S2 Ep 6: Black in Tech, gender outlaw, and gender discrimination, with Sarah Borda

How can equal representation in tech help to shape the future for tomorrow? Is it better to stand out or to fit in? How can organizations and community networks help in integration of People of Color? In S2 Ep 6 of “The Digitalization & Diversity” podcast , I had the pleasure to have an open dialogue with Sarah Borda, a Project Manager at SAP Women in Tech and an Equal Rights Advocate, on the topic of “Black in Tech, gender outlaw, and gender discrimination”.  In our conversation, we go beyond the diversity dimension of gender to talk about the intersectionality of gender and race, the outlook of Black in Tech and Women in Tech initiatives and the challenges in addressing the topic of diversity authentically today. We talk about the root cause for underrepresentation in tech (and no, it’s not a pipeline problem!). We also discuss how organizations could facilitate and support diverse people to face their unique challenges and better integrate in societies where they are a minority today. Sarah opens up and shares their thoughts on what being a ‘gender outlaw’ means and experiences from their own past where they have encountered discrimination. We end the episode with a reflection on the power of technology and necessity of community networks to improve diversity of all forms. In this episode, two People of Color use the podcast to unpack many topics that are not so openly spoken about -  “inequality”, “microaggressions”, “racism”, “discrimination” and more. Listener discretion is advised. *** About Sarah Borda: Sarah is from Tanzania in East Africa where they grew up before moving to the UK and then Germany for university. Sarah currently lives In Germany and works as a project manager at SAP. Their passions have always been people topics, being a woman made them a target for negative gender discrimination growing up, and being black, Sarah is a minority in both the industry they work for, and the country Sarah lives in today. Sarah knows the struggle, and wants to spend their life making sure one day no one has to deal with that struggle. About Adya Kumar: Adya is a tech enthusiast, engineer, project manager, and an inhouse consultant for a leading logistics company. She has a passion for solving problems through the use of technology and is a strong supporter of digitalization as an enabler to grow and sustain diversity in businesses. In 2021, she founded “The Digitalization & Diversity Podcast” with the mission to create engagement and raise awareness on the power of Digitalization to improve Diversity. Through this platform, Adya shares insights, personal stories and digital journeys of diverse people. The podcast has been downloaded in over 50 countries across Spotify, Apple and Google Podcasts. Adya has lived and worked in diverse environments in India, France, USA, UK and Germany and traveled to 40+ countries. Today, she calls Bonn (Germany) her home of choice. *** Links and mentions: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-borda-1b65a6190/ Listen to the podcast on other platforms: https://adyakumar.com/links/ Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adyakumar/ Connect with me on Instagram: https://instagram.com/the.dd.podcast