Silicon Valley's 'bro culture' locks out many minorities

[Newsjock]

Source: San Francisco Chronicle

Silicon Valley touts itself as a meritocracy where people climb the economic ladder based on the power of their ideas. But many people of color can't even find that ladder, let alone climb it.

They're not part of the valley's white-male-dominated "bro culture," advocates say, and aren't connected to the social and educational networks where companies recruit talent.

... In 2013, only 1 percent of the California high school students who took the Advanced Placement computer science test were Latino or African American. In 11 states, not a single African American student took the test, according to Georgia Tech's College of Computing.

... And while the Silicon Valley regional economy was struggling back to health between 2009 and 2011, white men saw their incomes rise by 4 percent while African Americans saw theirs plummet by 18 percent, according to the 2013 Silicon Valley Index.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Silicon-Valley-s-bro-culture-locks-out-many-5211993.php

[Squinch]

1. "Bro culture" as used here could mean "future angry and clueless old white guys in training."

[Matariki]

2. And women.

I work in the software industry. I find the homogeneity disturbing. I've been thinking about finding a place to volunteer to mentor girls in web development, especially minority girls.

[Matariki]

3. They're known as 'brogrammers' in the industry.

[wilt the stilt]

4. I'm in the industry

and take a good look at the chart. Only 9% of "minorities" took math or computer science yet 13% was employed. That is higher than qualified. This is an industry based on meritocracy. I'm in sales which is also extremely white. I am one of the few Asians in sales anywhere and you ask why? It is because in sales you are "naked". It is just your face out there and most minorities unfortunately think that their race plays a part in acceptance. My three brothers went technical or staff.
You have a one year window in sales in the software industry. Make quota or you are out of a job. It is harsh and it is the hardest sale of all. I've sold a lot of things and nothing compares to enterprise software. You can also make a lt of money. One year, that is ll you get.