Lending Privilege

by Anjuan Simmons

In Anjuan Simmons's talk titled 'Lending Privilege' at RubyConf 2017, he addresses the critical issues of diversity and inclusion within the technology sector. Recognizing that technology lacks representation, particularly of women and people of color, Simmons emphasizes that those with privilege can lend their advantages to marginalized groups to foster equity.

Key points discussed include:

- Power of Privilege: Simmons uses the example of Leonard Nimoy's advocacy for equal pay for fellow actress Nichelle Nichols as a model for how individuals can leverage their privilege for the benefit of others.

- Lack of Representation: The tech industry suffers from imbalanced representation, leading to unintended consequences as technologies are developed by a homogenous group.

- Diversity and Business Benefits: Studies show a positive correlation between diversity and improved business performance, highlighting that equitable representation leads to greater success.

- Difference Between Diversity and Inclusion: Diversity means inviting people of varied backgrounds, while inclusion ensures they feel welcome; both are crucial for a thriving tech community.

- Grassroots Movements: True change will come from collective efforts rather than relying solely on corporations. Simmons encourages individuals to actively foster an inclusive environment.

- Types of Privilege Lending: Simmons identifies three methods of lending privilege: credibility lending (providing visibility), access lending (creating opportunities), and expertise lending (providing a voice).

- Call to Action: He urges the audience to recognize their own privileges and utilize them to support colleagues who may face systemic barriers.

Simmons concludes that fostering diversity and inclusion is not a mere aspiration but a necessary action in building equitable technology. He encourages leveraging privilege to dismantle barriers and facilitate a more inclusive tech industry, ultimately suggesting that a commitment to this cause is essential for everyone involved in technology. The audience is left with a sense of responsibility to contribute positively to their communities through mindful actions and support for underrepresented individuals in tech.

00:00:10.250 All right, good morning everyone! Welcome to Lending Privilege. My name is Anjuan Simmons, and it's really great to see everyone here.

00:00:21.660 I've worked in software development for 20 years, and I always think that diversity and inclusion will just go away. I often wonder, are we still talking about this?

00:00:33.060 However, something always happens. For instance, you might have a woman who works at a software company write about the horrible misogyny and sexism she experienced. Alternatively, you may have someone from another software company write a manifesto claiming that diversity and inclusion aren't worth investing much time in.

00:00:52.739 No matter where you are on that spectrum, I hope we can all agree that there are real problems. Technology, as an industry, lacks balance. Women and people of color are not represented in technology at the levels you would expect based on their percentage of the population.

00:01:13.110 This is something we should be concerned about because not only do we have unequal representation, but there is also an unequal distribution of benefits like pay, promotions, and positions of power.

00:01:25.770 This is not a new problem. A few years ago, back in the 60s, there was a television show that wasn't doing well in the ratings. The lead actor was concerned about ratings, but he was also concerned about another issue.

00:01:36.320 He realized that one of the actresses on the show was not being paid as much as the male actors. Because he was one of the stars of the show and beloved by the fans, he decided to act. He went to the studio executives and demanded equal pay for that actress, and he was successful.

00:01:55.020 The actress's salary was adjusted to equal that of her male peers. The television show was Star Trek, the actor was Leonard Nimoy, who, of course, played Spock, and the actress was Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura. Nimoy lent Nichols his privilege—his male privilege as an actor and also his influence with the fans.

00:02:26.020 Let's note that Leonard Nimoy was down with equal pay for equal work long before it was cool. By lending her his privilege, he helped advance her position as an actress by providing her access to better pay.

00:02:46.350 Now, I'm sure many of you are wondering, what does this have to do with Ruby? Well, similar to the media industry, our industry also suffers from a lack of equality. We have a lack of representation of women not only in tech companies but also in leadership positions.

00:03:10.960 We see that whether we're developing code or deploying it, the people working in software don't reflect the world. There are real consequences to this. The reality is that a woman working on a Ruby project today likely has less access to equal pay than someone working on a television show in the 1960s.

00:03:32.530 I believe diversity and inclusion can really help solve many of the problems we see in the technology industry, and the stakes are higher than ever. As we work on next-generation technologies like self-driving vehicles and artificial intelligence, we'll witness the negative ramifications of the lack of inclusion in our industry.

00:03:59.590 We know that technology can be used for great good, but it can also be used for great evil. What happens when you weaponize artificial intelligence to potentially influence an election? What happens when you create technology that can attack the power grid of a city? We need as many people as possible joining software development because we will be architecting the future with the code we build and deploy.

00:04:40.270 However, if we want to change the world, we first have to change ourselves. I think that Leonard Nimoy provided a model for how we can address this problem. Remember, Nimoy didn't wait for Paramount to roll out a salary equality program or create a diversity group. He acted based on his sense of fairness, and I think that's a great model for how we can help make our industry even more inclusive and diverse.

00:05:27.340 I believe Nimoy foresaw equal pay for equal work, but he also anticipated the importance of diversity for business success. A study by McKinsey in 2009 showed a positive relationship between racial and gender diversity and the high functioning of a business. Inclusion is not just a hippy fantasy; there are real business benefits to diversity.

00:05:54.610 It has been shown that moving the number of female leaders from 15% to 30% can lead to a 15% increase in net revenue margin. The business case for diversity and inclusion is clear, yet often we cannot access these benefits because we block people without privilege from entering our organizations and contributing.

00:06:33.910 Before we move on, I want to clarify that I've been using diversity and inclusion somewhat synonymously, but we must understand their differences. Let's say you're throwing a party: diversity is like sending out invitations. You write down the names of people you want to invite and send out the envelopes. You might invite people from various backgrounds, but when you're done sending out invitations, are you really inclusive?

00:07:32.960 Inclusion goes further; it ensures that people feel welcome at your party. It recognizes that some guests had to journey further than others, showing appreciation for their presence. Inclusion requires empathy, while diversity simply requires a stamp. The good news about working in Ruby is that we're all really nice, which is a great advantage if we care about diversity and inclusion.

00:08:11.520 However, we need to weaponize that niceness. We must ensure it's not just a passive trait but an active force in our everyday lives because the sad truth is we can't solely rely on companies to solve these issues for us. We've seen big companies try. They publish diversity numbers year after year, and there has been almost no change, often even negative changes.

00:08:58.700 In many cases, companies place diversity under HR, meaning HR departments often exist to protect the company rather than the employees. While there are exceptions, true change will require a grassroots movement. We need people who act based on fairness, much like Leonard Nimoy did. Many of you are likely leaders and can act within your spheres of influence.

00:10:11.170 Working in tech, we already understand grassroots movements and open source software. Eric S. Raymond was one of the first people to write about open source, witnessing how it disrupted traditional top-down control. He compared the closed model of software development to a cathedral where everything is centralized and controlled, while he likened open source to a bazaar where everyone has a voice and the ability to contribute.

00:10:58.160 Raymond found that this bazaar model produced better results and stated, 'Given enough eyeballs, all bugs are shallow.' This means that a large enough group of people working on a problem can quickly identify issues and find fixes. Inclusion in software development means making it open for everyone so that no problem is insurmountable.

00:12:22.780 Yet, just as we protect our repositories with passwords, we often keep people out of our companies and deny talented individuals access to the opportunities in the industry. We often deny ourselves access to their skills and contributions, undermining the meritocracy we all desire.

00:13:04.920 Lending privilege can be a powerful concept to help us make things better. However, let's be very clear: having privilege does not imply that you haven't worked hard or faced challenges in your career. It's akin to riding a bike uphill—you're working hard and sweating, but others may face obstacles you don't even notice.

00:13:38.239 Privilege gives you the benefits of navigating life without facing those particular obstacles. Thus, privilege can be defined as access to benefits based on traits you possess, such as education, job opportunities, or living in a safe neighborhood.

00:14:22.980 It can mean not worrying about life-threatening situations during interactions with police, or the stress of not knowing if someone's bias may affect your job performance. Many women have shared that upon being hired, they often fill two roles: their actual job and also the role of combating stereotypes about women in tech.

00:15:32.310 It would be better to allow women to simply perform the jobs they were hired for, without needing to navigate biases. There are two major categories of privilege: 'birth privileges' from the traits assigned at birth, such as race, gender, and physical ability; and 'selective privileges,' which come from choices made later in life.

00:16:30.540 Your portfolio of privilege consists of both birth and selective privileges. I want everyone to look within themselves and identify at least one privilege you hold. Consider how your career in Ruby code might be different if you lacked certain privileges, such as gender or racial privilege.

00:17:03.210 There are likely colleagues who bear the weight of not having your privileges. Understanding this disparity brings responsibility: recognizing your privilege and lending it to others can create opportunities for those who don’t share that privilege.

00:18:25.960 Let me illustrate how privilege lending can work through three types of lending: credibility, access, and expertise. Credibility lending involves providing visibility to someone without privilege. An example comes from Stephen Colbert, who featured activist DeRay McKesson on his show, boosting McKesson's visibility and impact.

00:19:01.410 At your company, if you know someone who is talented but lacks visibility, invite them to present alongside you during executive meetings. This is how you can help increase their profile and ensure they are recognized for their contributions.

00:19:46.820 The second type, access lending, is providing entry for someone without privilege. Women in tech often express that there's a lot of sexism in the industry, which can discourage them from believing in their ability to succeed. This brings to mind an example of Traci Chow, a well-known diversity activist.

00:20:15.830 During her time as a student at Stanford, Chow faced challenges and insecurity about competing with male peers. One of her professors encouraged her to become a teaching assistant, which allowed her to see that her abilities were just as valid as those of her male peers.

00:20:57.930 You can lend access by inviting someone from your organization who lacks connections to attend conferences, helping them feel that they belong in the tech community. The third type is expertise lending, which involves providing a voice to someone without privilege.

00:21:33.100 People of color often question their place in tech due to a lack of representation. For instance, Michelle Obama once spoke at South by Southwest, urging attendees to ensure that diverse voices are included at decision-making tables. At your company, if you have a great developer who contributes positively to the team, let them lead a new project and showcase their talents.

00:22:18.720 Those are three types of privilege lending: credibility lending, access lending, and expertise lending. These practices are relatively easy; they just require daily mindfulness and effort. I want to emphasize that lending privilege is counterintuitive. It doesn't imply that you lose privilege.

00:22:57.720 Lending your privilege means making the benefits available to others. When we spread privilege, we help create a meritocracy in tech. We'll ensure that talent, regardless of its packaging, feels welcomed in our industry and is able to contribute meaningfully.

00:23:20.300 I liken this concept to investing. You wouldn't put all your investments in one asset class; diversification strengthens your overall portfolio. Likewise, by lending privilege and promoting diversity, we can create a stronger tech community, more resilient against challenges.

00:24:29.310 I attended a conference in San Francisco a few years ago where I was reminded of the power of diversity and inclusion through Common's song 'Glory' from the movie Selma. The lyrics reflect our collective journey toward equity: 'One day when the glory comes, it will be ours.' We must believe that together we can build a more inclusive tech industry.

00:26:13.872 As we look at our history, the amendments were designed to incrementally improve our union's justice. For instance, the Thirteenth Amendment was not just about abolishing slavery for Black people; it affirmed the right to freedom for everyone. Women gained the right to vote through the Seventeenth Amendment, and the recent Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage ensured the right to love without legal limitations.

00:28:30.640 Similar progress can be made in tech. Lending privilege is not a silver bullet; it requires an ongoing commitment to foster a culture of equity. When we invest time and effort into this practice, we make strides toward a more just technology sector.

00:30:06.520 So, it's vital that as we engage in this industry, we remain aware that diversity and inclusion intersect deeply with what we create. As we work tirelessly on our Ruby code, we must acknowledge that fostering an inclusive environment is part of building the future of technology.

00:30:53.880 Ultimately, we must understand that lending privilege is not just a distant concept. It is a necessary action, rooted in fairness and equity, that helps create a culture where everyone can thrive. So let's work together to ensure that our industry welcomes and encourages people of all backgrounds.

00:32:07.880 If we want technology to truly become a final frontier for human growth, it needs to be diverse and inclusive. Together, we can break down barriers and ensure that all voices are welcome in our industry. Thank you for joining me today and committing to lend your privilege.