Prioritizing DEI in Tech: The Importance of Diversity
Why Diversity in Tech Matters Now More Than Ever
Diverse teams make better decisions 87% of the time (Harvard Business Review), yet women and underrepresented groups still struggle to break into tech. With the government stepping back from DEI initiatives, the responsibility to keep diversity alive in tech now falls on individuals and businesses.
Throughout my career, I’ve worked with amazing people from all backgrounds—different ethnicities, genders, and perspectives—and I’ve seen firsthand how diversity fuels innovation. Just as biased data skews results, a lack of diversity skews decision-making. If we want to build technology that works for everyone, we need voices from everyone.
The Business Case for Diversity in Tech
Diversity in tech isn’t just about fairness… its about accounting for bias and skew, it’s about creating better products, driving innovation, and ensuring long-term success.
Diverse teams solve problems faster and produce more creative solutions.
Companies with higher gender diversity are 15% more likely to outperform their peers (McKinsey).
The lack of diversity can lead to biased AI, products that don’t work for everyone, and lost market opportunities.
Take facial recognition technology, for example—AI systems trained primarily on lighter skin tones have historically struggled with accuracy for people with darker skin. A more diverse team could have caught and corrected these issues before they reached production.
What Tech Wouldn’t Exist Without Diverse Innovators?
Imagine what the world would look like without the contributions of underrepresented tech pioneers:
💻 Modern Computing – Without Ada Lovelace (1800s) and Grace Hopper (1950s), programming as we know it wouldn’t exist.
🚀 Apollo 11 & Space Tech – If you haven’t seen Hidden Figures, watch it—it’s an incredible story of how Black women mathematicians at NASA helped put a man on the Moon.
💙 Wi-Fi & Bluetooth – Those earbuds you’re probably wearing? Hedy Lamarr’s (1940s) frequency-hopping invention laid the groundwork for wireless communication, Bluetooth, and even GPS.
🌍 GPS – Dr. Gladys West helped develop the math models behind GPS, which power modern navigation and mapping.
🔬 CRISPR Gene Editing – Dr. Jennifer Doudna & Dr. Emmanuelle Charpentier revolutionized genetic engineering.
🔐 Cybersecurity & Encryption – Joan Clarke & Dr. Taher Elgamal made crucial advances in codebreaking and online security.
These innovations shape everything we do today. Without diverse minds, we lose progress, miss opportunities, and build technology that doesn’t serve everyone.
The Risks of Failing to Support Diversity
When companies don’t prioritize diversity, we see:
Innovation slow down—homogeneous teams tend to approach problems from a single perspective.
AI and software with built-in biases—as seen in hiring algorithms, facial recognition, and medical diagnostics.
A lack of representation in leadership, limiting mentorship and career growth for underrepresented employees.
High attrition rates—women and marginalized groups leave tech due to hostile workplaces and lack of advancement.
What Can We Do?
We all have a role to play in ensuring diversity remains a priority in the tech industry. Here’s what businesses and individuals can do:
✅ Mentor and advocate for women and other underrepresented groups in STEM.
✅ Build inclusive hiring and leadership pathways within your organization.
✅ Create Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that support diverse employees.
✅ Encourage young girls and underrepresented youth to pursue STEM careers.
✅ Call out bias and push for inclusive policies in your workplace.
Resources to Keep the Conversation Going
Looking for ways to learn more and take action? Check out these great podcasts:
🎙️ 2 L.I.T. Chicks Podcast (Leaders In Tech) – Hosted by Fern Johnson and Dr. Alicia Makaye, this podcast features inspiring stories from leaders in tech.
🎙️ Deloitte’s Podcast on Inclusion – A recent episode on why inclusion matters in tech and business.
🎙️ Underrepresented in Tech – Hosted by Allie Nimmons and Michelle Frechette, this podcast dives into diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in tech.
This is my daughter... and I want her to grow up in a world where her ideas and innovations are valued. The next generation of women in tech is watching. It’s up to us to create pathways for them.
Final Call to Action
Diversity in tech isn’t just about representation—it’s about the future of innovation. Without intentional action, we risk leaving entire groups behind and slowing down progress in ways we can’t afford.
We need to keep this momentum going. Tech is built by all of us, for all of us—which means we need everyone’s voices at the table.
👉 What’s one action you or your company has taken to support diversity in tech?
Let’s share ideas and keep the momentum going!