This Hashtag Is Calling The Tech Industry On Its Lack Of Diversity

It was hardly startling when Google released its workforce data last year and we learned that the majority of its employees were white and male. It was somewhat more surprising that this disappointment continued even into 2015; seemingly none of the tech industry's giants have corrected their diversity problem. Neither Google nor Facebook, for example, made much progress on this front, despite the fact that their deeply disheartening numbers remain public knowledge. There is no reason for exclusivity to this extent. Erica Baker, a former Google employee, knows this better than most, having experienced it firsthand as a woman of color working in tech. Since leaving Google, Baker has gone on to work for Slack, and she recently started the thought-provoking hashtag #RealDiversityProblems, which is stoking the flames of like-minded Twitter users everywhere. Most of the tweets are open-ended, meant to directly address all tech companies that might be reading. They range from inquiries of general hiring practices...

...to more specific, and justifiably cutting, questions about inclusivity and accessibility in the industry.

As this conversation continues to accelerate and reach more people, we can only hope that the technology industry, long applauded for its capacity for innovation, is paying attention to the changes that must be made.