Please check out my main blog, Obi-Wan Kimberly Is Your Only Hope, where I write about web development and technical management!
Hi, my name is Kimberly Blessing. I'm a computer scientist, Web developer, standards evangelist, feminist, and geek. This is where I write about life, the Web, technology, women's issues, and whatever else comes to mind.
Another year, another Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing!
This year I’m attending both TechLeaders and GHC. Last night I even got to party with the Tapia folks!
If I have time to write more here, I will… but otherwise watch the GHC flickr group, twitter, and wiki to learn about what’s going on!
The K-12 Informal Education Hub of the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT), led by the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), is conducting a three-phase study to determine what experiences or factors influence females to pursue a career in information technology (IT). Study results will help guide efforts to increase the number of women entering IT fields. We would appreciate your help in disseminating the survey to as many technical women as possible. Please forward this email to other women you know working in IT.
The new Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology site went live earlier today. Please check it out and let me know what you think!
The production of this site has been one of my labors of love over the past year and I’m so honored that the Institute, whose mission is near and dear to my heart, chose KimmieCorp to create their new Web presence. But I didn’t work alone:
Thanks to everyone above for their great work, plus to everyone else at ABI (including their volunteers) for their trust and cooperation!
Folks, here’s a public service reminder: There are plenty of other non-profit and volunteer organizations out there that need help and advice when it comes to creating a functional, usable, accessible and stylish Web site… so find one that you’re committed to and get to work! The organization will have a site that communicates their message in a compelling manner, and you’ll have work that you can be proud of. It’s great when doing good is a win-win.
I’ll have more to say about other aspects of SXSW later, but I wanted to say that the Non-Developers to Open Source Acolytes: Tell Me Why I Care panel was the best panel I’ve ever been to at SXSW. The audience was diverse (about 50/50!) and engaged, and we had a discussion that even enlightened me about something I thought I knew quite a bit about.
Thank you, Elisa Camahort, for organizing such an interesting and engaging panel. Now I really want to attend BlogHer because I’m sure you organize a kick-ass conference.
It was also really wonderful to hear from Annalee Newitz (co-editor of the very awesome She’s Such a Geek), Dawn Foster, and my friend Erica Rios. Erica made poignant references to women’s involvement in creating technology and to the opportunities available to women via open source, which received a round of applause. Needless to say, that discussion needs to be continued.
Note to Hugh Forrest: Bring back Elisa as a moderator — or maybe as a keynote?! — and bring back these panelists to continue a discussion that brought everyone to the table!
Alrighty folks, it’s SXSW time.
Come to the WaSP Annual Meeting where we’ll tell you what we’ve been up to, and where we’ll be Takin’ it to the Street on Monday, March 12 at 5 PM.
My AOL pals are doing another “How to Convince Your Company” panel, this time on embracing mashup culture. And Arun is also doing a browser wars panel, and I honestly can’t think of anyone else who’d be better at leading such a discussion.
I was surprised to learn that PayPal is also getting involved in SXSW, by sponsoring an evening event: the PayPal SXSW Showdown. I’m going to meet the organizer later today and find out what it’s all about. If you want to attend, be sure to RSVP!
Other stuff I’m looking forward to…
If you see me, stop me and say hello!
