Podcast Description
“I’m thinking of all the other people that think that my presence in this community and this space in this organization is a stamp on this is also safe for you.”Shanise Barona is a web developer and community builder with a passion for where tech and social justice intersect.
Additional Resources
How White Women Use Strategic Tears to Silence Women of ColourEpisode's Transcript
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Shanise Barona
Become a #causeascene Podcast sponsor because disruption and innovation are products of individuals who take bold steps in order to shift the collective and challenge the status quo.Learn more >Transcript0:30K: Hello everyone, and welcome to today’s episode of the #causeascene podcast. I have someone who I met a year ago and we’ve spent some time together so I’ve been able to get to know her better. I’m very happy to have Shanise on. Shanise, please introduce yourself to the audience.Shanise Barona: Hi everyone, my name is Shanise Barona. Happy to be on your podcast!0:55Kim Crayton: Shanise, tell me why is it important to cause a scene and how are you causing a scene?Shanise Barona: I think of the quote by Zora Neale Hurston that says, “If you're silent [about your pain], they'll kill you and say you enjoyed it.” Kim Crayton: Okay, that’s fucking deep. Okay. Go ahead.Shanise Barona: That’s why it’s important to cause a scene. And how am I causing a scene? Many ways… Primarily, just existing. 1:31Kim Crayton: There’s a specific reason that you’re here, but we’ll get to that. Tell me why — fuck it, we’re just gonna get into it. I’m just not even gonna beat around the bush. Many of you know that I’ve had some issues with some of the “women’s groups” in tech, particularly the groups that are run by white women. Because, like many “feminist”/”feminism” organizations, it’s about white feminism. And these organizations are focusing on white women’s issues in tech. As many of you know (and if you don’t know, I’m gonna say it again), white women are NOT “diversity.” Although they are underrepresented in tech, no, WOMEN are underrepresented in tech… White women — very few, if they don’t come from other marginalized groups, as in, having a disability, LGBTQ, all these other things that makes a group of people marginalized, particularly in tech — don’t belong to that group. White women, they are underrepresented, but most are not marginalized. And so, they cause harm to most marginalized individuals who they recruit. They have this “we’re open to everyone” “we’re safe spaces for all” when in actuality I’ve had far too many people in my DMs who are part of these organizations who can attest that these are not true stories. These organizations are focusing on white women’s issues and it’s causing harm. Like I said, I’m just gonna fuckin jump into this. This conversation is about Girl Develop It. I tweeted about them and I also tweeted about Women Who Code. If anyone wants to come on the show to give me some specific examples of Women Who Code, I have my own, but I’m gonna leave that alone. Women Who Code is a problematic organization because I’ve been DMs from people from there as well. But we’re going to focus on Girl Develop It. Shanise, this is going to be about you telling your story. I just really… I’m gonna tell you: you are a godsend. And I haven’t said this before. Because these “leaders” of these organizations are causing such harm. Really marginalized groups, particularly black women, are being shut down, silenced, all these others things. I’m just at a place where I’m just tired of us being harmed and not being able to say anything. Tell us about your relationship with Girl Develop It. It’s your time to tell your story.4:28Shanise Barona: Sure. I worked at Girl Develop It. I held two positions there over the last couple months. Actually, let me backup. I started there as a student.
