un·der·rep·re·sent
ˌəndə(r)ˌreprəˈzent/
verb
past tense: underrepresented; past participle: underrepresented
- provide with insufficient or inadequate representation.“women are underrepresented at high levels”
When I googled this definition, the irony of the reason why I looked for it compared to the example was not lost on me.
Women are underrepresented at high levels.
This weekend I decided to have fun. Unlike the 99% of the normal world, who a weekend off having fun means playing golf or sitting by the pool, I went to Startup Weekend. There is nothing normal about that. I never represented myself as normal though nor have I ever been accused of being that, so there is no self degradation in saying “I am not normal”. I wasn’t for sure I wanted to go. We had been running non-stop the last month and the idea of staying home and snuggling with the kids sounded favorable. Add to it that my allergies were giving me some wicked bad vertigo issues (the kind that makes the world spin any time you bend or lower your head), I was in a sorry state. But I wanted to go, because like I said.. that is how I have fun.
This is the 3rd Startup Weekend that I have attended. My first was in 2012, where my sweet friend Amber Pankonin won for Stirlist. In 2013, I was blessed to work with the team that came in First place, led by the very talented Ali Schwanke. Underrepresented was a depressing reality at both of those events. I don’t know the exact stats, but there were less than a handful of women at either of these functions. Despite being sorely underrepresented, the women who did participate were rock stars and beat out the majority male counterparts to take 1st place. Girl power rocks!
I want to say this up front. Thank you Shane Reiser. I have no doubt that through your actions and determination, you successfully changed the example of “underrepresented” at this years Startup Weekend. I also know that the work being done by Shonna Dorsey with the Interface School and Sumeet Jain with Omaha Code School has had a huge impact as well. So flat out, Thank you.
The number representing this years Startup Weekend was amazing. Incredible. It wasn’t the full 50/50 that they were hoping for, but it was pretty damn close. What was even more incredible, out of the 20 teams that were picked and gave final pitches, 12 teams had at least one woman on their team, and in several cases, more than one. The team I was a part of had 6. Six women and Adam (you rock Adam)!
I suppose to the general public, who isn’t familiar with the idea of the underrepresented, wouldn’t think twice about seeing a room full of women and men. But for those of us in the tech world, the turn out this weekend was an incredible accomplishment. When you compare it to past Startup Weekends here in Nebraska, this becomes even more apparent.
And what is even more incredible? The team that won was yet again lead by an inspirational woman, Jen Homann. (And fortune fell upon me once again and gave me the opportunity to work with this team).
We hear a lot about the exclusion and harassment of women within the tech world. I wanted to make sure to write a story that showcased the exact opposite. I feel that this needs to be shouted from the rooftops and applauded by every single person in the community. The results of who attended was neither a coincidence nor an accident, those facilitating this event worked pretty damn hard to created an environment that welcomed both men and women, and that isn’t an easy task to accomplish. So thank you for making this weekend a really incredible weekend to be a part of.
Now for the narcissistic side of me.
I am going to acknowledge this. I am not the woman I was at the first Startup Weekend I attended. I can’t even put into the words on exactly what that means, what has changed, what has been discarded and reattached. That woman.. That Stacy… she was a glimmer of who I am now. I’m still an introvert. I still hate to be the center of attention. I still stumble at small talk and social networking, but I get through all those things because I know that there is a incredible prize at the end. Confidence. Courage. Determination. Inner happiness.
I have no shame sitting here typing these words out because I have earned them. It has nothing to do with being on a winning team. It does, however, have everything to do with my unwavering belief that I can and will do anything I set my mind to. It does have everything to do with the incredible mentors surrounding and cheering for me on a daily basis. Those who have my back and trusting me to have theirs. I think my goal in life has always been “do good so that you can inspire someone else to do the same”. I finally feel like I am doing that. That no matter the crap you have had in your past. No matter how beaten down and discouraged you may have felt. No matter how little faith those around you had in you… you are incredible.. you just have to find the courage to let it shine.
By the grace of God. I picked myself back up. I put one foot in front of the other and I looked in the mirror and decided to stay.