B The Way Forward AnitaB.org & Frequency Machine

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Ruthe Farmer, activist and policymaker, who has trailblazed a path toward increasing diversity, building inclusion, and prioritizing gender equity in technology. In Ruthe’s illustrious career, she has leveraged successful and current infrastructures to promote girls’ and womens’ participation in these fields. Ruthe continues to be a champion in this space - ushering in, and supporting, a new wave of women in technology. Ruthe’s advocacy work led her to found “The Last Mile Education Fund”, a gap-fund organization that invests in individuals already committed to STEM careers, by supporting them when unconventional circumstances challenge them otherwise.
Ruthe shares the true battles women face while in higher education today - and spoiler alert, most of the time it isn’t in the classroom! The intimate stories of the lives touched by the Last Mile Education Fund help inform educational institutions, employers, and recruiters, about the daily challenges students are faced with before entering the professional workforce. With the average grant request being $956, it reveals how a little in someone’s world can be so impactful in another’s. Brenda and Ruthe’s conversation offers a broader perspective on how we can encourage young technologists to continue on their successful paths, starting with empathy and understanding.

“Just last week we got a donation from a grantee and she said, ‘I'm happy to be now a donor instead of a grantee, please pay it forward on my behalf,’ and it really is a virtuous circle that is not only going to bring up the diversity of computing, but increase economic mobility for underrepresented people, but it's also incubating givers. And putting people into the ecosystem who are just the kind of people who are grateful and they want to pay it forward and pull the others up behind them.”

For more about Ruthe and the work of The Last Mile Education Fund, check out...
LinkedIn - /RutheF & /lastmilefund
Facebook - /LastMileFund

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

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Connect with AnitaB.org
Instagram - @anitab_org
Facebook - /anitab.0rg
LinkedIn - /anitab-org
On the web - anitab.org 

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Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

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B The Way Forward Is…
Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson
Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 
Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 
Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki
Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 
Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org
Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org
Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

This episode of “B The Way Forward” brings the ideas of intersectional inclusivity and visibility to the forefront. Host Brenda Darden Wilkerson speaks with disability rights advocate, Tiffany Yu, about moving disability inclusion forward and why finding community is so important. Did you know that there are an estimated one billion people with disabilities worldwide? This statistic drives Tiffany’s important work, particularly as the CEO and Founder of her company, Diversability.
In this episode, you’ll hear some of Tiffany’s own personal experiences, including where her story began at the age of 9 when she became disabled as a result of a car accident that took her father’s life. Now, she’s become a powerful voice and trailblazer for the disability community and is author of her new book, “The Anti-Ableist Manifesto: Smashing Stereotypes, Forging Change, and Building a Disability-Inclusive World.” Brenda and Tiffany discuss why inclusion needs to be intentional and how representation in books and movies is a powerful tool for change – they even talk about Barbie! Tiffany’s powerful message will leave our listeners feeling inspired and confident to challenge the norms and make a change. 

"One of the things we talk about in the disability community is we don't like being seen as inspiring just because we exist as disabled people. But, if I can inspire you to take action and change the trajectory of your career to fight for disability equity, I’m all about that type of inspiration."

For more about Tiffany and her work, check out...

Tiffany's Website - tiffanyyu.com
Facebook - /imtiffanyyu
X: @imtiffanyyu
Instagram - @imtiffanyyu
TikTok - @imtiffanyyu
LinkedIn - /tiffanyayu
Threads - @imtiffanyyu
Clubhouse - @imtiffanyyu

And for more about Diversability, check out...

On the web - mydiversability.com
Facebook - /diversability
Twitter - @diversability
Instagram - @diversability
TikTok - @diversability
LinkedIn - /diversabilitycommmunity

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

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Connect with AnitaB.org
Instagram - @anitab_org
Facebook - /anitab.0rg
LinkedIn - /anitab-org
On the web - anitab.org 

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Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

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B The Way Forward Is…
Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson
Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 
Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 
Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki
Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 
Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org
Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org
Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Jimmy Chen, founder and CEO at Propel, a tech company whose app was created to help low-income individuals and their families manage government benefits. Jimmy’s work empowers vulnerable individuals, particularly those who rely on food stamps, to improve their financial health. Brenda and Jimmy discuss the biases in tech entrepreneurship, particularly around how founders and investors tend to build technology that solves problems from their personal experiences. Without diversity in tech entrepreneurship and funding common problems for minoritized people are often overlooked.

We hear Jimmy’s story and how he found a gap in technology and why he felt drawn to help solve meaningful financial problems that serve people using the safety net. Jimmy saw an opportunity: Around 40 million people in the U.S. who receive food stamp benefits on an EBT debit card have to constantly call a 1-800 number to find out their balance. So, his company Propel built the country's first mobile banking app for the EBT card. Jimmy talks to Brenda about what it means to create impact and how he’s been working to really listen to the people his product is serving. Jimmy also opens up about being a male ally in the tech industry and the goals he has for Propel to continue building a product that reflects the demographics of the people they are serving.

“I really think of respect as a core foundational design element to how we think about our relationship with people who use our products and what we are trying to do alongside them. I think it's part of the same conversation of, look, we're not building for people, we're building with people in many cases because we respect that they know what's best for themselves.”

For more from Jimmy and Propel, check out...

X -@jimmychen and @joinproviders
Instagram - @providersapp
Facebook - /ProvidersApp
LinkedIn - /propel-inc, and /jimmychen1

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

---

Connect with AnitaB.org
Instagram - @anitab_org
Facebook - /anitab.0rg
LinkedIn - /anitab-org
On the web - anitab.org 

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Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

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B The Way Forward Is…
Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson
Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 
Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 
Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki
Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 
Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org
Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org
Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson talks with Nate Shalev, whose inspiring social impact work emphasizes the importance of inclusion in the workplace. As both a trans and neurodivergent individual, Nate founded Revel Impact, a consultancy that focuses on creating workplaces where all people can thrive. Nate’s work involves everything from building frameworks for more inclusive environments to recommending workplace policies for businesses and executives. Brenda and Nate discuss the best types of language to use for inclusivity, how to be an ally to your peers and why small changes can have a big impact. Nate, who was named a LinkedIn Top Voice, also explores the importance of storytelling and why they use social platforms like LinkedIn to open up and tell personal stories to a large audience. 

“Often when I speak to companies they're talking about, ‘Well, how do we account for everyone? If everyone is so different and everyone has unique experiences, what does that mean?’ And so, I think if you have this framework and you can practice that muscle of being intentional, of being able to create those structures around it, then you'll be able to approach each situation, even though each person is unique. If you already have that framework, that foundation, then you'll be much, much better set up for success.”

For more of Nate and their work check out...
LinkedIn - /nshalev

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

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Connect with AnitaB.org
Instagram - @anitab_org
Facebook - /anitab.0rg
LinkedIn - /anitab-org
On the web - anitab.org 

---

Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

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B The Way Forward Is…
Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson
Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 
Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 
Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki
Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 
Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org
Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org
Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

This episode of “B The Way Forward,” is all about advice as host Brenda Darden Wilkerson explores the many paths and entry points into the tech industry. Our guest, Hosanna Hali aka the Fairy Tech Mother, has been working to demystify the tech space by offering tips and tricks across her social media channels. As a young woman in tech who spent 5 years working at Microsoft, Hosanna leads by example and uses her voice to empower other young people looking to pursue careers in technology.
This thoughtful conversation pushes us to think about the career paths we choose and encourages everyone to continue toward the goals they wish to pursue in tech. Brenda and Hosanna discuss the tricky feelings around imposter syndrome and why you belong in the tech space despite what external voices might be telling you. Plus, Hosanna offers unique advice to our listeners like how to stand out from the crowd, why it’s important to understand your individual value and why your degree doesn’t have to define you. She also explains why she founded her very own platform called “The Tech Cornr,” where she posts video and content to help others learn more about careers in tech. 

"Yes, the degree that you have will make a real difference in some of the jobs that you apply for, but don't let that stop you. Your career doesn't start and end by your degree, it's just one part of it."

For more of Hosanna Hali and her work check out...
Instagram - @thetechcornr
TikTok - @thetechcornr
YouTube - @thetechcornr9187

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

---

Connect with AnitaB.org
Instagram - @anitab_org
Facebook - /anitab.0rg
LinkedIn - /anitab-org
On the web - anitab.org 

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Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

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B The Way Forward Is…
Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson
Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 
Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 
Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki
Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 
Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org
Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org
Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org

On this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson takes listeners through a unique and mission-driven type of venture capitalism. Our guest Sunita Grote leads UNICEF's Venture Fund which provides seed funding to early-stage ventures in emerging markets. Through her work at UNICEF, Sunita builds a portfolio of emerging technologies that help children around the world. Brenda and Sunita talk about what types of technologies the Venture Fund is investing in from AI and machine learning to blockchain, cryptocurrency and drones.

Sunita shows us how these investments drive impact for example: Education solutions that make it easier for children to consume math; A medical records platform that has helped boost child vaccination rates by over 8%; And even blockchain cash and voucher systems that improve the speed and transparency which cash assistance is delivered to families in need. They also talk about the importance of changing power dynamics by being thoughtful about which solutions are selected and investing in technology founded by women. Together, Brenda and Sunita dive into the importance of mission-driven venture funding and what we can look forward to from Sunita and UNICEF in the future. 

“How we do things when it comes to technology and innovation, to me, is as important as the ‘what’ we do. It's not really okay to compromise on the ‘how’ for the sake of the next big technology solution. That’s not really going to get us to changing some of those fundamental imbalances that we’re seeing and those injustices that we're seeing.”

To find out more about UNICEF's Office of Innovation and their work check out...

LinkedIn - /unicef-innovation
X - @UNICEFinnovate
Instagram - @unicefinnovate

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

---

Connect with AnitaB.org
Instagram - @anitab_org
Facebook - /anitab.0rg
LinkedIn - /anitab-org
On the web - anitab.org 

---

Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

---

B The Way Forward Is…
Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson
Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 
Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 
Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki
Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 
Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org
Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org
Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org