We're teaming up with Women of Colour Tech Connect in Munich!

Thank you, Women of Colour Tech Connect, for partnering with us for the upcoming OutGeekWomen x Munich event! Your group, though launched recently, has been on an inspiring quest to unite women of color in tech in Munich. Could you share a bit about your organization’s journey - how old is it, and what inspired you to start it? Also, we’d love to know more about your leadership team.

Thank you for your interest in our small community of women. The inspiration for Women of Colour Tech Connect emerged organically from our shared experiences. Whether it's the natural camaraderie we feel upon meeting other women of color at conferences, the silent support on LinkedIn, or the challenges faced when moving here for the first time, we've realized the importance of creating a supportive network. Our community was officially launched with the support fromGoogle Women Techmakers to host our first event in celebration of International Women’s Day 2024.

Our Women of Colour Tech Community is growing to be:

- a platform to enable and empower women in the tech industry.

- a safe haven where individuals can share experiences, seek support, and foster connections.

- committed to strategic growth, offering resources and opportunities for professional development.

- dedicated to breaking barriers and overcoming obstacles together.

- providing a platform for visibility, amplifying the voices and achievements of women of color in tech.

Our Leadership team currently consists of three people with a delightful range of technical interests: Elizabeth Adegbaju, Esther Agbigbe, Yetunde Adetiba.

Your mission to promote personal development and networking for women, especially girls and women of color in the tech industry, is truly commendable. Could you share more about the specific initiatives and programs you offer to achieve this goal?

We are still very much at the beginning of our journey, but our plans are clear. We plan to:

- Hold quarterly structured in-person meetups.

- Organize ad-hoc social meetings for smaller groups or pairs.

- Conduct regular virtual meetings.

- Launch an internal mentorship program with mentees and mentors from our community.

- Facilitate a free flow of information, sharing opportunities and updates in the tech space that are important to us.

We have been supported by Google Women Techmakers, as Elizabeth started this community as a Google Women Techmakers Ambassador, and friends willing to offer us their space for our meetings and provide catering, like our recent meeting at the office of QualityMinds GmbH. It truly is a community effort to raise this initiative - Women of Colour Tech Connect.

We understand that Women of Colour Tech Connect operates as an independent group without any chapters. Are you considering starting chapters across Germany?

Definitely, yes! We aim to expand as far as our members go. We have a new chapter planned to start in the Heidelberg area soon. Each chapter that opens will have the autonomy to organize their physical meetups with our central support, but all our virtual meetings will remain scheduled together regardless of how far we expand. This ensures that we stay connected as one large community while allowing local chapters to thrive independently.

For those who are new and eager to join this empowering community, attend your events, or volunteer, what is the best way to become a member and get involved?

We are very open to new members! First, visit our Meetup page at Women of Colour Tech Connect. You might also want to follow us on LinkedIn at Women of Colour Tech Connect on LinkedIn. If you are interested in speaking at our meetup events, you can submit your talk on Sessionize. You can also reach out to the organizing team on any of our platforms or speak with us at our events if you would like to volunteer or have feedback to share.