founderofcolour

Also consider that having an arrest record (or worse) (which I think we can finally agree happens to black people -- being arrested for no reason) precludes you from many jobs

How many people are in the C-suite? 8 with 1 PoC

We have a bit over 100 employees and about 30% are PoC.

Yes, we have 4 such cases in a relatively small company, all in early to mid 20s. None with any degrees of note nor any prior successes or any prior superchargers (such as McKinsey). This is a specific experience. However, as I see our employees go to other companies, it is fascinating to follow a nice upward stairwell people of non-color follow.

Meanwhile, PoC with extensive experience are told, "oh next year, you will be eligible for Associate Director or some other BS"

I entered the company at just above entry level despite quite a bit of experience. I cant say more or it might become obvious who I am.

If you have linked-in premium, do a search of "Director" and "VP" and try to back out age by year of undergraduate graduation and you'll find plenty in tech. Good point about small companies. In my case, we're a tad about 100 employees. This would be a great great great investigative journalist piece that is data-driven for someone who wants to earn the ire of tech decision makers. That will not be me.

In my company of 100, we have 4! Once is 27 now, but was promoted at 25.

Posting anonymous for obvious reasons. I'm not black, but I am a minority. The racism in tech is so obvious, my eyes bleed sometimes. At my workplace, they will consistently take an average white worker (no special degrees, no special schools) and promote them over and over until they are multiple levels higher than others.

Its all BLM woo haa on slack but what really matters is promotions, raises, projects, opportunities, and nothing shows up there. Pretty soon, you have a 24 or 25yo director of VP presiding over a PoC (some of whom are black) who has two or more decades of experience and who is obviously doing all the real work.

The entire c-suite has a single person of color. The board has none.

Then, you hear people grumbling in management meetings that some of the "diversity hires" are not motivated. Think -- why would they be motivated given what goes on?

Addendum: Not saying this doesnt happen outside of tech, but I know it happens in tech because I see it company after company, and especially at my current venture-backed employer. So consider that when you hear empty talk about tech being a meritocracy. Now granted, tech does have good numbers of Asians, but I think that is sheer funnel input volume driving that.