GDG & WTM Belfast are hosting a panel event called “Amplifying Black Voices in NI Tech” to have an open and honest conversation about social injustice and systemic racism in NI. We hope it will be an opportunity for our community to learn and come away with a refreshed perspective on the reality of race & privilege and how to create change for a better world.

The event will be virtual on Zoom - please register here https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XNxbeA5GS3GIViQoQRjK6w

Five inspirational Black technologists will be talking about challenges they’ve faced at work and beyond, and will be sharing their experiences and insights around the issue of systemic bias. One of our team (a white ally) will be hosting and moderating the panel.

Three lucky attendees will win a book courtesy of our sponsor, Version1!

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GDG & WTM Belfast stand in solidarity with the Black community at this difficult time. The Black Lives Matter campaign has prompted everyone to open our minds, do our research, question our own biases, and listen.

Our teams believe that social injustice and systemic racism against Black people is a crucial issue; and it's everyone's issue. Black voices within our community matter - we all need to work together to take steps towards a better world, and the responsibility begins with each individual.

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Meet our Panellists:

- Erran Carey (he/him) @errancarey
Lead Software Engineer, Platform at Rapid7

Erran fell in love with software engineering after a successful internship doing exploit research. He's got a knack for automating everything he can get his hands on. His love for mentoring was a huge reason he wanted to step up into a lead engineer role to pay it forward.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/errancarey

- Zama Dilworth (Lugayeni) (she/her)
Engineering Manager at Viioni

Zama is the Engineering Manager in Viioni. Viioni is a robotics solutions company working in warehouse management systems, healthcare, manufacturing and many more. Zama was born in Ixopo, South Africa. Migrated to the UK in the year 2000, lived in England for 12 years and relocated to Northern Ireland in 2012.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/zamalugayeni

- Andi Jarvis (he/him) @andijarvis
Strategy Director, Eximo Marketing

Andi is the Founder and Strategy Director of Eximo Marketing, a marketing strategy consultancy based in Bangor and Liverpool. Eximo Marketing helps companies find more customers by creating effective marketing strategies, fixing under-performing parts of their campaigns, and providing training to educate and engage their teams.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/andijarvis

- Honey-Bell Oke (she/her)
Technical Consultant @ Version1

Honey-Bell is a Technical Consultant at Version1. A Diversity, Inclusion and belonging enthusiast with great passion for IT.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/honey-oke-923a9719a

- Jennifer Opal (she/her) @_jenniferopal
DevOps (Big Data) Engineer

Jennifer is currently a DevOps Engineer working at BT Group. She entered tech through a Digital Intensive Program with BT and Code First: Girls and without a degree. Jennifer has used her journey into tech to share her experience of being black, dyslexic and having ADHD in the tech industry through her blogs and her own platform, "The Opal Newsletter". She was recently shortlisted as one of the Most Influential Women in Tech UK 2020 by ComputerWeekly.com.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferopal

Meet our Moderator:

- Claire Wilgar (she/her) @clairedotw
Senior UI Engineer at Qarik

Claire is a senior UI Engineer currently working at Qarik Belfast. She has a passion for accessibility and inclusion on the web, and is also involved in many local meet-ups for women in tech and the local javascript meetup, as well as being on the organising panel for WTM Belfast.
http://clairebones.github.io

Meet our Sponsor:

Version 1 is UK & Ireland’s leading IT Consulting and Outsourced Managed Services Company with over 1300 people across the UK & Ireland.
https://www.version1.com