Geek Girl Rising

March 15, 2017
Concentrating on the years 2014 through 2016, journalists Cabot and Walravens (editor: Torn: True Stories of Kids, Career & the Conflict of Modern Motherhood, 2011) tell the stories of dozens of women who are working in or leading tech companies.With considered optimism, the authors relate a few accounts of failed companies led by women and present statistics indicating how small a percentage of women are involved in tech jobs, but they keep most of their attention on those who have managed to break through and thrive in a tough business environment. Some of these leaders took off from relatively small internet niches and parlayed them into much larger presences, such as YouTube star Michelle Phan, creator of the e-commerce cosmetics company Ipsy. Others found areas that their male counterparts ignored: Sheila Lirio Marcelo, for example, was motivated to form a site for seekers and purveyors of domestic help by her own -struggles with balancing babies and aging parents.- In addition to tech leaders, the authors consider female -angel investors- like Joanne Wilson, who invests in female startups, or the group of Chattanooga female movers and shakers who invest their collective cash in businesses run by women. Cabot and Walravens make a point of seeking out minority women, whether women of color or lesbians, to include in their account. While a majority of the book covers high earners, one chapter follows women who have pieced together tech work at home following the births of their children and suggests that such work will be increasing in the future. Using evidence of colleges where computer science departments have managed to maintain female students, the authors argue that environments where women support other women offer the most hope of success and that tech companies must reach a tipping point where women will be encouraging the growth of other women. A well-organized if sometimes-superficial survey of the successes and occasional failures of women working in what has traditionally been a male-dominated field.

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April 1, 2017
Despite increasing jobs in the tech industry, the number of women pursuing these careers is in decline. However, Cabot and Walravens admirably show that though women are a minority in this historically white, male industry, they are an inspirational force to be reckoned with. This book dismantles stereotypes surrounding women's capabilities, highlights obstacles impeding their entry into the tech boys club, and encourages women of all ages to persevere and follow their passions. Cabot and Walravens accomplish this task by profiling a wonderfully diverse range of female entrepreneurs, financiers, company founders, and mentorsall of them intelligent, driven, and committed to creating a supportive community for women in (or trying to break into) tech. Included are such figures as Debbie Sterling, creator of GoldieBlox engineering dolls; Sheila Marcelo, founder of Care.com; and Michelle Phan, YouTube celebrity and Ipsy cosmetics company founder. This enlightening read reveals many problems embedded in start-up culture, but, more importantly, it is an invigorating call to action and testament to the wide-ranging successes of women in this field.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)