Tech Inclusion 2019 Speaker Spotlight: Paidamoyo-Janet Azehko,
Creative Director at Project Erostribe
By Antonia Ford
Paidamoyo-Janet Azehko (alternatively known a Myles) is Founder and Creative Director of Project Erostribe, and spoke for first time at Tech Inclusion 2019. A former circus performer and fashion designer, they are teaching themself to code in their spare time and aspires to turn Project Erostribe into a live/work art collective that provides affordable housing. We asked them a few questions about equity, empowerment, and allyship in tech.
What does equity mean to you? Why does it matter in the tech industry?
Without looking it up to me it means owning a part of what you work in. I’ve been an artist most of my life so the first thing that really comes to mind is how record labels would own an equity stake in an artists earnings, or an equity stakeholder in a company. After looking up the definition and finding out that it also means “the quality of being fair and impartial” and I also think that applies to my example. A lot of times record labels/artist labels pay for all the things artists need up front and end up taking a percentage of the revenue an artist makes later (same as an ISA)
What does empowerment feel like to you?
It feels a lot like when I get on the back of my motorcycle, or like motorcycle riding in general. There’s a very real feeling of literally taking life into your own hands and getting to where you need to be anyway you can. Sometimes you split lanes and creep ahead, sometimes you sit back behind the cars because there isn’t space. Once every so often you’ll find another rider who will ride beside you. Empowerment feels exactly like that.
What do you look for in an ally?
I look for someone who I can learn from, but equally I look for someone who can learn from me or seems to really want to have a relationship. The biggest thing about allyship is that it really can be a kind of relationship. Believe it or not, Wayne Sutton has been the best example to me of an ally. When I decided I wanted to learn how to ride a motorcycle, Wayne really found a way to get me interested in motorcycles through something I love (fashion). That inspired me to see myself as someone who eventually would ride a motorcycle, but it really inspired me to look into a sector of fashion that is underserved (women riders) and to take my creativity to that.
What do you do everyday to help create a culture of inclusion?
I really try to be that person my friends can come to when they have the hard questions to ask about allyship the discussion of privilege. This summer I’ve been working on learning how to be more gender inclusive and respectful of whatever chosen pronoun someone may have. I’m also learning a lot about Autism and neurodiversity.
What is one fun tech item that you recently discovered?
Misty from Twilio’s SIGNAL Conference!!! I love her so much. She’s distractingly cute yet functional. She’ll take your picture, record video, remind you to post said video and probably write your blog as you dictate, plus she seems very feisty and fun to have around. I don’t know how they got me to imagine a robot having a personality but I dig it!
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