I came into tech by accident.
As an academic with a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development, one of my research interests lies in corporate training effectiveness. During my mid-graduate school job hunt, I happened upon a Technical Trainer position with the county IT department. I applied, received an offer, and before I knew it, was considered a “woman in tech.”
Working in a male-dominated industry has been challenging.
Because I’m not actually “tech” through-and-through, I’ve dealt with occasional condescension upon asking questions and trying to learn new concepts as I grow in the field. Add to that that I’m a Black woman and the only Black person in my particular work group, and you're met with a whole host of complications and communication missteps.
No one looks me in the eye when they speak to me, but my hair is a constant source of intrigue.
I’m not included in conversations about program development and system applications, but if something extra Black was on the news the night before, I’m everyone’s go-to.
Colleagues don’t offer to help me learn concepts, but if I make a mistake it’s a small tragedy.
I go through my days alternating between feeling like a piece of furniture, or the elephant in a very small room. Is it possible to feel both invisible and hyper-visible at the same damn time?