Description:

Why do some people keep talking about diversity? Who cares if we're all the same? So long as we're not technically discriminating against anyone, that means we're good, right? If we only get applications from white dudes, that must mean that white dudes are the only ones out there. Right? Right?

When we feel threatened, we find comfort among people who seem most like us. As specialization increases in the community, we glom on to people who look like us, talk like us, and think like us. There's safety in a crowd.

But there are real dangers in becoming too much alike: monotony breeds more monotony. Real innovation happens when you think different than everyone else. What happens when we ruthlessly eliminate different thinkers, as we winnow the stack of resumés to those that seem most likely to "fit in"?

Come to this talk to find out what you can do to diversify - yourself, your organization, and your peers - and how you can help grow a better, stronger, more diverse community.