She Matters is the origin of Kearney’s mission to create a better world for Black women and has since inspired the launch of other initiatives.

One of Kearney’s latest passion projects includes Black Girl Tech Day, an annual conference welcoming Black female founders to network, learn, and celebrate their entrepreneurial journey and contributions.

“As a Black female founder, it’s been hard to establish myself in the tech space, startup land, and the Silicon Valley culture. Culturally it’s outside the norm for us because we were never supposed to be a part of the puzzle. I felt as if this is a secret society that I know nothing about that I am trying to penetrate but I do not have the resources. It was not until I talked to friends in this space who were also Black women that I said we need to have a conference where Black women speak to each other and share resources such as funding and hiring for your tech company because it can be very stressful and take a toll on your mental health. I want to provide resources but also a community around this very difficult trajectory,” Kearney said.

According to information provided to AfroTech, attendees can look forward to expert panels, mentorship, and funding resources. The conference made its first splash in New York in 2021 and will expand to Atlanta, Los Angeles, and South Africa by 2023.

Jade Kearney

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