38. Leanne Pittsford - Lesbians Who Tech

In 2012, Leanne Pittsford created a Facebook event for lesbians working in the San Francisco tech industry. Now, Lesbians Who Tech has hosted six summits in addition to dozens of other events around the world. And in 2020, they will host the first virtual Pride Summit.

It’s the largest LGBTQ community of technologists in the world. But it’s not just for lesbians – everyone is invited to support and attend the events! Leanne and I chat about why our community needs this, how she provides value to businesses, and the importance of reclaiming the word lesbian.

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Highlights

7:17 Leanne talks about how working with the No on Prop 8 campaign inspired the concept for Lesbians Who Tech

10:38 She describes what the first meetups were like at bars

16:11 I ask about her branding choice, how intentional it was, and how it’s helped (or hurt) her mission

20:30 I ask Leanne about taking the leap from small gatherings to a large summit

26:04 Leanne tells me about reaching $1 million and how Lesbians Who Tech reinvests in the community

28:41 She talks about how the business still serves the community in light of the pandemic

33:00 Leanne reflects on what gives her optimism about the near future

35:02 I ask her why she brings politicians to speak at events, and whether she sees herself running for office

Music by Jeff Kaale (1, 2, 3, 4)