Luke Dary

With the news of AI-generated women speakers, coding unicorn girl, and Uncle Bob's latest bad take, I want to share this before I'm outed next. Rumors are true; I, too, am lying about my identity. I've been secretly posing as a white cisgender man to understand privilege and learn how to navigate in tech. If only THIS joke was the plot twist we often see in this space. It would be less of an emotional strain as someone constantly pushing for the creators of tech to match the diversity of those who use it. The last few days have felt like a slap in the face to many of us whose experiences are seen as cosplay for engagement. I’ve dedicated countless hours to running @TechByChoiceOrg, a nonprofit focused on helping underrepresented groups thrive in tech through education, resources, and mentorship. It’s never been about engagement, status, or power. It’s been about making a difference. If you feel the same way, you can support this cause by donating today techbychoice.org/donate! Every grifter and catfish story we push engagement towards overshadows marginalized individuals' real struggles and victories in tech. It's time we start redirecting our focus on supporting grassroots initiatives like @TechByChoiceOrg @DiversifyTechCo @_collab_lab @jointechladies @Techqueria and @DataUmbrella whenever these dumpster fire stories. With your help, we can make navigating tech easier for the next person. 🪙 Donate - techbychoice.org/donate 🤝 Volunteer - notion.so/techbychoice/49ccc… 🔁 Amplify - Shear this post on and off the platform, and talk about the communities with others this #GivingTuesday