Silicon Valley still too closed to African Americans

Audio 03:11

By: Dominique Baillard Follow

In the United States, the debate on racism rebounds in the tech sector. Black leaders are calling on industry bosses to do more to combat racial inequality in their businesses.

Publicity

It is a known but often overlooked fact: Blacks are underrepresented in Silicon Valley. None manages a large company in the sector. They constitute only 7% of employees; and 1% of venture capitalists, these financial determinants in the development of start-ups . Since the murder of George Floyd which shocked all America and caused an awareness in many companies, the big American bosses of tech, from Apple to Tiktok via Google, Verizon or Facebook have promised millions of dollars . Donations intended for actors involved in the fight against racism.

This assault of generosity leaves the first interested parties skeptical

Among them Ralph Clark, one of the rare African-Americans to have broken into the bay of San Francisco with his start-up Shottspotters, which is used to lower the level of violence by firearms. Ralph Clark appreciates the 10 million dollars promised by Facebook to look good, but he would much prefer three posts of vice-presidents reserved for members of his community to reduce the anti-black ostracism that reigns in this environment. This positive discrimination has already entered into action for one of the founders of the Reddit discussion platform , Alexis Ohanian. He announced this weekend that he would give up his post as a director on condition that he be assigned to an African American candidate. This white entrepreneur acts for both political and intimate reasons, since he is the father of a little Métis girl born from his marriage to tennis champion Serena Williams. It is also a timely decision for Reddit, arrested for not having done enough against racism.

What solutions could make things happen ?

Black bosses in San Francisco Bay have launched a petition to demand concrete commitments. Particularly in the recruitment and financing of business projects. Because working in tech remains an obstacle course for African-Americans. It is not the laws that are at issue, but the cultural biases that tend to reproduce social and racial barriers. To get out of their closed networks, some investors target universities that are often attended by African-Americans. A few days ago, Nihal Mehta, one of the co-founders of the startup company Eniac Ventures, intended for young internet shooters launched a call on twitter to young black talents, promising them free access to his services. In a few hours a hundred appointments were made. The demand is there, but still largely ignored by tech circles.

IN SHORT

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