It’s 2019 and I feel things still have not changed… why is it when I attend an event I am still one of the few who grew up on a council estate?
In October we spoke at a leading agency in Old Street London and wanted to get a feel of the diversity in the room. Asking the simple question? Did anyone here grow up in council housing? Any Jamaica’s in the room? Any Gaurnahans inthe room? There was a radio silence. Any Indians in the room? Well thank goodness for that we found one! One diverse being in the room along with myself and my Digilearning business partner Sarah Wilson.
How utterly ridiculous? This is London, surely we should see more diversity in a room of 50 twenty year olds. There has to be a pool of talent out there who are budding digital natives coming from diverse backgrounds? Doesn’t there?
I know for a long time now I have observed being the one person who came from humble beginnings? Not just the standard middle / upper class white faces I am so very familiar with. I attend many leading digital events and am part of some leading London members clubs, again it amazes me of the lack of diversity all around. Now my point is not that these companies or clubs in the digital sphere are meaning to dismay this forward thinking array of talent… at Digilearning we believe it’s our education system which is not keeping up with the times and ensuring this untapped talent believe in themselves enough to reach for the stars in the digital space.
As my friend June Sarpong, presenter and author of award winning book Diversify said
“The old way isn’t working. This is a case for change.”
We need change similar to what we have seen in the music space with companies like Mobo the urban Awards ceremony who provides a platform for the unheard. Musicians likE Craig David, Stormzy, So Solid, Krept and Konan to leading ladies like Jessie J, Amy Winehouse and Sade. What would our music charts look like without this phenomenal music talent?
It’s not anyone’s fault and there is no little point in pointing fingers but we have to starts from the root up. We need to ensure our young from all backgrounds understand the enormous possibilities you can have I the digital space. As Steve McQueen, leading film director recently said at a Mobo screening of his film widows “ there is a bus driver, driving around who could potentially be an award winning film director or actor. We need to tap into this talent”
We need diversity and we need it now! And #Edtech can ensure we provide the essential skills for generations to come.
If you would like to know more about what we are trying to above at Digilearning through our books, Digihack days or our soon to be released app get in touch now!
As Gandhi once said “ let’s be the change we wish to see in the world”.