Powering Up Our Purpose and Network at AfroTech

Our Co-founder & Co-CEO & Head of Engineering are both attending AfroTech next week in Austin. Read to learn why this event is so important for those working to increase access to connections and careers for underrepresented talent. 

Tariq Meyers, Co-founder & Co-CEO, Untapped

"When I founded Untapped with Adam, we had one goal in mind: bring about a future of work that reflects the changing face of America and the growing diversity of the globe. We aimed to do this by building a product and brand that actively worked to broaden access to transformative careers for communities that have been overlooked and underrsourced.

Our motivation is simple: we deeply believe that the business community has a role to play in reversing the representation gap and equity harms that it has created and it’s not lost on us that there are a number of communities in different spaces that have done this work far longer than we have. Our mission is to unite, contribute and amplify these efforts; not “build and replace”. When we reflect on the communities that motivate, fuel and inspire this endeavor, we immediately think of AfroTech. 

In 2016, AfroTech, the largest Black Tech conference in the world, came into our lives from Blavity, Inc. The mission was timely: unite a community that has been overlooked and underresourced and showcase to the world that extraordinary Black talent is the norm, not the exception. Since its inception, the Blavity team has broadened the opportunity landscape and engendered a sense of community that folks crave and anticipate year round. I’m one of those people."

Guillermo Fisher, Head of Engineering, Untapped

"I’m one of those people, too. Several years ago, I mustered up enough courage to walk over to the only other Black person at a tech conference I was attending to strike up a conversation. It wasn’t until I was a few steps away from him that I realized that this stranger was actually a close friend of mine. Two things occurred to me at that moment: the Black Tech population was underrepresented at conferences, and I wanted to help change that in whatever way I could. 

What we do at Untapped is aligned with the desire for change that I felt all those years ago. We’re working to provide underrepresented and underserved communities access to transformative careers through our platform. We’re working to amplify the progressive, revolutionary work that so many organizations have done and are doing to equip, inspire, educate, and hold space for individuals that have historically been overlooked.  

That’s why I’m going to AfroTech. I’m excited to experience—firsthand and for the first time—the environment that Blavity Inc. has created for the Black Tech community. I’m excited to meet people from like-minded organizations who are developing new initiatives and programs. And I’m looking forward to striking up conversations with several Black strangers ;)."

If you’ll be at Afrotech be sure to look for our team, we’d love to see you there! You can request a time to meet with Tariq & Guillermo here.