By any measure, I had a lot of things going for me ten years ago. I was a high-flying enterprise technology consultant for a great company, the owner of a brand new five bedroom house in Atlanta, and it had scarcely been a year since I’d graduated from college. I was on 100% travel, so… Continue reading Abernathy Black Tech Panel Event Recap
Author: willie jackson
Speaking My Truth: An Evening in Boston
It’s been less than a year since I started sharing my journey and mission with live audiences, and I’ve never been more convinced of the need for voices like mine (and yours) to be amplified. One of the reasons that I sit on “diversity” panels is because the audiences I’m in front of rarely hear… Continue reading Speaking My Truth: An Evening in Boston
Racism Reminders
For many folks who hold historically marginalized identities, particularly those of us who feel the effects of racism and microaggressions acutely in our bodies, I’d like to share two truths for determining how to think about those who perpetuate bad behavior: They are mistaken. It’s not about you. Half the battle is deciding if we’re… Continue reading Racism Reminders
Boston, Boycotts, and BREAD
Tonight I’ll be in Boston for a discussion about race, business, and economic empowerment. Dr. King’s words are in my heart as I think about the work Leora and Justin, along with the rest of the BREAD Boston team, are doing. “Thank you very kindly, my friends. As I listened to Ralph Abernathy and his… Continue reading Boston, Boycotts, and BREAD
Near and Present Diversity: The Paradox of Progress
On the topic of “diversity and inclusion” in tech, many companies are understandably intimidated by the challenges presented and would prefer to hire a few “underrepresented minorities” (see? we’re diverse!), and put the topic behind them. Not so fast my dear Diversity Councils. In speeding past the uncomfortable conversations, we in fact do our colleagues… Continue reading Near and Present Diversity: The Paradox of Progress
From Dying to Thriving: One Black Man’s Journey to Wellness
“A place to spend my quiet nights, time to unwind So much pressure in this life of mine, I cry at times I once contemplated suicide, and woulda tried But when I held that 9, all I could see was my momma’s eyes No one knows my struggle, they only see the trouble Not knowin… Continue reading From Dying to Thriving: One Black Man’s Journey to Wellness
2016: A Year in Review
We recently published our 300th article, which feels surreal. There are far too many articles and contributors to highlight from the past twelve months, so I’ll simply direct you towards the archive. There’s a lot of great content we haven’t yet published as well. Interviews with leaders in tech and media, contributor profiles, tech spotlights,… Continue reading 2016: A Year in Review
Stilling the Waters: How Quitting Social Media Saved My Life
I still remember creating my Facebook account during my sophomore year of college. It was a timely and convenient way to make new friends and keep up with an increasingly distributed social circle. In the intervening years, Twitter became an indispensable way of keeping up with global news and trends, and Instagram served as a… Continue reading Stilling the Waters: How Quitting Social Media Saved My Life
The Cure for Ambivalence
As a child, Black History Month and the Civil Rights Movement failed to capture my interest or imagination beyond a few fleeting moments. They didn’t seem to play much of a role in my daily suburban life, nor did racism or the struggle for equality strike me as battles being actively fought. I felt like… Continue reading The Cure for Ambivalence
The Future of Work
Once upon a time, I made a living as an IT consultant for a company called Accenture. For most people, Accenture is the company that has huge, strange ads in airports across the nation. For their 375,000 employees, it’s a way of life. My life was interesting and fast-paced—I was on an airplane twice a… Continue reading The Future of Work