Thanks for asking me this question. The technology realm is an area that has been known for its lack of inclusion. As of today, we (Black professionals)only represent 7% of all computer-related positions in the U.S., and not only that, nearly 40% of rural Black Americans have no internet at home, and lack of available services and costs contribute to the digital gap, especially in the southern states where the racism is more pronounced. If we look globally at this phenomenon the numbers are ridiculous. Despite digital hubs on the African continent like Nigeria, Black people in general have been excluded, and the digital divide is huge.
What worries me the most is how the Web3 space is materializing and taking form. Underrepresentation of Black individuals in tech workforces and game development can perpetuate systemic biases in emerging technologies like the Metaverse and we are not addressing this issue. If you attend a real Web3 summit -what I mean by “real” is events where real and updated information is given- you will quickly recognize the average attendant: a white man in his 20s-30s. It is becoming a replica of the Old Boys’ Club: high entry prices, and huge grants directly awarded to the “friends”.
However, what scares people the most is the horrendous vocabulary that these Web3 “pioneers” have adopted. You know that if Web3 had originated in Black culture, the terms would have been much more dope… But the ones we are using right now do reflect elitism and technicism that only developers can feel related to. If we seek mass adoption, THAT VOCABULARY is the first thing to go.
The Web3 utopia (equality and democratization of the economy) remains yet to be materialized: most of the Black people working in Web3 are influencers, artists, creators, or educators, but when it comes to working in Web3 companies that presence is reduced to absolute zero. Web3 companies are more focused on educating people who are already in Web3, rather than educating the masses, leaving a lot of people out. I, myself, had to spend a whole year of research, certifications, and reading to understand the Web3 space… time that many are not willing or cannot invest.
When you don’t have people at the table who have historically suffered harm or abuse, or who have to live with certain things in the back of their mind, then you don’t build platforms in a way that protects those people.
