
Ask HN: How do I help get the tech community engaged in the plight of Blacks? - rak
I&#x27;m looking for advice or guidance on trying to get more people in tech interested or more informed about the conditions Black people face, especially in America.<p>I&#x27;ve noticed in the past this community (and other tech heavy ones) seems quite a bit more receptive to content about the protests in Hong Kong but it does not seem to have the same level of interest in the current events and Black America.<p>Are people interested in things that have a technology aspect to them only?<p>I am genuinely looking forward to hearing what people think.
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brigandish
It's obviously because:

a) it's intensely political and thus soon becomes tribal, whether or not a
person is in a tribe or making a tribal point

b) they may have the view that "the conditions Black people face, especially
in America", which we are all going to conclude that you mean _institutional
racism_ , is not correct and thus not something they will put their time into

Thus, it is too much trouble for them to get involved in and not something
they believe is worth their time. I can even imagine attracting opprobrium for
this comment, which is ironic.

So, as with all such things, try not to daemonise your opponents (send to the
background to eventually die?:) and allow people to disagree. Take people's
points as if they are sincerely made and without malice, accept that they may
have a point. Even your question implies that people are making choices based
on an irrational or ignorant bias. Cut it out and you may make inroads, which
would be a good thing, right?

In short, apply the principle of charity[1].

[1]
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_charity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principle_of_charity)

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Alekhine
At this point, is there any reason to believe that institutional racism does
not exist?

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brigandish
Why would that be relevant to treating those who disagree in a charitable way?

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ternarybash
What are you looking for? In Chicago there is a POC developer meet up. There
are black software developer/engineers out here.

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dvtrn
_In Chicago there is a POC developer meet up._

This is relevant to me, and had not heard of this meetup. Can you share a link
to this?

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ternarybash
Yup, np. [https://www.meetup.com/People-of-Color-
Code/](https://www.meetup.com/People-of-Color-Code/) They're a cool bunch of
people there. Even non-poc show up as well.

~~~
dvtrn
Appreciate it! Will share with another coworker, he and I have been looking
for something like this and considered starting a similar guild within our org
(already have buy in from my technology executive and HR, which is dope!)

