Addressing Racism and Systemic Barriers faced by Black People in Canada's Tech Sector

Join TAP Network on January 23rd at 12pm (PT) | 3pm (ET) for an Anti-racism webinar in partnership with  Black Women’s Business Network. Racism and systemic barriers lead to unfair treatment and disadvantages for racial groups, especially Black individuals. The technology industry still lacks significant Black representation. Understanding and addressing the barriers contributing to these disparities is crucial for a more equitable and creative tech workforce.  

Hear from Pasima Sule, the Executive Director of the Black Women Business Network as she presents  valuable insights on Black Representation in the Tech Sector from a recent research project  funded by the Government of Cananda's  Workplace Opportunities : Removing Barriers to Equity Program (WORBE) aimed at supporting employers enhance the representation of underrepresented individuals within their organizations.

Eunice Kajoba of Monachopsis Consulting will lead the webinar and moderate a panel of esteemed speakers including: 

• Pasima Sule - Founder and Executive Director - Black Women’s Business Network 
• Nene Azu – Product Manager – Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning  
• Dr. Debbie Motilewa– Senior Product Manager – Amazon Web Services (AWS) 

What you'll learn:

• Understand barriers to representation. 
• Potential actions to increase representation. 

• Sharing of resources and tools to enhance inclusion in your workplace. 

We look forward to seeing you there!

Moderator 

Eunice Kajoba, Founder and Principal Consultant, Monachopsis Consulting.

Eunice Kajoba (They/Them) is the founder and principal consultant of the equity, diversity and inclusion practice, Monachopsis Consulting. Eunice has a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from York University focused on Organizational Studies. They have extensive experience working within the human resources space in a variety of industries but most notably in the consulting and technology sectors. Eunice is a highly knowledgeable advisor, workshop facilitator and public speaker to both internal and external groups at local and national levels.

They combine their knowledge and experience of HR practices, intersectional frameworks and equity focused strategies in all elements of their work in order to help organizations achieve impactful and long-term success. 

Speakers

Pasima Sule, Founder and Executive Director,  Black Women Business Network (BWBN)

Pasima Sule (She/Her) is an entrepreneur and the Founder and Executive Director of the  Black Women Business Network (BWBN), a professional network organization with a mission to connect, inspire, engage, equip, and advocate for Black Women professionals and entrepreneurs. 

With a rich background in technology, Pasima spent 18 years as a Software Developer and IT Project Manager at Chevron Oil and Gas Corporation in the USA, England, France, and Angola. 

Driven by her passion to increase the representation of Black individuals, particularly women, in the tech industry. Pasima is working on establishing a Black Women in Tech Hub. An initiative funded by Women and Gender Equality, Canada (WAGE) and recently featured in an article by WAGE: From tech consumers to creators - Women and Gender Equality Canada. Pasima also serves as a board member for the  Centre For Digital Media and a  Council Member  for entrepreneurship@UBC.  

Nene Azu, Product Manager - Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning

Nene Azu is a dynamic professional renowned for driving innovation across AI, finance, and entrepreneurship. Currently excelling as a Product Manager at Borealis AI, the applied AI research division of the Royal Bank of Canada, Nene's journey began in personal and commercial banking before embracing the disruptive realm of fintech as a Product Manager at an early-stage AI startup.

Nene holds a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the University of British Columbia. He passionately advocates for empowering the underprivileged to build and preserve wealth, a commitment manifested through a fintech startup he founded, SurfClub Finance, dedicated to empowering next generation financial success. Alongside this endeavor, Nene also engages in philanthropic pursuits by annually raising funds for West African orphanages.

Beyond his professional and philanthropic pursuits, Nene is deeply engaged in mentoring students and advocating for diversity in tech. His involvement in organizations like Black in AI and the Black Opportunity Fund underscores his dedication to fostering inclusivity and opportunity within the tech industry.

Dr. Debbie Motilewa, Senior Product Manager – Amazon Web Serices  (AWS) 

Debbie Motilewa’s professional journey is at the intersection of innovation, education and community empowerment. At 20, she founded The VolunteerNG, a non profit bridging educational gaps in Nigeria. At 25, she achieved the distinction of being the youngest PhD graduate from Africa’s esteemed Covenant University. At 28, she built Afrohub - a digital marketplace uniting consumers with black-owned businesses. She currently works as a Senior Product Manager at AWS IQ, driving the organization’s growth strategy to empower small and medium sized businesses to unlock the power of cloud computing. Prior to Amazon, she worked at Microsoft on Viva Engage/Yammer.

Debbie’s influence goes beyond borders, having lived and worked on three continents - Europe, Africa and North America. When she is not shaping technological solutions or nurturing startups, she finds joy exploring the world and savoring diverse cuisines.

The “Addressing Racism and Systemic Barriers faced by Black People in Canada’s Tech Sector” webinar is offered in partnership with Lighthouse Labs, as part of the ICT Boost Initiative. Funded in part by the Government of Canada's Sectoral Workforce Solutions Program (SWSP).