The 2017 Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing saw more than 18,000 attendees in its fourth year running — 3,000 more than last year’s celebration. According to Elizabeth Ames (pictured), senior vice president of programs, marketing alliances at the Anita Borg Institute for Women in Technology, the event’s continued growth is likely due in large part to the increased visibility of tech’s diversity issue.

“I think it’s really an expression of how this issue has become a big issue,” Ames said in regard to the celebration’s growing popularity. After a year characterized in part by opposition to diversity, those committed to the cause are working even harder to stay the course.

“Women that are in the field … care about the women coming up, and they want them to succeed. And they want them to have every single opportunity. Everybody’s invested in them and interested in nurturing and helping them along,” Ames said.

Ames spoke with Jeff Frick (@JeffFrick), host of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE’s mobile livestreaming studio, during the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing event in Orlando, Florida. They discussed Grace Hopper’s position as a pivotal event in amplifying women’s voices in the industry, as well as how Ames hopes to expand the impact of AnitaB.org in the future.

Exclusion as a motivator

Ames remains unfazed by challenges to the diversity movement, observing the great achievements marginalized groups have made over the years despite criticism. “Women weren’t admitted to all of the premier colleges … until the 1960s. … The language that was used at the time was almost identical to the language that we’re hearing today. And yet today, half the students at those schools are women. Women have earned their way there,” Ames said.

As organizations like AnitaB.org remain unwavering in their pursuit of equality, the resolve of excluded groups everywhere is strengthened. “We’ve heard people tell us you can’t do that, you shouldn’t do that, no you’re not welcome. … Women are not going to back down,” Ames stated.

While the Grace Hopper Celebration grows, Ames is considering expansions of the event that can advance tech diversity at every level. Everyone at the Anita Borg Institute is well aware that not everyone will be able to attend the conference — for a variety of reasons.

“Building out local communities, empowering those communities to have smaller versions of this type of thing, and growing this movement to a bigger scale that really encompasses all the women that are out there … it’s just the tip of the iceberg,” Ames said.

AnitaB.org’s ultimate goal is to make tech accessible for the thousands of women who don’t have the opportunity to attend. The Institute strives to find a way to reach every single one of these women and bring the support, connection and inspiration they need to stay in the tech field.

“That will have an impact on them and on the communities they live in,” Ames concluded.

Watch the complete video interview below, and be sure to check out more of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.

Photo: SiliconANGLE