Aug 31, 20224 min read

👏 Austin, Texas, is making things happen!

AUTMHQ is working towards digital equity!

ATX UPDATES Hola and Hello!

This week, we learned that the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) has named the city of Austin a 2022 Digital Inclusion Trailblazer for the second year in a row. The City was included on the list for its leadership in digital equity. This is fantastic news, as Austinites are paving the way for this to happen. “We’re proud to be a trailblazer in the field of digital inclusion and to be recognized by NDIA again this year,” said Rondella Hawkins, the City of Austin’s Telecommunications and Regulatory Affairs Officer. “One of the city’s goals is to empower all Austin residents with affordable and reliable internet service and the skills to take advantage of it. It can open a world of new services from finding a job to working from home, family video calls, school work, telemedicine, ending social isolation, and many other uses.” Austin Urban Technology Movement (AUTMHQ) is proud to be a part of this movement, as we have long advocated for diversity in tech, digital equity, and inclusion. We were able to move the needle toward this goal by working collaboratively with our partners. AUTMHQ assisted 15,000 families in obtaining Internet access and devices last year, and we continue to fight for digital equality for all Texans through our Texas Technology for All petition, which is available on change.org. So, we invite you to join the movement by signing this petition online and sharing it with your network. Paty Sesma VP of MarCom at AUTMHQ

ATX EVENTS

Have you signed up?

📆 Event details: Wednesday, August 24, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. CT

This mentor chat features Summer McAfee, lead program manager at the USAA Austin Design Studio with 22 years on the USAA team including 15 years in various leadership roles. She has been part of the military community her entire life as her dad served 24 years in the Air Force, and that sparked her advocacy for military families. She has an MBA in Business Administration/Marketing from the University of Phoenix and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA). In 2020 she completed the Nonprofit Leadership certificate from the University of Texas and the certification for the National Diversity Council Certified Diversity Professional (NDCCDP). Outside of work Summer is passionate about volunteering and community outreach with an emphasis on military kids, STEM initiatives, and minority youth empowerment programs. Moderator: Nick Roy is the Sales Team Manager for Computer Futures in the Southeast, based out of Charlotte, NC. With 10+ years of experience in the IT staffing/consulting world, he is responsible for managing the partnership between CF and our Fortune 100 clients as it relates to staffing in the STEM space. This event is hosted by the SThree STEM Equity Coalition.

👉 Register here →

ATX EVENTS

Tomorrow! Last chance to attend...

📆 Event details: Wednesday, August 24, 2022: 9 am - 5 pm Impact Hub Austin - Bouldin Creek 411 W Monroe St, Austin, TX 78704

👉 Register now →

DEI NEWS

The Inspiring Story of One Black Woman Who Defied Stereotypes in Tech

Entrepreneur Angela Benton has become a role model for female founders of color. Here's how she got to where she is today.

👉 Watch video →

TECH NEWS

As Women Advance in Tech, Change Must Continue

Industry leaders highlighted the value of diversity at CDW’s Women in Tech Leadership Forum.

The technology industry has been a challenging environment for women at times, but it is presenting new opportunities as organizations explore the value of diversifying their workforces and their executive ranks. “Actions are the best ally when it comes to creating opportunities for women in tech. Not only do they speak louder than words but they are the only way to create meaningful change” said Mary Ann Yule, president and CEO of HP Canada, who has spent her entire career in and around the technology sector.

Yule made her remarks July 21 at the Women in Tech Leadership Forum, hosted by CDW and in partnership with YWCA Metropolitan Chicago. The event featured a panel of speakers who addressed how organizations can remain competitive by attracting, supporting and retaining women in technology.

During the forum, the speakers noted that while women have made strides in the IT industry, there are still opportunities to foster more diverse talent — and to face the equity challenges exacerbated by the global pandemic.

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TECH NEWS

A new way to find the tech talent you need

Despite layoffs at high-tech companies, hiring people with tech skills doesn’t seem to be getting any easier. There are currently 695,077 open computing jobs nationwide, according to Code.org. Compare that to the 79,991 computer science students who graduated into the workforce last year and you see the scale of the problem.

However, there is a solution.

Crystal Crump is managing director of company relations at LaunchCode, a St. Louis-based non-profit. It provides marginalized individuals with the advanced tech skills needed for a successful career.

“You don’t necessarily need to have a four-year computer science degree to be successful in technology,” says Crump. “About 50% of the people in our program have a bachelor’s degree, but it’s non-computer science related. What we’ve found is you don’t need that. You can be successful as long as you have the will, the determination, the aptitude.” •••••••••••••••••••••••• Check out AUTMHQ's AUTMite program and courses here.