Home » Didn’t know anyone, yet everyone was fam: My AfroTech Takeaways

Didn’t know anyone, yet everyone was fam: My AfroTech Takeaways

AfroTech Conference 2024 wasn’t just another tech conference—it was the tech conference. Sure, it had the usual suspects: brilliant main-stagers, knowledge-dropping chiefs, cutting-edge panels in ice-cold theaters. Sessions covering all the hot topics like spatial audio, AI, cybersecurity, and climate innovation. Meetups, labs, and workshops? Check. A nonstop expo hall buzzing with activity? Of course. Thousands of professionals from across the country, networking like their next big break depended on it? Yessir. But the unusual thing about this conference and something I’ve never felt at a work event was this: while I really didn’t know anyone, everyone was family. 

AfroTech didn’t just meet expectations; it smashed them. In that same spirit, allow me to share my perhaps unconventional takeaways (or ‘Hot Takes’) from this one-of-a-kind experience.

Hot Take 1: Not in Kansas anymore

Let’s get the obvious out of the way: this wasn’t your standard, muted-toned, cookie-cutter tech conference. While everyone was welcome, AfroTech was unapologetically Black. Here’s what I mean. Imagine Suits (the show, and sharp outfits) meets Summer Jam, the iconic 106 KMEL Hip-Hop and R&B concert series. Add a dash of Hamilton vibes, with its bold, brilliantly disruptive collision with culture, throw in some major bass, and voilà! AfroTech.

The usual buttoned-up, conference-room chatter? Flipped on its head. Instead, you had DJs spinning, outfits doing the most, and a vibe that felt more like a family reunion than a work event. It was a full-on technicolor takeover of what conferences could be—proof that intellect and culture can share the same stage.

And for me, a Black woman in Silicon Valley—a place where just 3% of the population looks like me and less than 0.5% of us lead in tech—this conference ‘hit different’. For once, I wasn’t a lone dot on the map; I was part of a masterpiece. This was a space made for us, by us, and you could feel it in the panels, the conversations, and the music.

Hot Take 2: Connection via Swag Surfin’ 

Eh-hem. Permit me a moment to set the scene with as much linguistic finesse as this subject allows—and all its colloquial glory. To put it simply, both men and women brought their A-games! Beards: on point. Baby hair: laid. Swag: dripping. Faces: snatched. Creativity, flair, individuality: endless. Brains: wicked smart. DJs mixing wedding-meets-club-meets-Kirk Franklin jams, and people doing what they do on dance floors; Electric sliding, ‘busting it wide open’, “Cupid Flex” -ing. And when one DJ began to play “Swag Surfuin’”, oh, we knew what to do, folks. Placing our arms around the shoulders of our neighbors, whether we knew them or not, we began to “surf”. 

People, can you imagine? I mean, where else do you see your peers going from a job interview one minute to hitting the dance floor, pop-locking and dropping it the next?

Hot Take 3: Who you (don’t) know

Day 1  was a warm Wednesday morning, and I found myself bumping into a bright and inquisitive software engineer early in their career, both of us a little lost, trying to find our way to the registration area. Well, we ended up spending the entire day together; no exaggeration, from about 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., just like that we were first-day pals. It felt like an instant connection, a shared experience that set the tone for what was to come.

A few weeks before the conference, I had a conversation with a refreshingly transparent recruiter I knew was also attending. They invited me to stop by their company’s booth, and when I arrived, this recruiter, whom I had never met in person before, greeted me with a hug. Not a stiff handshake, but a genuine gesture that immediately made me feel like, well…family. 

Especially in the often impersonal world of tech, this kind of warmth was pleasantly surprising. AfroTech wasn’t just a place where you met people; it was a space where you actually saw them. Conversations went beyond business cards and elevator pitches, delving into who we were as individuals. We weren’t just professionals but people with stories, style, and swag. It reminded me that connection—whether through a friendly hug or a stranger-turned-buddy—isn’t just personal; it’s professional too.

Hot Take 4: Do you, Boo 

I had the pleasure of speaking with a witty, CEO-prone sales engineer for hours about everything from our industries to our faith. In the course of our conversation, we touched on a powerful point: No matter how you dressed, danced, or expressed yourself, there was no mistaking the level of intellect, ambition, wisdom, potential, and sincerity radiating from everyone in attendance. This was a technology conference, after all. So, sure, we debated engineering principles, swapped insights on content creation strategy, and discussed government intelligence with ease, and we got down to Kendrick Lamar.

From early-career professionals to mid and senior-level experts, university students to executives and founders, it was clear: we were among people who meant business. AfroTech proved that being yourself didn’t mean compromising your expertise, and individuality isn’t a liability—it’s an asset. We didn’t have to dim ourselves to be taken seriously or check our culture at the door. Instead, we let it elevate the experience for everyone.

So, why should you care? 

Because, in essence, AfroTech Conference 2024 was a movement. A reminder that professionalism and cultural expression aren’t mutually exclusive. In a world where code-switching and assimilation are often the norm, AfroTech boldly said, “Come as you are—no, for real. We mean it! Bring your notebook, dreads, or fraternity letters proudly displayed, and own it! Your full self belongs here.”

And that’s the takeaway I want to leave with you. Whatever industry you’re in, whatever room you walk into, remember this: your culture, your identity, your authenticity—they’re your superpowers. Embrace them, because when you do, you won’t just take up space. You’ll light it up.

Have you ever attended an AfroTech Conference before, or are considering it? Care to share a quick story, or favorite memory, or start a new discussion? Did this article offer a fresh perspective or insight? Drop a comment—I and I’m sure others would love to keep this party going.

A note from Erin: Thank you for being here! If these ideas or perspectives resonate with you, I’d love for you to subscribe or share them with someone you care about. If you’re ready to make a change, or when the time feels right, I’m here to help. Check out my new “WORK WITH ME” page to explore how we can collaborate—or swing by my “CONTACT” page to say hello, ask a question, or start a conversation.

6 Comments

  1. Tanya
    November 27, 2024 / 3:32 pm

    This is a wonderfully written recap. Your vivid descriptions of your experiences from the conference truly bought it to life—I felt like I was right there with you, even though I was only reading this from my laptop screen! It even bought back memories from the NSBE conferences I attended during my my undergraduate years. What nice times those were. Well, it sounds like I definitely need to check out AfroTech next year! Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece with us all!

    • Erin
      Author
      December 2, 2024 / 2:09 am

      You’re so kind. I am thrilled to see this–thank you!! So happy you enjoyed it. And that it brought back good memories. If you do attend AfroTech next year, you’ll have to come back and tell us all about it 🙂 xo

  2. Marcus
    December 5, 2024 / 1:47 pm

    This is so on point! I struggled to explain to my son, a senior in High School who is now deciding which university to attend, what it meant to see other Black professionals in the tech industry being unapologetically authentic. It was so refreshing to put the corporate code switching away and just talk with people from all over. I learned so much and, most of all, I feel reaffirmed by knowing that there are other Black professionals in tech, breaking barriers and making a difference daily.

    • Erin
      Author
      December 10, 2024 / 5:35 pm

      Yes, that part! And you’re one of them 🙂 With more conferences and conversations like these, and parents like you, hopefully, by the time your son enters the workplace, being authentic won’t be so astonishing.

  3. Kimberly Moore
    December 23, 2024 / 7:19 am

    Looked and sounded like an awesome experience.

    • Erin
      Author
      December 27, 2024 / 7:33 pm

      Hi! Thank you for taking the time to read all about it. It really was quite special.

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