A take a look at the external and internal challenges of diversity, why it matters, examples of progress and practical steps.

1. cubicgarden.com
Ian Forrester
Senior Firestarter
@cubicgarden
Diversity and the joy of being different

2. I’m a black british born
cis-gentleman from caribbean
descent and 38 years old. Bristol
born, proud dyslexic, living in
Manchester. I love cities, my
career, life and always mix work
and pleasure together. I blog
regularly, quantify work, media,
health and time for self knowledge
and personal understanding
Hello, my name is Ian
@cubicgarden | https://howwegettonext.com/black-culture-applied-to-technology-3eb2e8399d68/

3. @cubicgarden

4. My introduction to afrofuturism
@cubicgarden | https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/vbdgxx/why-afrofuturism-is-the-art-movement-we-need-in-2017

5. Future meets the past in the crucible of the present
@cubicgarden | https://www.discogs.com/The-Prodigy-Experience/release/660

6. Undefined, fuzzy and DIY culture
@cubicgarden | http://www.authorsden.com/visit/viewArticle.asp?id=4308

7. Graffiti as a device for interdimensional travel
@cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnnysilvercloud/23080297962 | http://www.ebony.com/entertainment-culture/black-alt-enter-afrofuturism-999

8. @cubicgarden | http://mixmag.net/read/42-rave-flyers-to-indulge-your-dance-music-nostalgia-news
Different perspectives

9. Art which takes your mind to different places
@cubicgarden | Junior Tomlin

10. Afrofuturism is the antithesis of futurism
@cubicgarden | Junior Tomlin

11. Influenced by afrofuturism?
@cubicgarden | https://www.pinterest.com/pin/287386019953886246/

12. East meets Afro
@cubicgarden | https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/62931-afro-samurai/images/backdrops

13. Alternative visions of the future
@cubicgarden | https://www.yuumeiart.com | http://vigilism.com

14. Which vision?
@cubicgarden | https://www.yuumeiart.com | http://vigilism.com - The tale of South Korea’s Smart Cities, Songdo and Seoul City

15. Smarts but no soul?
@cubicgarden | https://www.pressreader.com/india/the-hindu/20170618/283459256330305

16. Change the future
@cubicgarden | https://www.wired.com/2016/03/buckminster-fuller-brilliant-crank-lot-teach-silicon-valley/
You never change things by fighting the existing reality.
To change something, build a new model that makes the existing
model obsolete."
- Buckminster Fuller

17. The best way to predict the future is to invent it
Invent your future
@cubicgarden | https://www.wired.com/2016/03/buckminster-fuller-brilliant-crank-lot-teach-silicon-valley/

18. Or live in someone’s dystopian future
@cubicgarden | https://www.theverge.com/2016/2/22/11087890/mark-zuckerberg-mwc-picture-future-samsung

19. A different worldview
@cubicgarden | https://filmschoolrejects.com/black-panther-set-introduce-different-worldview-marvel/ | https://filmschoolrejects.com/black-mirror-leads-example-new-season-female-protagonists

20. A different worldview
@cubicgarden | https://moviepilot.com/posts/3573170

21. Diversity of the arts
www.independent.co.uk/student/student-life/Studies/stem-vs-steam-how-the-sciences-and-arts-are-coming-together-to-drive-innovation-a7047936.html | www.pinterest.com/explore/steam-education/

22. We know intuitively diversity matters

23. Lessons from biodiversity
@cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/astrozombie/6814695198

24. Monoculture is a problem
@cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/ndrwfgg/173181035

25. We know intuitively diversity matters
@cubicgarden | https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/organization/our%20insights/why%20diversity%20matters/diversity%20matters.ashx

26. We know intuitively diversity matters
@cubicgarden | https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/organization/our%20insights/why%20diversity%20matters/diversity%20matters.ashx

27. Ability is an individual thing, diversity is a group thing
@cubicgarden | The Difference - How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies - https://press.princeton.edu/titles/8757.html
"Scott Page has brought to our attention a
practically important proposition: diversity of
viewpoints is of the greatest importance in solving
the problems that face us individually and
collectively. Diversity among a group of problem
solvers is more important than individual excellence.
Page's exposition remarkably combines lightness
and breadth of knowledge with rigor and evidence."
- Kenneth J. Arrow, Nobel Prize-winning
economist

28. Example: Your alternative to ketchup?
@cubicgarden | https://gimletmedia.com/episode/52-raising-the-bar/
Generally speaking, we likely keep our ketchup in the cupboard.
If you’re not British or African American from the South, you tend to
keep your ketchup in the fridge.
This matters because suppose you run out of ketchup you’re likely to
use mayonnaise or mustard because those are things you think of
when what’s next to the ketchup.
If, alternatively, you’re a ketchup in the cupboard person and you run
out ketchup, what’s next to the ketchup in the cupboard? Well, malt
vinegar, etc.

29. Diversity is messy & breaks efficiency initially
@cubicgarden | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/world/hm-race-row-family-of-coolest-monkey-in-the-jungle-model-forced-to-move-house-in-sweden-for-security-a3742366.html

30. Monoculture is a long term problem
@cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/ndrwfgg/173181035

31. Humanity, Geekiness and Hustle

32. Humility, Craft and Hustle
@cubicgarden | https://cubicgarden.com/2016/01/04/humility-craft-and-hustle/ | https://www.oreilly.com/ideas/airbnbs-design-approach-2

33. What is Hustle?
@cubicgarden | credit: https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/3764-hustle/images/backdrops

34. This is Hustle!
@cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/149401101@N05/34331971575/

35. Enterprising person determined to succeed
@cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/149401101@N05/34331971575/

36. These are experiences worth asking about
@cubicgarden | Leslie Miley - https://gimletmedia.com/episode/52-raising-the-bar/
“If you’re not asking that question, you’re not hiring right”
I want to hear rounded individuals with different life experiences
and what they’re going to bring to the table

37. Hustlers make the best entrepreneurs
@cubicgarden | http://www.blackenterprise.com/hustlers-make-best-entrepreneurs/
“Do you have to have tenacity, fortitude, a certain level of scrappiness,
and most importantly, hustle?”
- Marlon Nichols, Cross Culture Ventures

38. Hustlers make the best entrepreneurs
@cubicgarden | http://fortune.com/2016/12/15/next-big-thing/
We look for entrepreneurs that have a strong emotional tie to the
challenge they are going after or strong domain expertise and
unique experiences in the target space. We also look for a track
record of hustle, the proven mentality of “I’ll do whatever it takes to win
as long as it’s within legal and ethical boundaries.
- Marlon Nichols

39. Let’s talk about strong domain expertise

40. Or geekness?
@cubicgarden | https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07/01/geeks_vs_nerds_whose_side_are_you_on/

41. Geek culture
@cubicgarden
You have to know something inside out, really care for it, give it great
attention and intelligent technical detail at a level boarding on
obsession. Subscribe to notions of lifelong learning

42. Curiosity = Geekiness
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=isRJymSYQ6s

43. Why don’t more of us identify as geeks?

44. Maybe media is saying something?
@cubicgarden | https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/57284-betas

45. Where are the black geeks?
@cubicgarden | https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/1418-the-big-bang-theory

46. No black geeks here
@cubicgarden | https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/60573-silicon-valley

47. Seriously, where are the black geeks?
@cubicgarden

48. Differences
@cubicgarden | https://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/07/01/geeks_vs_nerds_whose_side_are_you_on/

49. What about Coulton?
@cubicgarden | https://www.themoviedb.org/tv/1892-the-fresh-prince-of-bel-air

50. Remember that dance?
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lxqa2Haf8lo

51. Talking about nerds...
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1EBfxjSFAxQ

52. Oh there is one!
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5teTqNkSeAA

53. Got to love Lord Nikon
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9Anw9hFNQE

54. Malcolm is a geek
@cubicgarden | https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/308639-dope/images/backdrops

55. “There are different types of black people”
@cubicgarden | http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/movies/black-geeks-day-big-screen-dope-article-1.2263324

56. Black geeky conversations finally
@cubicgarden | https://www.buzzfeed.com/juliafurlan/turn-up-for-podcasts | http://www.blackenterprise.com/16-best-black-hosted-podcasts-2017/

57. What are you geeky about?
@cubicgarden

58. Humanity

59. The internet is the first thing that humanity has built that humanity doesn’t understand, the largest
experiment in anarchy that we have ever had - said eric schmidt (CEO google)
@cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/will-lion/2595492050/

60. We need to think/act more humanely
@cubicgarden | http://www.independent.co.uk/news/long_reads/trump-brexit-le-pen-geert-wilders-far-right-new-age-of-fascism-a7602336.html

61. Rich, educated and connected
@cubicgarden | http://www.singleblackmale.org/2014/04/21/rich-educated-connected/ | http://www.fourthday.co.uk/blog/the-dreaded-home-coffee-shop-office/
“...There is a new class forming and they are rich, educated, and
connected.
They are also feared, with their weird geeky glasses, electric cars, and
new data ethic. They use cafes as workplaces, bars to conduct
meetings, and workplaces to “chillax“. They don’t believe in business
hierarchies and believe you can quantify everything from relationships
to sex. They may even be right. But more troubling is they’re most
likely white or asian men”
- Ian Forrester

62. Code and algorithms define our world
@cubicgarden | https://iot-analytics.com/iot-market-forecasts-overview/

63. It’s already started
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Eo9Xdrvf-E | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKUTDAvmNtA

64. Where’s the humanity?
@cubicgarden | https://techcrunch.com/2017/10/10/zuckerberg-apologizes-for-his-tone-deaf-vr-cartoon-tour-of-puerto-rico-devastation/

65. Embedded bias into algorithms
@cubicgarden |www.propublica.org/article/facebook-lets-advertisers-exclude-users-by-race |www.propublica.org/article/facebook-hate-speech-censorship-internal-documents-algorithms

66. Embedded bias into algorithms
www.technologyreview.com/s/539021/probing-the-dark-side-of-googles-ad-targeting-system/ | www.propublica.org/article/bias-in-criminal-risk-scores-is-mathematically-inevitable-researchers-say

67. Future defined by a narrow few
@cubicgarden | http://twitter.com/jackyalcine/status/615329515909156865 | http://www.theverge.com/2018/1/12/16882408/google-racist-gorillas-photo-recognition-algorithm-ai

68. Do you see happy families?
@cubicgarden | https://thenextweb.com/contributors/2017/05/31/google-think-happy-families-white/

69. The ugly truth about diversity in tech
@cubicgarden | https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2018/jan/08/james-damore-sues-google-discrimination-white-male-conservatives

70. Everybody knows it’s such a problem
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r05oKinpSys

71. Silicon valley’s lost its humanity?
www.recode.net/2017/12/18/16787624/noam-cohen-know-it-alls-book-silicon-valley-libertarianism-democracy-kara-swisher-decode-podcast | https://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/2327398152
Mark Zuckerberg is “deluded” by his own faith in Facebook’s ability to
be a force for good in the world.

72. Silicon valley has a diversity problem
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLYqE7SWTu4

73. What is unconscious bias?
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLYqE7SWTu4

74. Monoculture is a problem
@cubicgarden | http://blog.leeandlow.com/2015/03/12/the-diversity-gap-in-silicon-valley/

75. Diversity in Tech?
@cubicgarden | https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/diversity-in-tech/

76. Diversity in Tech?
@cubicgarden | https://informationisbeautiful.net/visualizations/diversity-in-tech/

77. Diversity at the top?
@cubicgarden | http://www.businessinsider.com/most-influential-blacks-in-technology-2013-4
In a one-and-a-half year long investigation,CNN Money probed 20 of
the most influential technology companies in the U.S.
Racial minorities and women are generally underrepresented in
management roles. Those roles are typically dominated by white and
Asian men

78. What about the UK?
@cubicgarden | https://www.ft.com/content/5d1a1e2a-cfdc-11e7-b781-794ce08b24dc
In April, all UK companies and public sector organisations with 250 or
more employees have to report gender diversity data, including the
difference between median and mean salaries, wages and bonuses,
as well as the gap at different pay scales.
However, businesses will not have to break down these figures by
profession

79. Polarisation of the mainstream

80. I was not a big fan of the BBC
@cubicgarden | http://www.bbc.co.uk

81. What happened to diversity?
@cubicgarden

82. @cubicgarden | https://www.flickr.com/photos/will-lion/2595492050/

83. Do we trust the Zuckerberg’s?
http://www.recode.net/2017/12/18/16787624/noam-cohen-know-it-alls-book-silicon-valley-libertarianism-democracy-kara-swisher-decode-podcast | https://www.flickr.com/photos/kk/2327398152
“Mark Zuckerberg is “deluded” by his own faith in Facebook’s ability to
be a force for good in the world”
- Noam Cohen

84. Silicon valley, disruption and neoliberalism
@cubicgarden | https://thenewpress.com/books/know-it-alls | https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/13/opinion/sunday/Silicon-Valley-Is-Not-Your-Friend.html
“Smart guys like Jeff Bezos, Peter Thiel, Sergey Brin,
Larry Page, and Mark Zuckerberg fell in love with a
radically individualistic ideal and then mainstreamed it.
With these very rich men leading the way, unions,
libraries, public schools, common courtesy, and even
government itself have been pushed aside to make way
for supposedly efficient market-based encounters via the
Internet”
- Noam Cohen

85. @cubicgarden | http://blogs.bcu.ac.uk/cebe/2017/06/08/happy-birthday-sir-tim-berners-lee/
A more diverse internet for all?

86. Mozilla Internet health report
@cubicgarden | https://internethealthreport.org/
Openness | Digital Inclusion | Decentralisation
Privacy & Security | Web Literacy

87. Public service internet
@cubicgarden | https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourbeeb/tony-ageh/bbc-licence-fee-and-digital-public-space | http://westminsterresearch.wmin.ac.uk/20501/

88. What is public service in the internet age?
@cubicgarden | https://medium.com/@adrianhon/the-public-service-internet-ff67ff202d75 | https://www.ofcom.org.uk/consultations-and-statements/category-1/psb-review-3

89. Understanding and collaboration
@cubicgarden

90. @cubicgarden | http://shine-theory.tumblr.com/thesis
Belief that when one shines, everyone does
Collaboration, not competition

91. My liberation as a man is tied to yours as a woman
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td1PbsV6B80

92. Be the lasting change, you want to see...

93. Power, corruption and short-term focus
@cubicgarden | https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/13/opinion/sunday/Silicon-Valley-Is-Not-Your-Friend.html
“If I were starting now,” he told an interviewer in 2011, “I just would
have stayed in Boston, I think,” before adding: “There are aspects of
the culture out here where I think it still is a little bit short-term focused
in a way that bothers me.

94. The sharing economy?
@cubicgarden | https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/gybevm/traveling-as-a-person-of-color-is-stressful

95. #Airbnbwhileblack
@cubicgarden | https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/gybevm/traveling-as-a-person-of-color-is-stressful | https://twitter.com/STEFisDOPE/status/652479705925439489/photo/1

96. Opportunity knocks
@cubicgarden | https://www.innclusive.com/why-innclusive

97. Opportunity to make a point
@cubicgarden | https://urbanintellectuals.com/2016/03/02/find-app-makes-white-men-pay/ | http://equitableapp.com/

98. Duvernay & Bechdel tests
@cubicgarden | https://www.good.is/articles/duvernay-test-like-the-bechdel-test | https://www.vox.com/2016/2/1/10888212/duvernay-test-movie-diversity
There have to be at least two minorities in the film
Who to talk to each other
About something other than a white person

99. Diversity means sustainability
@cubicgarden | https://gimletmedia.com/episode/52-raising-the-bar/ | Leslie Miley
“I’ve read studies about having diverse teams impacting efficiency and
I think that’s absolutely the case in most cases. However we should all
be trying to get better, if getting better means you have to be
uncomfortable for a little while, you know what? So be it!”
- Leslie Miley, previous twitter engineering manager

100. Be your ancestors wildest dreams

101. Change the narrative, change the future
@cubicgarden | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Ihs241zeg - The danger of a single story | Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

102. Exploring the future outside the west
@cubicgarden | http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/blog/2017-10-on-the-living-room-of-the-future

103. Reinventing in the open
@cubicgarden | http://www.bbc.co.uk/rd/blog/2017-10-perceptive-radio-on-your-smartphone | http://emberify.com/blog/sensors-on-the-millennial/

104. Humanity, Geekness and Hustle
@cubicgarden

105. Change is coming, slowly but surely...
@cubicgarden | https://www.wired.com/insights/2013/07/how-do-we-prepare-for-generation-collaboration

106. Find others to collaborate with, here!
@cubicgarden

107. @cubicgarden | Sometimes I forget my world is not the mainstream (yet) - Eric Nehrlich
Ian Forrester
@cubicgarden
cubicgarden.com
Thank you for listening, questions #ama?