HACKER Q&A
📣 rak

How do I help get the tech community engaged in the plight of Blacks?


I'm looking for advice or guidance on trying to get more people in tech interested or more informed about the conditions Black people face, especially in America.

I've noticed in the past this community (and other tech heavy ones) seems quite a bit more receptive to content about the protests in Hong Kong but it does not seem to have the same level of interest in the current events and Black America.

Are people interested in things that have a technology aspect to them only?

I am genuinely looking forward to hearing what people think.


  👤 brigandish Accepted Answer ✓
It's obviously because:

a) it's intensely political and thus soon becomes tribal, whether or not a person is in a tribe or making a tribal point

b) they may have the view that "the conditions Black people face, especially in America", which we are all going to conclude that you mean institutional racism, is not correct and thus not something they will put their time into

Thus, it is too much trouble for them to get involved in and not something they believe is worth their time. I can even imagine attracting opprobrium for this comment, which is ironic.

So, as with all such things, try not to daemonise your opponents (send to the background to eventually die?:) and allow people to disagree. Take people's points as if they are sincerely made and without malice, accept that they may have a point. Even your question implies that people are making choices based on an irrational or ignorant bias. Cut it out and you may make inroads, which would be a good thing, right?

In short, apply the principle of charity[1].

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_charity


👤 ternarybash
What are you looking for? In Chicago there is a POC developer meet up. There are black software developer/engineers out here.