Yatia (Tia) Hopkins, VP, Global Solutions Engineering at eSentire, Inc., and Adjunct Professor, Master of Science in Cybersecurity at Yeshiva University
Throughout #BlackHistoryMonth, our BE in Tech series highlights some of the experiences of Black women in the Canadian tech industry.
Share your own experiences using the hashtag #BeInTech and tag us @joinmovethedial!
Our next feature is Yatia (Tia) Hopkins, VP, Global Solutions Engineering at eSentire, Inc., and Adjunct Professor, Master of Science in Cybersecurity at Yeshiva University.
1. As a black woman in tech, what has been your biggest obstacle/challenge to date?
I think my biggest obstacle to date has been myself. I had to learn to get out of my own way. When I was younger, I found it hard to fit in with my peers. I’ve always been in advanced classes in school, and always had an interest in computing and mathematics. I was also always the only black student in my classes. Not only did I not “fit in” with my classmates, but I also didn’t fit in with the other black students because I was in the “special” or “uppity” classes, so I was considered too “white” or an “Oreo.”
Because of those experiences, I always felt a bit out of place in my work environments, and I was overly concerned with being “too black,” “not black enough,” or just drawing attention to myself in general. What I grew to learn is that I was imposing this discomfort on myself. I wasn’t necessarily being treated differently in the workplace all the time, but regardless of whether I was or not, I thought I was; and I expected to be because it was what I had experienced. Once I was able to get out of my own way and change my perception of my situation, my life changed.
I went from trying not to make too much noise, to try to leave my mark everywhere I went. Self-reflection is not an easy thing to do, and by no means am I saying that discrimination is not a real thing; it is very real. However, in my case, as easy as it was for me to fall back on being a woman or a woman of color when things didn’t go my way (which may have very well been the case) I chose to look for other opportunities for improvement; something I could actually change.
I will always be black, and I will always be a woman, but my level of education and experience, and the value I was able to add to my employer’s organization did not have to remain static, nor should it. My goal was to become so good at my craft that I couldn’t be ignored even if discrimination was at play.
2. Do you feel like Women of Colour are currently underrepresented in your workplace?
My company is very supportive of diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity for all of its employees. So, while I feel women of color are currently underrepresented in my workplace, it is not at all a reflection of the efforts by my company to promote an inclusive and diverse culture.
As a hiring manager, I’ve seen first-hand that there is a huge gap in the number of women of color in tech. I work very hard to ensure that my recruiting net is cast as wide as possible so I can increase my chances of receiving inquiries from diverse applicants.
I recently had three openings on my team, and between internal and external recruiters, word of mouth, posting the opportunities on social media (including too many organizations focused on women and women of color in tech), I did not receive any resumes from women of color. This outcome tells me that while part of the problem as a whole may very well be discrimination, it’s not the only problem. We need more women of color (and women in general for that matter) not only interested in tech but confident that they can succeed in tech.
3. If you could change one thing during your experience in tech and in the workplace what would it be?
My stepfather once said to me, “if you change one thing, you change everything.” All of my struggles, obstacles, wins, losses, etc. have helped shape me into the individual I am today. Changing anything I’ve experienced in the past, even slightly, would change who I am today. That said, for better or worse, I wouldn’t change a thing.
4. Moving the dial is an ongoing mission we strive to do, is there someone or something that has inspired you to #movethedial in your journey?
My mission in life is to continue to move the dial. Whether for myself, my family, my friends, or my employer, every day, I strive to be better in some way than the day before. Every day is an opportunity to learn and grow and I am a believer in taking full advantage of the opportunities I am presented with. I hope that being true to myself and going after the things I want in life sets a positive example for others and inspires them to do the same.
5. What does being Black In Tech mean to you?
My thought on being Black in Tech is that I am uniquely positioned to be a role model and a representation of real opportunities and possibilities for people of color. When other girls and women of color hear my story or witness my journey and the things I’ve overcome, I want them to see where I am today and know for themselves with an extremely high degree of confidence that they can do it as well.
I want others to feel empowered by my successes, my failures, and my lessons learned. The mind is incredibly powerful. We are exactly who we think we are, and we can achieve whatever we believe we can achieve. Whether a person’s mentality continues to move them forward or hold them back is the question. I’ve been on both sides of that mental coin, and what I represent today (and will continue to represent) is the decision to always move forward. Being Black in Tech means showing others that they can overcome obstacles and achieve greatness.
6. How can the industry move the dial for black women in tech?
I think representation is a big part of the problem here. Tech is a predominantly male industry, so female representation is not as common as it is in a role that’s more traditionally held by women, such as a nurse.
If we take that a step further and consider the representation of black women in tech, the gap becomes even more significant. It’s intimidating to feel like you’re on an island, don’t fit in, or “the only one of your kind” in any social setting.
It becomes even more intimidating when you add in the element of the workplace environment. The more we highlight successful black women in tech, the more empowered others will feel to enter the field and drive toward their own success. Having a handful of people around that “look like you,” “talk like you” or “think like you” helps, but it still leaves lots of room for improvement.
To all black women who have found success in the tech industry, I encourage you to be outspoken role models and continue to pave the way for the next generation of tech leaders and history makers.