TechCrunch Mixtape

It’s fair to say that most people have heard about diversity reports. And it’s probably also fair to say that most of us have watched, sometimes with a metaphorical bucket of buttered popcorn, as companies crisis-comms their ways out of … crises. But most of us do not know what goes on behind the scenes. On this episode of Mixtape, we chat with ex-Facebook, Twitter and Reddit employee Mark Luckie, author of the upcoming book Valley Girls, which details issues of diversity and inclusion through a fictional lens based heavily on real events.

Mara Mills  Associate professor of Media, Culture and Communication at NYUCo-director of the NYU Center for Disability StudiesAuthor of Testing Hearing: The Making of Modern AuralityTwitterMeredith WhittakerCo-founder of the AI Now InstituteMinderoo Research Professor at New York UniversityFounder of Google’s Open Research groupAuthor of the report Disability, Bias and AITwitterSara HendrenProfessor at Olin College of EngineeringAuthor of What Can A Body Do: How We Meet the Built WorldCo-author of the report Disability, Bias and AITwitter

Haben Girma and Lainey Feingold discuss accessible communication tools, collaboration for ensuring accessible technology, challenges with sidewalk delivery bots, progress of publishing industry in embracing accessibility, and the importance of building an inclusive society.

This week we spoke to Y-Vonne Hutchinson, the CEO of ReadySet, a consulting firm that works with companies to create more inclusive and equitable work environments. We discussed what a Biden administration means for DEI practitioners, how companies are now focusing more on structural change to systemic issues of racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination, and more.

This week Marah Lidey, co-founder and co-CEO of Shine, joins us to discuss mental health, portfolio diversity and connecting with other founders trying to make it work.

ReferencesCalifornia Proposition 22, App-Based Drivers as Contractors and Labor Policies Initiative (2020) - BallotpediaUber Director of Policy, Cities and Transportation Shin-pei Tsay on Prop 22Gig Workers Collective

This week we are joined by TechCrunch’s resident bearer-of-bad-news -- security reporter Zack Whittaker. He came on to discuss the Capital One breach that we all found out about earlier this week. Zack spent some time on his vacation writing about how this shouldn't be a surprise given nothing changed after 2017's Equifax breach. Remember that one? But it wasn’t all bad news. Tinder launched new protections for LGBTQ+ people traveling to countries that criminalize homosexuality. Zack also wrote about that. And if you want bad news every day, follow him on Twitter!

Season 3 kicks off with Meena Harris, founder of the Phenomenal Woman campaign, and head of strategy and leadership at Uber.

Angelica Ross, co-star the FX show ‘Pose,’ joined us in the studio this week. Ross, who in addition to being an actress is a transgender activist, CEO and founder, writer, speaker, podcast host and all-around great human being, discussed her company TransTech Social, access for transgender folks who want to gain a foothold in tech, and visibility. Oh and Amazon things because Amazon.

This week we sit down with Neil Shah, CEO of Concrn, a compassionate care app that allows people to request help for homeless people experiencing a mental health crisis.