Lest a few sorely misinformed voices think we’re too busy wringing our hands raising awareness about the tech industry’s lopsided gender dynamics, we’ve got a few actionable suggestions for creating real change. As most women in tech and their allies know all too well, the conversation around systemic gender inequality in our industry needs to continue beyond the industry flash points that flare up throughout the year at industry events.
Here are 25 straightforward things you can do to create change—many of which won’t take more than two minutes of your time.
- Take two minutes to write Congress about state and federal initiatives affecting women in the workplace using this form.
- Read the Geek Girl Revolution issue of our digital weekly, the Kernel.
- Get involved with Girls Who Code by donating, partnering, or volunteering.
- Write the leaders of the next tech conference you plan to attend to encourage them to diversify their keynote lineup.
- Donate or volunteer with App Camp For Girls.
- Empower the women you know to ask for a raise by practicing that conversation together.
- Follow Black Girls Code on Twitter and Facebook.
- Tell someone about the next Lesbians Who Tech summit and consider a sponsorship.
- Buy a young woman in your life a littleBits starter kit for fun.
- Subscribe to Model View Culture.
- Ask your employer to take the Glassdoor’s three steps to better diversify hiring.
- Read up on resources provided by the National Center for Women And Information Technology (NCWIT).
- Sign up for the PyLadies newsletter and attend a local Python developers meeting.
- Donate to Women Who Code and spread the word.
- Encourage someone you know to attend a local Girl Develop It event.
- Join the Anita Borg Institute’s Systers community or tell a friend to.
- Participate in, sponsor, or attend the Grace Hopper Celebration.
- Follow and be inspired by our list of awesome women creating change in geek culture.
- Start a local chapter of ChickTech.
- Check out the MOSS modular robots as an educational tool for someone you know.
- Tell someone about Aspect Ventures, Kapor Capital, and other VCs that make a point of investing in companies led by underrepresented backgrounds.
- Start a conversation about the Female Founders Fund.
- Put the Women’s Venture Capital Fund on your radar.
- Educate yourself on the White House’s initiatives for women in STEM fields.
- Ask your workplace to publish a diversity report.
But whatever you do, don’t stop talking about this.
Photo via The Preiser Project/Flickr (CC BY-2.0)