Angela Liu is the director of Hack.Diversity, the workforce development division of the New England Venture Capital Association (NEVCA).
Launched in 2017, Hack.Diversity partners with fast-growing tech teams in Boston to not only increase the representation of Black and Latinx technologists in the innovation economy, but also evolve organizational practices to support retention and promotion of that talent.
By the end of 2020, Liu will have scaled Hack.Diversity’s operations, community and curriculum to support a network of more than 150 Hack Fellows to contribute to over 25 companies including Drift, Rapid7, Liberty Mutual, Tamr and Vertex.
Prior to joining NEVCA and Hack.Diversity, Liu spent three years at MIT building pipelines to STEM education access for students who are historically underserved and underrepresented in STEM fields.
A 2020 Spark Boston Impact Winner, Liu is a “1.5 generation” immigrant from Guangzhou, China and first-generation college student who studied science, technology and international affairs at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service.
Boston Speaks Up · 048: Hack.Diversity's Angela Liu
Please find our pre-podcast Q&A with Liu below.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Guangzhou, China (city on mainland China close to Hong Kong). We immigrated to US when I was 2. Split time growing up between Malden and Boston.
Can you describe your household growing up?
Everyone did their best the way they knew how.
How would your family describe you growing up?
If we’re collectively in good mood: Reliable. Independent. Curious (both definitions applicable).
If we’re collectively in a mood: Stubborn. Irreverent. Tempestuous.
What is the first career you recall wanting to pursue?
A figure skater. With 20/20 hindsight, heavily influenced by Michelle Kwan’s visibility as an Asian American public figure loved by Americans.
You’ve spent most of your life in Boston. How has the city changed in the time you’ve lived here?
It’s fascinating to experience and observe real-time neighborhood gentrification.
You were Hack.Diversity’s first hire. What drew you to the organization?
I was compelled by 1) the ground zero intention to tackle the lack of representation of Black and Latinx communities from both company responsibility and talent responsibility 2) the network and ability of the cofounders Jeff Bussgang and Jody Rose to get industry decision-makers to commit capital to the mission 3) the challenge to build something from a blank slate.
Where does Hack.Diversity have more room for growth -- 1) professional development and skills strengthening or 2) employer partnerships?
We have lots of rooms and plans for growth in all directions! If I must pick one priority each for 2021: 1) working with our Alumni Leadership Council to solidify ongoing professional development opportunities as their careers advance; and 2) identifying employer partners for a second Hack.Diversity geographic hub.
How has #BlackLivesMatter accelerated Hack.Diversity’s momentum with employer partners?
The compounding of current events have galvanized industry to confront the reality that what might previously be considered organizational “wants” are actually “needs” if as an industry we’re serious about advancing an inclusive, innovative, and prosperous Boston. Employers are seeing, hearing, acknowledging that we all have a responsibility to transcend performative activism and commit money, time, energy, and resources over a sustained period of time if we’re serious about creating safe, inclusive, equitable environments for Black and Latinx employees.
What’s the biggest challenge you face today?
As related to Hack.Diversity, driving conversion of DEI learnings and intention into iterative practical application throughout organizational infrastructure, processes, and teams.
What is your biggest takeaway from the 2019 Hack.Diversity Impact Report?
Read the letters from Fellows. They shine. Now consider that employers did not miss their applications in the pile. Consider they were filtered out through standard evaluation practices. To have gotten to where they are now, the Hack.Team, the Fellows, managers, mentors all invested in doing their share in making each step of the employee life cycle more equitable, with ample room to continue momentum.
What grade would you give Boston organizations on their commitment to words, actions, training and commitment to achieving diversity and inclusion?
As a whole, D.
Where does the responsibility fall on companies to both ensure minorities are hired AND given the resources and support to succeed?
Both are critical if the goal is retention and input across teams, leadership tiers, and business decisions.
What’s the most common recruiting mistake companies in Boston make?
Assumed social and cultural capital. Consider all the criteria a typical recruiter is filtering for, consciously and unconsciously, within a hiring life cycle that isn’t specified in application directions. Most of such criteria might not be recognized by applicants entering corporate environments for the first time as grounds for candidacy dismissal. It is especially relevant if the applicant is a first generation student of color from a community where they’re the first to work in a white collar sector, attending a school with limited career support services.
Can you describe your views on the meritocracy trap in the tech industry and how access to opportunities are too often cut off from under-represented communities?
The concept of meritocracy rationalizes the inequitable distribution of advantage, power, privilege. This plays out in hiring when we prioritize and value candidates based on where they received their education, and bandwidth to dedicate capital to education, without considering that the stepping stones leading to elite institutions are littered with obstacles for Black and Latinx communities in particular.
What advantages and challenges do you face as an Asian American working on racial justice for Black and Latinx communities?
I relate, but certainly do not equate, to challenges, discrimination, and experiences expressed by Fellows on seeking representative role models, trying to fit into norms and prototypes for success that might be at odds with norms that I grew up with, constantly checking myself that what I say/do does not feed into negative stereotypes about my race. An interesting conversation that I periodically have is an individual, of a variety of minority groups, pointing out to me that I’m not Black or Latinx, and genuinely wanting to understand why I do this work. I always discover throughout the resulting conversation that minority groups often subconsciously play into the mindset that all minorities are competing for limited “minority” spots vs. the spots typically occupied by White communities are in play as well. And while we’re at it, why wouldn’t we create more spots for all to succeed.
You’ve spent your career building equitable programs that promote diversity and inclusion. Where does your drive come from?
It is remarkable to reflect on the position of privilege I am in now compared to the circumstances of my upbringing. I strongly believe that all individuals in positions of privilege and power have a responsibility to listen, question the status quo, break cycles, and apply the innovation principles we applaud to social challenges.
Can you share any insights into the work you’ve done at the elementary and middle school levels? What are the main things MA public schools can do for students in grade school to ensure they’re exposed to pathways to success in the rapidly growing tech-driven labor economy that awaits them?
The programs I worked for introduced and nurtured youth from minority and low-resource backgrounds from across Boston and Lawrence Public Schools to engage in STEM topics and curriculum that they otherwise would not have been exposed to, with the backing of MIT resources. My younger sister benefitted from such a program and she fully credits the education access, career possibilities introduction, mentors, community gained through the program for why she today is a mechanical engineer — a field where the representation of minority women are even worse than that within tech.
MA public schools should incorporate tech curriculum as mandatory graduation requirements, and have practical learning capstones. Additionally, history courses should do a better job featuring the good/bad/ugly of American history as related to identity groups.
How is the Hack.Diversity curriculum and recruitment program evolving as a result of Covid-19?
Everything has shifted to virtual which has actually increased ease of access to participation now that we’re not limited by physical parameters of such as space and travel time. Community building is a core part of the program so we’ve had to get really creative in how we set up interactive opportunities. We’re exploring what aspects of programming to keep virtual going into 2021, as it opens up opportunities to serve a wider audience of students and companies.
Hack.Diversity recruits talent from community colleges, state schools, and boot camps, to name a few. Where are the biggest areas you envision your recruiting pipeline growing in the months and years ahead?
National.
What’s the biggest goal for Hack.Diversity in 2020?
Hack’s first and foremost priority is Fellow success, and by extent supporting upward mobility opportunities for their families and Black and Latinx communities. Given COVID conditions and recent questionable status of visa security for international students, we’d count it a big win to support the transition of our 70 Fellows into stable opportunities post summer 2020, and confirm 20 employer partners for our milestone 5th Cohort in 2021.
What’s the biggest problem facing the world you’d most like to see solved?
Equitable access to basic human rights.
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