Metal Toad demonstrates its commitment to diversity in many ways. Around Portland, the Toads support causes and organizations that strive to trim in the disparate gap between minorities and the tech personnel landscape. On February 18th, 2016, we opened our doors to the Women Who Code (WWC) Portland Chapter. WWC is a national non-profit dedicated to inspiring women to excel in technology careers. Anyone at any level of involvement in tech is welcome to their events, provided they respect WWC’s code of conduct.
The WWC networking night at Metal Toad consisted of lightning talks by Metal toad staff, including Randi King, Morgan Senkal, Cesar Jimenez, and Angela Riggs. The Toad’s topics ranged from Diversity, Culture, and Hiring Practices to what it’s like to be a developer and/or intern at Metal Toad. Following the talks, attendees had the opportunity to ask questions, network, and even have their résumé reviewed.
We were truly thrilled with the turnout and to have so many curious and passionate individuals in our space. WWC is one of a number of women's tech organizations Metal Toad has teamed with, including ChickTech Portland, Women Who Hack, and App Camp for Girls. These partnerships give us the opportunity to give back to our community, to create a diverse workforce, and to close the gender and ethnicity gap within tech today.