SXSW seems to get bigger every year, doesn’t it? Picking wick sessions and meet ups to attend certainly doesn’t get any easier. That’s why I put together a list of 5 intriguing panels on workforce diversity. Some of them are about how tech can be leveraged to improve your hiring processes – if you use it right – while others are about finding the talent pools already accessible to you that you haven’t yet tapped.

What other panels are you looking forward to? Let me know in the comments and maybe I’ll see you there!

5 SXSW Panels On Workplace Diversity You Shouldn’t Miss

Algorithms, Unconscious Bias, & AI

March 13, 2018,  2:00PM – 3:00PM
Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon De

Lynn Conway, Amy Nordrum, Nita Patel

AI is beginning to show racist and sexist associations, and it learned it by watching us. In a world where tech leadership is skewed 80% men and 83% percent white, and we are becoming increasingly more reliant on AI, how can we increase representation in our tech tools? Algorithms use data & benchmarks based on a past that we are trying to move away from. We either recognize the bias that is built into our daily culture, or we relive our past mistakes. Part of the IEEE Tech for Humanity Series. Find out more here.

Building Safe Workspaces for Millennials of Color

Mar 10, 2018,  11:00am – 12:00pm
Jw Marriott, Salon 3

Chimére Faison Barnard, Craig Campbell, Yirser Ra Hotep, Yulkendy Valdez

Current diversity & inclusion initiatives are having slow traction in lowering the high turnover rates for underrepresented tech employees at a cost of $16 billion annually. Despite lofty salaries, young professionals of color are struggling to navigate their identities in large companies where they often feel like the the leadership does not look like them. What are solutions that can help engage and retain high-performing diverse talent? What happens after they get in the door? Learn more here.

How Diversity is Pushing Augmented Reality Innovation

Mar 11, 2018: 12:30pm – 1:30pm
Jw Marriott, Salon 3

Shaneika Dabney-henderson, Gregory Gibson, Bianca Jackson, Naveen Krishna

Ever wanted to see what was on store shelves, literally, without leaving your home? What about watching a game from your seats, from your couch? Diverse marketplace needs are influencing how companies engage customers, and Augmented Reality is changing what’s possible for the customer experience. Hear from these experts about how Augmented Reality is making what seemed impossible for customer engagement a reality. Learn more here.

Why Black Women are 2018’s Best Investment

Mar 13, 2018: 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon B

Cheryl Contee, Kathryn Finney, Sarah Koch

Fewer than twenty African American women have raised more than a million dollars in venture capital. What’s going on here? Meet some of those women and the investors who back them. Learn why they are building the next breakthrough businesses that will change America. Learn more here.

Find Hidden Talent: Autism in the Global Workplace

Mar 11, 2018: 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Fairmont, Manchester B

Heidi Stieglitz Ham, Zach Zaborny

What happens to children with autism when they become adults? The strengths and skills of adults with autism are a powerful asset, strength, and benefit to society but many adults with autism are isolated from the world. Learn about what is happening with autism and the workplace on the global stage as we share two unique approaches that are unlocking hidden talent pools and changing the perception of autism in communities and workplaces across continents. Learn more here.