The Power of Diversity in Tech | Leila Armand | TEDxValenciaHighSchool

Leila's talk focuses on the importance of diversity and representation in the development of technology. She emphasizes the need to have diverse voices at the table while developing technology to ensure everyone benefits from advancements made.

Currently, from Leila's perspective, the tech industry is not diverse. The perspectives and experiences of marginalized groups are often not considered in the development of technology. Leila seeks to highlight that the lack of diversity has real-world implications, such as biased facial recognition technology and user interfaces not being accessible to people with disabilities. She discusses the need to acknowledge the problem and actions that can be taken to address it.
Leila Armand is a driven Dual Degree Val Tech and International Baccalaureate candidate at Valencia High School. She is passionate about leveraging technology to raise awareness on women’s issues and encourage engagement on policies that impact their lives. As a Google Code Next Scholar and active member of several organizations including Girl Up, Black Girls Code, Girls Who Code, & Black Student Union, Leila demonstrates her commitment to promoting diversity& inclusion in the tech industry. She was recently awarded an Affiliate Award through the National Center for Women & Information Technology honoring her for her aptitude in computing. Additionally, Leila was featured on Pomona College’s campus radio for her podcast highlighting the need for more support for women in engineering. Not only is Leila a dedicated student, but she is also an accomplished athlete, competing on Valencia’s Varsity Girls' Basketball & Track teams where she was awarded Best Defensive Player of the Year. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx