Episode 154 - Equity in Technology with Olivia Herriford

Hacker Valley Studio

Today in the studio, we have Olivia Herriford, whose great and exceptional work is focused on equity in technology. Olivia is the Regional Director and Employer Engagement at Bay Area Community College Consortium.

Olivia’s background is in technology, and with the Bay Area Community College Consortium, they support 28 community colleges in the San Francisco Bay region. She often tells people she has what one would call an “ancient” computer science degree which she earned in 1973. Olivia takes us back to what it was like to be a black woman in the mid-70s working with hardware and software engineers in the area of hardware design. Sadly, she experienced a rather hostile work environment.

In today’s world, Olivia believes one of the best things we can do for reaching out to younger people is instill confidence. These young people do not need to be swayed by comparing themselves to others, but rather realize we all bring something unique to the table. Everyone needs to understand their own capabilities and power.

Key Takeaways:

2:26 Olivia’s background

6:38 How Olivia ended up where she is

15:45 How do we change the environment

17:17 Progress & future

20:42 Making an impact

23:04 Cultivating conversations

26:22 Equity in technology

29:08 Advice for awareness

32:35 Connecting with Olivia

Links:

Olivia on LinkedIn

Olivia on YouTube

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