Solange Feliciano: Inclusion, Tech, and the Power of Black Women

For inclusion to be effective, companies need representation at all levels, from HR to the board. It is essential that products and services are developed with this majority in mind, overcoming the shortsightedness that ignores specific needs, such as makeup shades, suitable shampoos, or even swimming caps for braided hair.

Ancestral Strength: The History and Meaning of Braids

Braids carry a profound historical and cultural significance for Black women. Solange explains that, during colonization, braids were much more than a hairstyle: they served as a survival tool for enslaved women, used to hide food and money. The first entrepreneurs in Brazil were Black and formerly enslaved women who sold snacks to buy their families' freedom, and braids functioned as secure “safes” for their earnings.

For Solange, who wears Nagô braids in honor of her grandmother, they are a symbol of freedom, strength, and representation of a village and a history of resistance.

A Journey of Overcoming Adversity: From Slum to Technology

Solange's journey begins in a cortiço (slum tenement) in the East Zone of São Paulo, where her father's encouragement for education was fundamental. Her illiterate mother worked for 60 years at Matarazzo, an example of persistence that shaped Solange. Her initial passion was typewriting, which was soon replaced by computing, where she noticed the gender gap and the lack of women in the sector.

As a mother at 19, Solange faced prejudice: she was fired from her secretary position under the pretext that “mothers were not productive.” This experience, unfortunately common for many women, solidified her commitment to the fight for equity. The late discovery of dyslexia also helped her understand her affinity for programming logic and motivated her to train other women in her neighborhood in computer science, using creative methods such as teaching Excel on graph paper.

Her foray into SEO revealed the potential of accessibility as a key factor for website ranking, leading her to promote digital inclusion and found Black Women in Tech.

Empowerment Through Training: The Impact of Black Women in Tech

The Black Women in Tech project, created by Solange in partnership with Microsoft and the Mulheres do Brasil group, trained hundreds of Black women in cloud computing. The big initial challenge was the language barrier, as the training was in English and many participants did not master the language. The solution was to adapt the content and offer English classes, ensuring the accessibility and success of the program, which even generated international job opportunities.

Solange emphasizes that companies should invest in hard skills development and offer support, such as interpreters or deadlines for language acquisition, instead of demanding advanced English for roles that do not require it. Talent is available but needs opportunities and investment.

Advocacy for Equality: From Public Policies to Paternity Leave

As a counselor for the Municipal Council for the Promotion of Racial Equality (COMPIR) of São Paulo, Solange works on creating public policies, such as anti-racism campaigns and training for civil servants. She defends racial quotas, explaining that Brazil has a history of quotas for privileged groups, and that the abolition of slavery was not accompanied by inclusion policies for the Black population, creating a generational gap that needs to be corrected to ensure equity.

Solange is also an ambassador for Copai, a coalition fighting for extended and paid paternity leave, equating it to maternity leave. The initiative aims to support women during postpartum, strengthen the paternal bond, and combat prejudice against mothers in the job market. She also supports Job Can, a recruitment platform with avatars that promotes impartiality in selection, eliminating gender and racial biases.

AI and Digital Inclusion: Building Bridges for the Future

In her lectures and mentoring sessions on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Solange prompts the audience to reflect on digital inclusion at home, encouraging the teaching of AI to parents and grandparents. She warns that the lack of digital literacy among older generations makes them vulnerable to fake news and misunderstanding new technologies, such as the fear of losing jobs to robots.

Solange highlights AI's potential in health (disease mapping, personalized medicine) and in combating disinformation, but emphasizes the need for digital literacy and data validation. It is crucial to demystify AI, showing it as a support tool that requires human interaction and critical thinking.

Vision for the Future: Social Impact and Bigger Dreams

Looking to the future, Solange seeks new challenges in the job market and continues with social initiatives. One of her current projects is “Black Women in Karting,” which aims to provide unique experiences for Black women. Her biggest dream is to create a startup incubator for young people from the periphery, offering them access to technology and innovation, inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs.

When asked what she would say to her 15-year-old self, she answers with a simple and powerful piece of advice: “Do everything. Do everything without regretting anything. Just do it, and it will work out.” A message that celebrates the courage, joy, and resilience of a woman who was never afraid to go further.

Solange Feliciano's journey shows us that the fight for inclusion is multifaceted and requires persistence, innovation, and, above all, the power of community and sorority. May her voice continue to inspire transformations and build a fairer future for all.