Black in America 4: The New Promised Land -- Silicon Valley (Berkeley: sale, credit)
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I live it .. no need to watch. I will 'for entertainment factors' as I do the 'real world' .. which is anything but 'real'
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408
The entrepreneur have a varied mix of experiences: at home geek with an idea, top university graduates, etc.
This 'varied mix' is not reflective of the top brass that commands entrepreneurship in the valley... It's a 'mix' such as the mix on reality tv.. an oddball mix to create drama .. aka ratings
Quote:
Originally Posted by jade408
It is also a true to life portrayal in my opinion.
The door keeps slamming and things are twice as hard. It definitely wasn't portrayed as easy street.
Do you work in the valley and are you involved in tech? Startups/VCs? The issue is .. as I am sure it is not portrayed .. as to 'why' the doors are shut and some aren't even opened...
I've been a part of these since I was in middle school.. They helped me get my foot in the door but since they are so public about their presence .. that 'foot' is heavily judged.... i.e - you just got into this school because your black...
While it seems great, it severely limits longer term success in the valley ... might as well put a red x on your forehead .. as people like to believe in this whole meritocracy system.. So, thanks but no thanks.. I prefer moving to a place that spawns such opportunities more naturally for a larger diversity of people.
Once you come from out underneath this incubator, you are still stuck w/ the same race bias group that existing before you entered.. (tracing back to the issue facing your long term success) ..
"In the valley", many things depend on who you know/rub elbows with.. if the top brass is looking at you as 'less' jsut because of your skin color.. you have an obvious problem.. african american or 'targeted' incubators can try to 'foster' you up in your fragile stages to 'protect' you from this but ultimately .. there you are
Again, the outflow of african americans and the already small presence reflects that.. there are a good number of tech/non-tech start-ups elsewhere around the U.S and world where african americans are doing fine.
Beyond race, I am a total non-believer in the idea that everything revolves around this place.
California and the valley aren't he be all end all .. I have already had many conversations w/ friends who want me to stay who have tried to impress this stupid idea on me.. I feel, given my ideas/passion/motivation/capability, i will be successful far away from here.
So, i have a bit of personal feelings on the issue .. I see and have lived it.. frankly, there are better places for African Americans to start a business and the Valley isn't it.. As it comes to understand how much influence African American (hip hop/urban) culture have on successful products like : twitter/social networks/etc and how much it has untap'd the billions existent in a cornered market.. It will ofc want to try to get media coverage showing how african american friendly it is here.. meh', no bueno ..
I live it .. no need to watch. I will 'for entertainment factors' as I do the 'real world' .. which is anything but 'real'
The show basically shows these 8 people coding all day, going to demo days, and having meetings with mentors: VCs, other entrepreneurs, etc. There is about 2 minutes of drama in the 60 minute special. It isn't a reality show but a documentary on these 8 experiences. With relevant commentary from other Silicon Valley people. This is a one time show, so at the end of the accelerator, that's it. So there isn't really a need for drama for ratings. Each person had a different path to entrepreneurship. And of course, not all fit the "pattern" that VCs are looking for. One VC had a very pointed quote. "Some one told me, if I want to get funded. Hire a white guy to be the front man."
Quote:
Do you work in the valley and are you involved in tech? Startups/VCs? The issue is .. as I am sure it is not portrayed .. as to 'why' the doors are shut and some aren't even opened...
I do not work in the Valley but I have worked in tech my whole career mostly boot-strapped startups or services companies. Sales and marketing. Not an engineer by trade. At the moment I am doing "technical" marketing consulting.
And actually, surprisingly, the did a reasonable dive into why the door is isn't open, or even visible to certain people.
Quote:
I've been a part of these since I was in middle school.. They helped me get my foot in the door but since they are so public about their presence .. that 'foot' is heavily judged.... i.e - you just got into this school because your black...
I joined for the networking. I have no clue what I want to start. This is really a networking club to point you towards resources to get rolling. Meetings include: how to get revenue, picking a lawyer, code-a-thons, etc. The same stuff everyone else is doing, with a lot more brown faces. There is no shortcut to getting funding (if that is part of your plan) it is more about being an entrepreneur and meeting others.
Quote:
While it seems great, it severely limits longer term success in the valley ... might as well put a red x on your forehead .. as people like to believe in this whole meritocracy system.. So, thanks but no thanks.. I prefer moving to a place that spawns such opportunities more naturally for a larger diversity of people.
Other areas are building more diverse entrepreneurs, but to be a tech one, you need to be here in my opinion. A recent stat says that 50% of the money goes to Silicon Valley businesses.
Last week's screening also had a panel of other successful tech entrepreneurs. Some were local, some were east coast. All of them did at some point come here to build some connections. In fact, I found the panel really valuable.
Quote:
Once you come from out underneath this incubator, you are still stuck w/ the same race bias group that existing before you entered.. (tracing back to the issue facing your long term success) ..
I think in the right incubator, you can learn to create success on your own terms. One thing is, the only path to success isn't cashing out with a big round of funding. At the end of the day, I don't care if people are funded $0, $100000 or $100 million. I want to see successful entreprenuers in tech and otherwise that reflect the diversity of the region and the country. Considering that tech is such a bid driver of the economy, we need to be present here as well.
Quote:
So, i have a bit of personal feelings on the issue .. I see and have lived it.. frankly, there are better places for African Americans to start a business and the Valley isn't it.. As it comes to understand how much influence African American (hip hop/urban) culture have on successful products like : twitter/social networks/etc and how much it has untap'd the billions existent in a cornered market.. It will ofc want to try to get media coverage showing how african american friendly it is here.. meh', no bueno ..
This didn't wrap up with a happy ending and a neat little bow on the story. So based on that, it was reality. If anyone leaves the special thinking it is easy to be black in Silicon Valley, they must have stopped listening after watching the trailer. I honestly hope everyone in the Valley watches it. And it opens their eyes to their own behavior, and helps them reflect on ways to be more inclusive. If even a few minds change, we have made progress.
there may be enormous hope in mining the EEOC possibilities there, but for the average wasp they are laying off like crazy, esp senior near retirement people.
there may be enormous hope in mining the EEOC possibilities there, but for the average wasp they are laying off like crazy, esp senior near retirement people.
Yeah, the economic pain is definitely widespread these days.
The show basically shows these 8 people coding all day, going to demo days, and having meetings with mentors: VCs, other entrepreneurs, etc. There is about 2 minutes of drama in the 60 minute special. It isn't a reality show but a documentary on these 8 experiences. With relevant commentary from other Silicon Valley people. This is a one time show, so at the end of the accelerator, that's it. So there isn't really a need for drama for ratings. Each person had a different path to entrepreneurship. And of course, not all fit the "pattern" that VCs are looking for. One VC had a very pointed quote. "Some one told me, if I want to get funded. Hire a white guy to be the front man."
I do not work in the Valley but I have worked in tech my whole career mostly boot-strapped startups or services companies. Sales and marketing. Not an engineer by trade. At the moment I am doing "technical" marketing consulting.
And actually, surprisingly, the did a reasonable dive into why the door is isn't open, or even visible to certain people.
I joined for the networking. I have no clue what I want to start. This is really a networking club to point you towards resources to get rolling. Meetings include: how to get revenue, picking a lawyer, code-a-thons, etc. The same stuff everyone else is doing, with a lot more brown faces. There is no shortcut to getting funding (if that is part of your plan) it is more about being an entrepreneur and meeting others.
Other areas are building more diverse entrepreneurs, but to be a tech one, you need to be here in my opinion. A recent stat says that 50% of the money goes to Silicon Valley businesses.
Last week's screening also had a panel of other successful tech entrepreneurs. Some were local, some were east coast. All of them did at some point come here to build some connections. In fact, I found the panel really valuable.
I think in the right incubator, you can learn to create success on your own terms. One thing is, the only path to success isn't cashing out with a big round of funding. At the end of the day, I don't care if people are funded $0, $100000 or $100 million. I want to see successful entreprenuers in tech and otherwise that reflect the diversity of the region and the country. Considering that tech is such a bid driver of the economy, we need to be present here as well.
This didn't wrap up with a happy ending and a neat little bow on the story. So based on that, it was reality. If anyone leaves the special thinking it is easy to be black in Silicon Valley, they must have stopped listening after watching the trailer. I honestly hope everyone in the Valley watches it. And it opens their eyes to their own behavior, and helps them reflect on ways to be more inclusive. If even a few minds change, we have made progress.
Fair enough. Thank you for sharing your view, experience in the valley, perspective, and the link that kicked off this discussion. A good one indeed . True enough (most of everything) happening in tech happens here.. but a lot that is doesn't. I consider myself a cowboy and am going to try my odds far from the valley.. in a place not known for tech .. namely because I just have the vision, passion, and idiotic dream that it will blossom into something great. Like what you and others like you are doing here. Like the attention this issue is getting as its a real one .. Just isn't the place for me. Fair replies. Thanks !
Last edited by yeahthatguy; 11-10-2011 at 12:37 AM..
there may be enormous hope in mining the EEOC possibilities there, but for the average wasp they are laying off like crazy, esp senior near retirement people.
True enough.. In the valley, at the mid tiers.. you see it all to often.. Reqs get opened and magically filled based on their ability to look and talk like the Indian/Asian people in the company.. trained up by wasps and then seeing the wasp get the pink slip when layoff/restructuring comes...
Tough times.. and when things like EEOC are not understood by people used to corruption.. used to cutting corners.. 'helping each other' out in their home country.. kind of hard to cement an equal and inclusive culture at a company .. that being said, many higher ups often are knowledgeable of this .. turn the other way .. because hey.. that 'group' gets the work done..
Long as their numbers are being met they don't care if the group is 100% a part of a particular race.
Valley is as tough place as mentioned ... Far from meritocracy .. The magical thing like i said though about technology.. its an area that allows the most merit promotion out of all the industries and given its broad reach allows anyone to enter and take a stab at things .. be anonymous .. So, it is a magical place.. (the web .. the internet) .. but the valley.. the valley comes with its problems .. its culture.. immigration impacts that alot .. many american practices, rules, and concepts are broken by the heavy immigration. Can't have it all i guess.
I personally trade on the side in order to build up enough capital to be able to freely push my own ventures.. 100% meritocracy determines the outcome in trading.. that being said though .. I sort of take the buffet stance on this ...
"By contrast, Warren Buffett mitigates risk of falling victim to Groupthink by living thousands of miles away from the hustle and bustle of Wall Street. In a quiet town, he sits quietly in his office each day, choosing instead to deliberate in isolation, formulate opinions independently and make decisions unencumbered by the pressure of what others may think."
I think code crunches, hackathons .. a lot of the hype around incubators/accelerators .. combinators .. and all that jazz detract from the meat.. as an engineering mind w/ vision .. I tend to want to be in a quiet environment drawing inspirations as I choose w/o much guidance.. the old fashion way of coming an across an idea and just pursuing it .. the web enables you to reach a lot of people all across the world for advice/pointers/tips.. No reason, wih this blossoming creation to have to be stuck to this idea of being in the meat of it .. and some times that can actually be distracting/harmful.
Last edited by yeahthatguy; 11-10-2011 at 12:42 AM..
As an African American in the valley, I must remark that this place is most definitely not a meritocracy when it comes to Entrepreneurship/Start-ups ...
At big corporations, when looking for a job, when you have (some) racist 1st gen Indian/Asian people (which compose of the dominant ranks in the hiring pools) at a lot of old guard valley companies, it is most definitely not a merit driven process....
When you aren't in the right networking circles because you don't look like or talk like certain people, no.. you don't have an equal chance as others. When a manager doesn't promote you through the ranks or give you challenging work because they dont view you as an equal .. No, you aren't getting a fair shake.. This is all a big problem in the valley, and is most definitely reflected in the skewed #'s of success stories in this area.
I see and hear time and time again of preference given to people of Indian/Asian descent. I have interviewed at some of the top names and have seen and gotten inside information that it was going on myself.
So, propaganda/populist CNN gets together a rag tag group of African American Entrepreneurs whose capability I question .. to put on a show for America (targetted mainly at making ratings and hardly at depicting the reality ... and people will now accept that as the real situation for African Americans in the valley ?
Silicon Valley is not the promise land for Black America ... Entrepreneurship among African Americans does best in areas like Atlanta/D.C/North Carolina etc...
Namely because white and black relations have improved a great deal throughout America's troubled history ... Recent immigrants have no grounding in this, don't care to, and actually come w/ a lot of judgmental skew as to how they rank races .. yet compose a great deal of the ranks in the valley.. In many cases, I find that they look out for their 'own'.. Some will be quite frank about their ignorant view that they feel African Americans are the lowest of low in their 'rank' system.. In some cases, even limiting the opportunity of whites ... The African american population is decreasing rather swiftly in the valley (as reflected in latest census data) ..
I know friends in the startup space.. the corp space .. the vc space .. menlo/sf .. sanjose, palo alto.. even some w/ an office right across from KP...
I've even gone to school w/ some of them. People can laugh and have a good time with you, but you really get perspective when you try to pitch business ideas... when you try to pull on them to develop business contacts .. industry contacts.. when you try to do what this show suggests : start a business .. People say the truth comes out when you have some liquor in you.. I've had 'friends' i thought I had throw out the 'N' word after they had some drinks in them ........
While attending school it was : you only got in because your black..
You graduate with honors ... get your masters in 4 years from the top school in America ..
Hard enough to get internships.. and are put on crap projects to fill quotas..
Graduate .. prove the people wrong who thought you just got in because of your skin color ...
THen apply for a job.. and find people still judge you based on your skin color ...
Get in the door.. get sh*t work .. because people still judge you based on skin color...
LOL, asking someone to risk their capital on you in a venture ? LOL, *@#%^ please.
One of many reasons why I am leaving the valley and heading back south to start a venture ..
Promise land for African Americans my a$$ .. the valley has a long way to go at becoming what is already present in places like Atlanta for African Americans .. Numbers speak for themselves.
Entrepreneurship is booming for African Americans in this country it just sure as sh*t isn't in the valley..
Want to fix that ? I think you're going to have to do something more than put together a contrived show attempting to boost CNN's ratings.
These news agencies do anything but uncover the truth and reality .. Most often because the truths hurts and most often hurts ratings.
As a mutt of mutts, I have irons in many different fires, culturally speaking. When I was a kid my stereotype of a racist was a sheet wearing WASP, however, my, oh, my, how that has been shattered in my adult life. The ultimate enclave of racism is the Han supremacist subculture. And that subculture is far larger than most would ever want to imagine.
At big corporations, when looking for a job, when you have (some) racist 1st gen Indian/Asian people (which compose of the dominant ranks in the hiring pools) at a lot of old guard valley companies, it is most definitely not a merit driven process....
When you aren't in the right networking circles because you don't look like or talk like certain people, no.. you don't have an equal chance as others. When a manager doesn't promote you through the ranks or give you challenging work because they dont view you as an equal .. No, you aren't getting a fair shake.. This is all a big problem in the valley, and is most definitely reflected in the skewed #'s of success stories in this area.
I see and hear time and time again of preference given to people of Indian/Asian descent. I have interviewed at some of the top names and have seen and gotten inside information that it was going on myself.
This is just hyperbole. Carefully reading your post, I read these key words: "I heard", "I felt", "I believe". None of your assertions are ever backed with data. There are no Indian/Asian hiring managers sitting there actively discriminating against qualified candidates. For starters, publish some data - like % of computer engineers from Stanford and Berkeley and compare that to the % of AA engineers in the valley. Also compare the average salaries for Stanford and Berkeley grads, let's say 5 years from college, with that of AA graduated from the same schools. Let's see some data that will back your claim - people with same experiences, same skills are being actively discriminated the valley ROUTINELY. Anecdotal evidences are not verifiable and don't count.
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