Diversity isn’t just a checkbox. It’s a competitive advantage.
Despite years of conversations about the value of diverse teams, tech companies continue to struggle with building inclusive pipelines—especially for Black tech talent. The excuses are familiar: “We can’t find qualified candidates.” But is that really the truth?
In this insightful conversation, Rahul Sharma, Principal at BayOne Solutions, explores the real reason why tech’s diversity problem persists—and what it will take to fix it. From confronting middle management bias to reframing how we define “qualified,” Rahul breaks down the steps needed to build a robust Black tech talent pipeline.
Backed by demographic trends, workforce projections, and decades of industry experience, this talk is a call to action:
Diversity is not a risk. It’s a return.
➼ Watch to uncover the barriers, challenge the status quo, and learn how to be part of the solution.
[00:09]
Question: “You often teach people about the multiple dimensions of diversity. Can you walk us through the framework you use?”
Mario Middleton: Absolutely.
Whenever I teach a class or talk to someone new to the topic of diversity and inclusion, I always start by making sure we’re all on the same page.
Most people immediately associate diversity with race and gender—and while those are important, they’re just part of the picture.
At the core, we all have different personalities. That’s the foundation.
From there, we move into internal dimensions—things we’re born with:
Race, age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and physical ability. These are aspects of identity that shape how we experience the world from the beginning.
Then we have external dimensions—the layers shaped by life:
Marital status, parental status, education, income, geographic background, work experience, and more. These influence how we think, behave, and contribute.
When I talk to teams, I ask:
Does your team reflect the people you’re trying to serve?
Are there working parents in the mix? People from different educational or socioeconomic backgrounds? If your customers are diverse, your team should be too.
Finally, there’s the organizational layer—roles, function, seniority, union membership, management status. These dimensions affect how people experience inclusion within the corporate structure.
The goal is to help people understand that diversity isn’t just visual—it’s multi-dimensional.
And when we see it that way, we stop excluding unintentionally. We bring our allies along. We create space for everyone’s voice.
That’s what this framework is about—shifting the conversation away from just race and gender, and toward a broader, more empathetic understanding of diversity.
