the hustle and bustle of the day.  Thank the stars for ZIRX, a parking concierge.  You simply download the app on either your Android or iPhone, stop you car near the address where you're going, request a driver/agent via your cell phone and usually arrive within 5 minutes they show up.  The agent will then take your car while you shop, do errands, attend meetings, etc..  Then, when you're done just call the agent and within about 15 minutes they show up with your car.  The $15 daily price includes it all: pickup, storage, redelivery, and tip.  Go online to read more about insurance, full day rates, etc. Read more - Zirx

 

Dec. 16th - Colors of Christmas w/Peabo Bryson @ Davies Symphony Hall.  From joining the crowd to engage in selfies to serenading the women and children, Peabo Bryson is a crowd favorite every year and I look forward to the event every year.  The Colors Of Christmas is an annual holiday musical celebration hosted by R&B sensation Peabo Bryson. Joined by a changing selection of musicians, Peabo Bryson and friends ring in Christmas every year with a musical evening full of favorite pop and Christmas hits.

This year, Peabo Bryson was accompanied by Taylor Dayne, best known for her No. 1 single Love Will Lead You Back and Tony and Grammy winner Jennifer Holliday, as well as American Idol Ruben Studdard, for an unforgettable performance. Every year the concert is backed by a full orchestra and the selected choir has been directed by the highly regarded and internationally known director, singer, songwriter, musician and Bay Area's own Jeffery Williams. - {Photo Lf.: Carolyn Tyler, Anchor ABC7)



 

Dec. 18th - The African American Employee Network (AAEN) Holiday Mixer @ W San Francisco.  Did you make it? I hope so because it's certainly an annual holiday event that you don't want to miss.  Some of the most influential movers and shakers in the Bay Area are all in the house, under one roof at one time which is rare.  It's not about passing business cards but more about 'cultivating a relationships' with the men and women who are moving the dial in both as corporate professionals and entrepreneurs.  As much as they are professionals they also know how to party and 'get it in' do it was not a 'stuffy' evening, but rather lot of good conversation, great music and smooth vibes.

AAEN of the Bay Area is a collaborative network of African American employee resource groups from the private, public, and educational sectors in the Greater Bay Area community. AAEN was organized by representatives from EY (Nicole Felix), Merrill Lynch (David Spencer), michaelD. Communications (Michael DeFlorimonte) and PG&E (Dela Weeks ) in direct response to a need expressed by members of the corporate community.  AAEN objectives are focused in four areas: Career/Professional Development • Financial Management • Work/Life Balance • Technology.  AAEN launched in Oct. 2011with an event sponsored by Merrill Lynch. Fifteen Bay Area corporations were represented. Today, AAEN is in contact with 30 Bay Area employee resource groups and associations.

 

 

Dec. 13th, 100 Black Men Annual Scholarship Gala.  Ms. Natalie Gunn and Mr. Bakari Adams were the 'BEST DRESSED couple of the evening. Done and Done!


And go!