New forum to support ethnic minority women in tech launched in Leeds

It was hosted by Unity Enterprise in collaboration with partners Cognizant, Leeds City Council, AD:VENTURE, WiLD Digital, Digital Enterprise and the Yorkshire Asian Business Association (YABA).

Attendees heard short speeches from Unity Enterprise chair and YABA director Sharon Jandu OBE, Leeds City Council chief officer for culture and economy Eve Roodhouse, and Cognizant senior director and WiLD Digital founder Sarah Tulip, before taking part in a wide-ranging group discussion.

Ms Jandu said: “The West Yorkshire Ethnic Minority Women in Tech initiative provides women with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the realm of technology, facilitating the exchange of knowledge among various industry experts.

“The first meeting was incredibly useful. We intend to gather again at the end of February with an even larger attendance expected.

“I am grateful to all of our partner organisations for supporting this exciting new venture and would particularly like to thank Eve Roodhouse for joining us to give the concept her personal seal of approval.”

Analysis released last year from the Trades Union Congress found that black and minority ethnic (BME) workers are more than twice as likely as white workers to face unemployment.

As of May last year, the unemployment rate for white workers stood at 3.2 per cent, compared to 7.0 per cent for BME workers.The analysis found that BME women were also even more likely to face unemployment, with the unemployment rate standing at 2.8 per cent for white women compared to 7.8 for BME women.The figure shows that BME women face an employment rate almost three times higher than white women.

Ms Tulip, of WiLD Digital said: “Over the last five years, WiLD Digital and I have been striving to support Leeds and West Yorkshire in becoming the most diverse region.

“Through collaboration on interventions like this, we are able to support under-represented communities to have a voice and create fairer opportunities for all.

“This first session brought together so many diverse voices with shared passion, I can’t wait to progress the work.”

Established in 2000, Unity Enterprise is the not-for-profit subsidiary company of housing BME housing association Unity Homes and Enterprise which operates three business centres in Leeds.

Cedric Boston, Unity Homes and Enterprise chief executive, said: “We were privileged to host the first West Yorkshire Ethnic Minority Women in Tech roundtable at Leeds Media Centre and look forward to many more.

“It was a wonderfully diverse gathering and, despite everyone living busy lives, it is always important to take time out to share thoughts, offer encouragement and make new contacts.

“This new forum offers all of these things and, under Sharon’s guidance, I have no doubt that the initiative will go from strength to strength.”