Community is essential for Black professionals.

Among the annual events that center Black audiences, the AFROTECH™ Conference has rightfully earned the title of “Black tech Mecca.” Each year, leaders that have included Robert F. Smith, will.i.am, Beatrice Dixon (The Honey Po co-co-founder and former CEO), and Colin Kaepernick (Lumi Founder) have taken to its programing stages to offer industry insights.

In attending the AFROTECH™ Conference, attendees have the opportunity to explore the expo floor, which features over 200 tech and enterprise companies actively recruiting, product demonstrations, and event activations both within the conference venue and in the surrounding area.

The conference has made its way to Austin, TX, in previous years but has transitioned to Houston, TX, for the 2024 and 2025 years.

Transforming Your ATC™ Experience As An Insider

Among the list of ATC 2024 attendees was Jade C. Williams, a product leader and founder of a soon-to-be-launched digital platform, That AI Girl. Williams has attended multiple AFROTECH™ Conferences since her first in San Francisco, CA, in 2018. She has worn various hats throughout her participation, including being a speaker, an executive attendee, and a volunteer, her LinkedIn mentions.

This year, she experienced the conference from a fresh perspective as an AFROTECH™ Insider. This two-tiered membership program fosters community and empowers professionals to enhance their personal and professional brands.

“Having been for so long and so many rounds, what is a different way for me to participate this go around,” Williams said during an interview with AFROTECH™. “And when I learned about the Insider community, I said, ‘You know what? This is the way to stay connected to a network of other founders and leaders and just incredible like-minded professionals who are passionate about tech diversity and innovation.’ So it’s been a privilege to be in the Insider community because we have access to behind-the-scenes opportunities, exclusive insights, and events, and then, moreover, just the chance to connect with a community that feels like home. So the insider community feels like a tighter-knit group of tech innovators in addition to the big homecoming that the conference offers.”

  

Photo Credit: Jade C. Williams

 

Landing Interview Opportunities And Client

As an AFROTECH™ Insider, Williams received a complimentary ticket to the 2024 AFROTECH™ Conference. Her immediate priorities were AI-driven panels and the recruitment expo floor. She left the conference with a new client, new connections, the opportunity for a podcast feature, and landed several interviews.

“One thing that’s interesting about AFROTECH™ is the timing of when it occurs. A lot of the recruiters, I will say, are forecasting and prepping for Q1, and because AFROTECH™ is in Q4, it’s an opportune time to get ahead of the Q1 recruiting wave and build those connections early. So I have had like rounds of interviews in the last like month or so to determine like which one I’ll choose in Q1 and hopefully we’ll have multiple options soon,” she commented.

Feeling inspired by Williams’ story? Join the Insider community today — click here!