Megan Rose Dickey is a reporter at TechCrunch, focused on diversity, inclusion, belonging and social impact in the tech industry. She previously spent two years at Business Insider covering tech startups focused on the shared economy, IoT and the music industry. Megan will be speaking at Blavity’s AfroTech Conference in San Francisco on November 11th and 12th. Learn more about her below.

Blavity: Can you tell us more about your background and when your interest in journalism and covering diversity in tech began?

Megan Dickey: My interest in journalism began sometime back in high school. I joined the school paper during my sophomore year and continued writing for it through my senior year. At the time, I wanted to be the next Oprah. That still might be true for me.

B: Your articles are pretty much the only articles I read on TechCrunch (because it’s what I mostly relate to), what are your thoughts on the importance of representation in reporting?

MD: Representation is hugely important both in the newsroom as well as in news coverage. My mission is to help bring to light the diverse talent building products and companies, whether that be through engineering, entrepreneurship or venture capital.

B:How do you feel about the current conversation surrounding diversity in tech — whats missing? Do you think a framework shift is necessary?

MD: The conversation around diversity in tech has come a long way, but there still needs to be a greater emphasis on inclusion and a true understanding that you can’t have diversity without a culture that fosters inclusion. What’s missing from a lot of the conversations is how intersecting identities (race, gender, sexuality, nationality, disability status, etc.) play a role in some employees’ experiences. It’s important that companies report that type of intersectional data and adjust their cultures to accommodate them.

B: I’m from the Silicon Valley (born and raised), and I’ve witnessed my hometown and the larger Bay Area change so much. What are your thoughts on whether or not tech companies carry a responsibility to the spaces they occupy?

MD: Tech companies definitely have a responsibility to the places they occupy. What immediately comes to mind for me is Uber’s entrance in Oakland. It sounds like they’re doing some work with city officials and community leaders to try to limit Uber’s negative impact on the city, so all we can do right now is hope that what happened in San Francisco when companies like Twitter, Uber and Square came to town won’t happen in Oakland. But to be honest, I’m not very optimistic.

B: Talk about some of the backlash you face with your work, how do you stay motivated to tell integral stories?

MD: A lot of people on the internet don’t like what I have to say about diversity and inclusion. Thankfully, I feel really supported by my colleagues and bosses at TechCrunch. Big shoutout to Henry Pickavet, TechCrunch’s editorial director, who has been my rock. My girlfriend Julie is also really supportive.

B: What are your thoughts on the potential the tech industry has to influence culture?

MD: The tech industry has major potential to influence our culture — and it already has. That’s why it’s so important that tech companies get their sh-t together around diversity and inclusion.

B: Your piece on tech and mass incarceration is amazing. The nuance is extremely refreshing and eye-opening. In your opinion, have tech companies been responsive enough to the urgency of racial inequities?

MD: Absolutely not, and that’s why it’s hard to believe that some of their diversity and inclusion efforts are sincere. People of color are disproportionately impacted by the criminal justice system and are always at risk of racism and discrimination. If tech companies really want to foster inclusive environments, they need to address racial inequities in our society at large, instead of pretending like they don’t exist.

B: What’s on the horizon for you? What other subjects surrounding diversity in tech do you hope to tackle?

MD: I’ve started working on a feature around technology and policing with my colleague Kate Conger. I’m not going to say much more than that because I’m not trying to get scooped.

For more from Megan Rose Dickey and other game-changers, get your tickets to AfroTech! We’ll see you there.

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