4th Annual Innovation & Inclusion Awards

To quote our host Tasha Gilroy, director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at VMLY&R, “Melanin Magic was on full display at Digital Diversity Network’s 4th Annual New York City Women of Color in Technology Reception.” More than 100 women were present on the evening of Thursday, May 16th at the spectacular VMLY&R venue overlooking Central Park for an evening of networking, celebration and sound career advice from leading women in digital and tech.

Presented in partnership this year with Essence Communications, this signature, invitation-only event provides a platform for influential women of color within digital and technology sectors to impart their wisdom and passion; share their stories; and inspire others to defy the odds and thrive in the Creative Economy.

The multicultural group included women from diverse backgrounds, pursuits and passions. They comprised founders, funders, advocates and professionals from academia, non-profit organizations and companies including, Aleria Tech, All Star Code, American Express, AMC Networks, CBS, Comcast NBCUniversal, Essence, Facebook, Fox, Fresh Direct, Girls Who Code, Google, Hearst Television, HBO, iONE Digital, JP Morgan Chase, Mastercard, Mount Sinai Health System, Nielsen, NYU, Publicis Groupe, Twitter, Viacom, VMLY&R, Xander/AT&T and more.

Themed, Living Your Best Tech Life, the event included a cocktail reception and panel discussion moderated by Darline Jean, Chief Digital Officer, Essence Communications. Panelists included: Rashida Malcolm Bradley, Senior Project Manager, Data Analytics, Aetna, a CVS Health Company; Esosa Ighodaro, Co-founder, COSIGN & Co-founder, Black Women Talk Tech; Erika Munro Kennerly, Esq., Global Head of DEI Strategy & Operations, Google, Inc. and Chisom Obi-Okoye, Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook.

The panel conversations are hosted in a protected environment, i.e., what is said in the room stays in the room, so that speakers and attendees may speak with candor and authenticity. Each of the panelists shared jewels of wisdom from their own experiences and advice for living your best tech life as entrepreneurs and corporate professionals, as well as in their personal lives.

They admonished the attendees to:

Know your own worth
Bloom where you are planted
Just kill it on every assignment that you are given!
Here’s what some of our attendees had to say:

“It was an absolute pleasure to be a part of such a high caliber event.”

“It was a truly valuable experience. Thank you for creating spaces where women of color who are champions of their field are celebrated and willing to share their wisdom.”

Digital Diversity Network extends its most sincere gratitude to our presenting partner, Essence Communications, and our host, VMLY&R, for helping to bring our 4th Annual NYC Women of Color in Tech Reception to fruition. Through your benevolence and support for our mission, we are able to create programming to help ensure that women of color are not merely surviving, but also thriving in the Creative Economy.