For a long time, tech culture has focused too narrowly on technical skills; this has resulted in a tech community that too often puts companies and code over people. Greater Than Code is a podcast that invites the voices of people who are not heard from enough in tech: women, people of color, trans and/or queer folks, to talk about the human side of software development and technology. Greater Than Code is providing a vital platform for these conversations, and developing new ideas of what it means to be a technologist beyond just the code. Featuring an ongoing panel of racially and gender diverse tech panelists, the majority of podcast guests so far have been women in tech! We’ve covered topics including imposter syndrome, mental illness, sexuality, unconscious bias and social justice. We also have a major focus on skill sets that tech too often devalues, like team-building, hiring, community organizing, mentorship and empathy. Each episode also includes a transcript. We have an active Slack community that members can join by pledging as little as $1 per month via Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/greaterthancode)
112: Dancing About Vulnerability with Marcel Byrd
00:53 – Marcel’s Superpower: An Explosive Relationship with Laughter
01:45 – The Intersection of Public Health and Art
06:36 – Authenticity and Vulnerability; Bringing Your Whole Self While Remaining Professional
14:59 – Reading a Room and Determining Safety for Being Vulnerable & Making it Safe for People Around You While Being Vulnerable
19:41 – The Beauty of Dance
30:58 – Seeing and Being Outside The Box
38:57 – Gaining Confidence While Retaining Humility
Reflections:
Astrid: The feedback loop can’t be, “I’m only going to keep doing this if I’m positively affirmed.”
Coraline: Vulnerability is scalable.
Avdi: Being the person on the dance floor not necessarily nailing their moves perfectly, but that has a big smile on their face regardless.
Jessica: Imagination is paramount to creating a better world.
Marcel: Articulating the importance of art, creativity, and vulnerability.
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Special Guest: Marcel Byrd.