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I think I echo the sentiments of many people of color in tech when I say I'm waiting...waiting to see what Google's level of interest is in making things right with @timnitGebru after forcing her out in such a callous way.
I'm sure I'm not the only visible person of color in tech who's gotten a feeler or two from a big tech company. Speaking from experience, such overtures can be rather flattering but I've always sensed the inherent danger.
Speaking truth to power is easy as a free agent and dangerous when that power is the source of your next paycheck.
It's a common thing for black talent to be recruited for their visibility and then burned out and worn down with public respect and private disrespect. I've seen and experienced it myself.
Earlier in the year, there was a tremendous outpouring of support for greater black participation in society in general and tech in particular. It was a great feel-good moment for all of us...
BUT I'm sure I'm not the only black person to notice a slow steady drop off in the people who followed us during that time. The following was loud and public. The unfollowing quiet and secretive.
It's really common for both individuals and institutions in America to want a way to signal that they care about black people without it having to cost them anything.
The greatest sin of all this is it wastes scarce TIME and ENERGY and TALENT that black people collectively don't have to waste on superficial attempts to alleviate white guilty.
My plea to corporate America is this. PLEASE STOP WASTING BLACK PEOPLE'S TIME AND ENERGY. PLEASE STOP WASTING BLACK PEOPLE'S TALENT. Please find less destructive ways to pretend to care about black people.
