Foreword

      The future of work is already here. Global competition for labor continues to alter the employment landscape in the United States. Technology has enabled the rise of automation in manufacturing, service industries, and even white‐collar professions previously considered “safe” like finance and marketing. The mass adoption of digital platforms and marketplaces like Uber, TaskRabbit, and DoorDash has fueled the rise of the gig economy and, subsequently, the gig worker. And the COVID‐19 pandemic disrupted the world of work beyond anything we could have imagined, as millions of workers exited the labor force even as employers face historic talent shortages. It is not hyperbolic to say that America is in the midst of an economic transformation akin to the Industrial Revolution.

Employers and employees alike are finding themselves in unfamiliar territory. While it is tempting to focus our collective effort on returning to “business as usual,” doing so would effectively leave millions of people—primarily Black and Latinx—on the sidelines. Already woefully underrepresented in STEM fields, the rapid pace of technological change has had a particularly pronounced impact on Black and Latinx workers and communities. As we stand at a crossroads, ready to chart a new path to a more equitable future, it is crucial that we bridge the gaps that separate us through a multi‐faceted, multi‐sector approach. We must transform the underlying systems and the mindsets that exacerbate these inequities, which are deeply embedded in the way we invest in technology and innovation, the way we educate our children, and the way we organize our cities and communities.

      I first heard Sherrell Dorsey's name at an entrepreneurial conference that brought together entrepreneurs, investors, and thinkers to talk about an often overlooked but thriving world: Black tech. While the Black tech ecosystem is often covered by the media with the assumption of deficits, Sherrell's publication The Plug provides a more nuanced, asset‐based view. Its reporting examines the challenges, the successes, and the potential of Black tech from the standpoint of people of color. Sherrell's media company is an irreplaceable source of truth for those of us dreaming of a world of work that works for everyone. Her book is a guide on how to get there.

      In Upper Hand, Sherrell shares her experience of two decades navigating the workforce, first as an employee and now as an employer. With a personal touch and rich in anecdotes and examples, she provides insight into the tech‐driven economy that has largely overlooked Black and brown communities, and also provides recommendations for how the tech ecosystem could diversify, leverage the genius of people of color, and build innovations that benefit everyone.

This book shows what organizational leaders, investors, and workers can do within the current system to make it more equitable. It speaks in an accessible voice to issues that many people of color will readily recognize from their own experience and it brings to the table an experienced, insider view of the tech world. I have drawn on Sherrell's insights many times in my own work leading initiatives to improve the education‐to‐employment pathways for people of color.

      This indispensable book is a tremendous contribution to our collective effort to navigate the rapidly changing innovation landscape, and it serves as a guide for how industry stakeholders can work together to build a more equitable world of work.

       Dr. Angela Jackson

      Dr. Angela Jackson is the Managing Partner of Future of Work at New Profit, a national venture philanthropy organization that backs breakthrough social entrepreneurs who are advancing equity and opportunity in America.