Diversity, Equity, and Layoffs: How Tech Changed Its Tune on Anti-Racism – Recording
Three years ago, as the Movement for Black Lives challenged institutional racism across the country, tech companies made pledges to enact new diversity, equity, and inclusion goals. How are those promises looking today?
Fast forward to 2023, where tech companies are laying off workers in droves. While the demographics of layoffs are generally opaque and underreported, we’re seeing signs that women and people of color are being disproportionately impacted by the layoffs. What’s more, we know that contract workers (who are disproportionately Black, brown, women, and nonbinary people) are often laid off immediately, without warning or severance payout. How do we hold tech companies accountable to the commitments they made? What does it say about the future of equity in tech when these commitments are the first thing on the chopping block when times get tough?
On Thursday, April 27th 12-1pm PT we learned about how tech’s commitments to anti-racism are evolving, and what we can do to enact true, lasting equity in the tech industry.
The webinar was moderated by Samantha Gordon, Chief Program Officer at TechEquity. Panelists included:
- Jade Magnus Ogunnaike, Vice President of Corporate Power at Color of Change
- Y-Vonne Hutchinson, CEO and Founder of ReadySet and author of How to Talk to Your Boss About Race
- Antonio Aguilera, Interim Executive Director of the Coworker Solidarity Fund and Senior Director of Worker-Led Projects at Coworker.org
Agenda:
- Webinar kicked off at 12:00 PM
- Panel discussion began at 12:05 PM
- Q&A from attendees from 12:40-1:00 PM
This webinar was hosted online via Zoom.