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When I look around me today, I see an incredible range of professional opportunities for people with diverse backgrounds in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields … people from all walks of life. Those opportunities become available when we are open about who we are and how we are different; when we accept and appreciate the differences of others; and when we bring our whole selves to work. Here’s my personal journey as someone who’s different, and which I hope will inspire you to take action and make a difference.
Some background on myself: I am a multiple minority. I was born with a profound hearing loss, got my first hearing aids before I was one year old, and then much later at age 38 I got cochlear implants. When I came out as gay at age 14, I received tons of support from family and friends. I am quite the activist, participated in gay youth groups, and as an undergrad at MIT I became the vice president of the LGBT student group. I’ve never hesitated to stand up for my needs as a Deaf person, requesting for services to gain full access.
Growing up, my parents made it a priority for me to learn to speak and lipread – they did not encourage me to learn sign language. However, as a young adult I grasped that my hearing loss and inability to understand sign language was holding back opportunities for career advancement. So, at age 26 I started taking American Sign Language (ASL) lessons and made friends in the Deaf community. My life changed! I could now participate in group conversations with signing friends. Thanks to ASL interpreters I could enjoy theater performances and fully participate in work meetings. In the late 90’s, when AOL Instant Messenger was released, my coworkers at Oracle figured out the necessary network changes so we could all text with each other, bringing me on equal footing at team meetings and impromptu conversations. I no longer felt ashamed about my hearing loss; it was a second coming out, and this time as Deaf.
In the early 90’s, as a member of the LGBT employee group at Apple, I led the domestic partner task force to eventually get the company to offer those benefits. Back then I never thought we’d see same sex marriage become legal in my lifetime, and yet here we are today. Last year at Salesforce I cofounded Abilityforce, our Ohana Group for people with disabilities and allies. With the support of Salesforce’s Office of Equality and our allies, we’re championing product and workplace accessibility, raising awareness around disabilities, and ensuring that Dreamforce is the most accessible ever. On October 19 at Tech Inclusion in San Francisco, I was on a panel about employee resource groups for people with disabilities. I hope all this will result in more such resources for people with disabilities springing up at other tech companies.
It’s a great feeling to funnel back all the support and encouragement I have received throughout my career toward ensuring inclusion for everybody at work: that we all can contribute to our full potential, no matter what makes us unique. The seeds we plant today – through actions to make our workplace more accessible and equitable – have fruitful impacts beyond where we can see from here. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered a powerful speech with this line, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Similarly the road toward inclusion is not always straightforward, and can get bumpy at times, but change is happening, and there’s increasing support to bring in and nurture diverse talent.
Actively support underrepresented groups, even if you don't personally identify with them. Join or start an Ohana Group. Attend a Tech Inclusion conference and help drive an inclusive future for everyone.
Verna Myers (@VernaMyers) said it best, “Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance.” What are you doing to bring your whole self to work, to make the world a better place, and to dance together at this party we call life?
