[kibwen]

Google has their own page on employee diversity:

http://www.google.com/diversity/index.html#chart

If you click the "Tech" tab, they self-report as 59% White, 35% Asian, 2% Hispanic, 1% Black. Note that the ethnicity data is US-only (the gender data is global).

[icelancer]

That a lot of white and Asian people work there isn't evidence that it is only a good place for white and Asian people to work there, however.

[kibwen]

Indeed, you'd need to ask non-white, non-Asian employees about their experiences there.

Here's a post from November 2014 about a black woman's experience at Google: https://medium.com/thelist/the-other-side-of-diversity-1bb3d...

It's a very interesting read, I recommend it.

[icelancer]

>Indeed, you'd need to ask non-white, non-Asian employees about their experiences there.

Well, seeing as I am a non-white non-Asian former Google employee....

[kibwen]

Using "you" in the indefinite sense. :) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generic_you

[e12e]

Interesting link (even if it is a rather depressing confirmation of typical white tech-worker douchebagginess).

The wording of:

> When I transferred to my second team there, Desktop Support, diversity lightning struck: I was a black woman reporting to another black woman in a technical role. Moreover, our team was predominantly black.

strikes me as a bit funny. Clearly "diversity lightning" implies an interesting chance outcome, facilitated by the possibility of there being similar people around, but "a black woman reporting to a black woman, in a predominantly black team" is stretching "diversity" to mean non-white (or more probably, non-white, non-male, non-gay).

I completely understand (in an entirely outside-looking-in way) the authors perspective -- but in my book a "diversity success story" would've been if the co-workers at Google hadn't been close-minded fucks, pardon the expression.

Now, I still think positive (hiring) discrimination is one of the best ways to achieve a mixed/diverse team, and that in turn is one cornerstone for a diverse and tolerant culture.

But sometimes you find yourself in the cultural stone age, and it's hard to see a good way out. Sounds like Google California was one such place -- not just due to Google, but apparently due to something (real equal opportunity) missing from higher education in the US in general?

[e12e]

Others might also find:

https://medium.com/@ericajoy/seeking-happy-58a2a375340a

relevant, interesting. And a bit more positive to boot.

[reagency]

Also note the survey of non-Google experiences in that article. Google vs the rest of the for-profit tech biz is one question, business vs non-profit?/charity is another.

[dylanjermiah]

Non profits and charities can discriminate far easier than a for profit business.

[unimportant]

Basically it comes down to her not feeling comfortable being around a majority of whites and asians and she feels that she has to change her whole personality just s others like her more.

She also prefers to be around blacks, preferably black women.

This has little to do with Google though.

Google is rather corporate and thus it's only for people willing to adapt a corporate personality during the day - often in combination with a rather conservative physical appearance.

Cornrows and overly casual probably wouldn't fly too well in the head office, no matter if you're black, white or asian.

She should just get another job.

[jghn]

Agree. I've spent a lot of time in tech, biotech and hanging around the medical community and it's no secret that certain racial & ethnic groups are overrepresented here in the US vs the standard population.

Why that is and if that's something to be concerned about are separate questions which I think are out of scope here, but it certainly doesn't necessarily imply that you need to conform to have an enjoyable work experience.

[dylanjermiah]

Thanks for the link. I don't however see any evidence to support the initial assumption that it's "perfect" for those races.