Dr Tammy, nice to meet you. Thank you for coming on. This works as follows: we have a few questions for you, but the first question for you is one our previous guest, Thony Nava, left for you. It’s this one: What is the relationship between blockchain technology and freedom?

Oh, that's a great question. So hello, everyone. Thank you so much for having me. I sure appreciate being here. So what is the connection? For me, it's the idea of decentralization. 

Blockchain technology offers ways to handle governance and other things that require a middle person, a third party. Centralized systems require a third party. Decentralization removes that. And when you remove that, you create a space for people to have ownership, for people to have access, for people to really be in control of their digital assets. 

Blockchain technology is typically attached to smart contracts, transactions that are approved by code rather than a middle person. That creates freedom because it gives back to the individual some of the power taken through centralized systems. Blockchain technology is that infrastructure that sets the foundation and opens all those opportunities or buzzwords we discuss. NF Ts, the Metaverse, all those things. You'll probably see blockchain technology behind them if they're truly decentralized. 

Cool. Brilliant answer. I'm sure Thony will be interested to hear it. What is your involvement in blockchain technology and Web3?

I do a lot. I don't call myself a coach. But I'm a strategist. And in that, I'm a consultant. But I'm also a traditional educator. So I have been in the traditional educational system, all different grades, and higher education where I am now. I'm also an author, speaker, and researcher. In the blockchain space, what I've done is more of a consulting firm. I've created this ecosystem where I can do all those things that I do, do well, and love to do. In the blockchain, that's what I do. I educate. I onboard folks into Web3. I particularly liked blockchain technology. That's where I started. Web3, of course, is connected to that.

I also like helping leaders, entrepreneurs, businesses, startups, or small businesses come up with creative solutions. And part of that is also thinking about how you can be viable in the future of business, right? The future of work. If you have employees, what does that look like? And so those are the things that I like to do. But because I'm an educator, I also help with Blockchain-based curricula and help do that with different organizations, like ICORBP (International Council Of Registered Blockchain Professionals). I'm also a professor at Altesse University, where I teach courses and their blockchain studies programme. But my biggest thing that's connected to what we're talking about today is what I call Be A JEDI work in this space: Belonging, Access, Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Everything I do is grounded in that, and looking at it from that lens. 

It's really interesting. I've been thinking about “Representative Education” as a concept recently. Do you think it's something that's lacking in blockchain? Are we still in time to ensure the educational resources and the people teaching us are diverse?

Yes, I think so. And when we're talking about diversity in blockchain, we're talking about exactly that. We're talking about making sure that how we deliver our education in whatever system it is, whether it's online, the Metaverse, or wherever it is, we have diverse representation. It goes back to onboarding. Onboarding people from diverse populations and being inclusive in onboarding those who can then be the teachers and leaders, whether they are in a traditional educational system and making that inclusive or if it’s Web3.

Hmm. Yeah, it's quite tricky because how far back the pipeline do we have to go to make sure? It's such a big task. Where do you go for your resources? I'm assuming if you're educating, you have a fair amount of knowledge, but what sources do you trust to learn more?

So that's a great question. People always say: “ Do your own research, do your own research.” But I consider that a scapegoat because how does one really find this information? I found that information through a mentor, someone who could point me in the right direction so then I could do my own research. My most valuable resource is someone who's been in this space longer than I have and may have experienced some of those not-so-good situations. They’ve learned and can say, Okay, look at this. Check out this. Not that. That sort of thing. A mentor. Then my other recommendation is a community to find like-minded people because then you have a group. You can hear other perspectives and other stories. But you must be careful about communities because that's a whole nother thing in this space: security and safety. But a good community and a mentor, those two things have been the most valuable at throwing out a resource, whether it's a book, a link, or a video. Then I take it from there.

Yeah, I get it. Mentorship comes up a lot. And I do like the idea of trickle-down knowledge. Even if somebody only has a little bit more information than you, there's something valuable in that. Then the person above them knows a little bit more and passes that down the line. It’s nice to make these kinds of connections, which I have always done through Twitter and obviously through the team at Diversity in Blockchain and all of the people I get to speak to, like yourself, which is amazing. It does help. What about your thoughts on diversity? What are the practical steps we can take toward ensuring that there is diversity in blockchain and Web3?

I love this question. Because the answer is action, right? Isn’t that what we do? Number one is ensuring access. Create an opportunity for folks who are not normally and traditionally included to access this space. So, for example, at a conference, look at your roster of speakers.

If you look at their roster, many of the large conferences and the more popular ones will be 99.9% very homogeneous. That's one to look out for when you're planning an event. 

When you are holding a space or a panel, or you have an educational opportunity that you're inviting folks into, maybe look around and see who's not in the room. Look and see who isn’t there, and invite them. Invite them into this space. That's all you can do. You can invite them. Now whether they accept or not, you cannot control that. But at least invite them. And then I think the other thing about accessibility is making it easy. I don’t mean watering down the information, but making it practical, making sure that it connects to them, and really meeting people where they are. That way, everybody can connect. If you're setting up events based on glitz, glamour, and influencer names rather than with panellists, speakers, and educators who can deliver that information most effectively, that leaves people out. That excludes people indirectly because they don't connect with you. So accessibility is: Look who's in the room and then make sure you create equity. Equity is before any diversity and inclusion. You need equity to make sure that everyone's needs are met in that room, and they're given the resources they need to make sure they can access the information. 

Perfect. What about the other side? I completely agree with you that somebody organising a big event needs to look at who they're bringing into the event, but from the other side as an attendee. Particularly somebody who might be in a historically underrepresented group? How do they push their way into getting places at those tables where they are not even necessarily invited?

That's a great question and a different angle because you're trying to enter a space you're not necessarily invited to or welcomed in. That's a different feeling. And not everybody has that part of them that's ready to push or face the conflict of getting into that space. I always encourage people to think about whether there is an ally there. Because allies from that group will make space for you. That's why mentorship is always important to me because my mentors don't have to look like me or be a woman, right? My mentor can be a male. And that's okay because that person could also be more like a sponsor and pull me into that space. I'm one to go in and bulldoze my way through. But not everyone is like that. So I think it's also a case of surveying the landscape. Maybe you don’t start with a big event. Maybe it’s a local event or something virtual, where you can be in the audience, start learning, and build up that confidence to say, Hey, I'm here, turn on my camera. I'm a strategist, so I think it’s about being strategic in what fits your personality and what fits your style. 

I like it. Again, it comes back to education. It’s a circle, and with enough information and resources, you can feel more confident in your knowledge, which gives you that confidence to go into a place and say, Hey, make room. So yeah, round and round, chipping away at the big iceberg with our little pickaxes. 

And that's exactly what it is. Chipping away.

Just today, I was working on a promo video for one of our other ChainChats. Urvi said that at the current rates of change in I think it was investment fund management or something like that, to reach gender parity, we're looking at 300 years. So we’ll have to keep chipping away.

But hopefully, by being a bit louder, we might get there earlier. 

When did you learn your most important lesson about diversity?

Oh, my goodness, there are so many. I clump them together. I'm a researcher. So I look at trends and patterns. And I realised that I was being invited to panels to speak and other places where I was the only woman, but I was invited as the woman or as the Black woman in that space. But I didn't really get a chance to speak. So that's when we get to that belonging piece in Be a Jedi. Talking about diversity and inclusion, when we’re inviting people into a space —  make sure they're actually included. It's one thing to invite them, but make sure that they feel comfortable and make sure they feel they have the same amount of space. I have found that other people on different panels constantly spoke over me. It's always good for people to be conscious of what's going on and realize they might not represent the majority of the people in whichever space they’re in. So say, “Hey, Dr Tammy, did you have something to say?” That's what I mean when I say make space for someone. 

We need more integrity. If you're inviting someone to speak, as you say, actually let them speak; otherwise, it comes across as just filling the quota. Then at the event itself that diversity is non-existent. So I see what you mean. OK, a bit more on the playful side. What way do you see the NFT thing going?

Oh, that's a great question. I don't know if those who are listening paid attention, but like 2021, early 2022, maybe up until even around September of 2022... Everybody was just throwing up photos and saying There's my NFT. Now we're seeing more utility around them. Now we're seeing people be more intentional. We're seeing artists who are actually creating art and not just taking a picture of their foot and throwing it up there! There's a purpose. And so I think we’re moving toward that. I didn’t necessarily see it during my learning process, but now we are seeing great projects. Ones for social good. Making an impact. Now I'm like, Okay, I'm gonna play. They’re something that adds value to the space. 

Yeah, that's one of the things that I love about Web3. The first thing most people hear about is cryptocurrency. And they're like, Oh, no, no, no. I don't like it. But once you get into the whole space, you see how many social impact projects there are and that this technology can make a real change. I don't know. It's something that gets me excited. I'm sure you're similar. If you're an educator, I think we're generally that kind of mentality that anything that's helping the world, well we're here for it. 

Yeah, exactly. That's my thing. That's how I've shifted. Some people are creating communities and coming up with ideas and projects, and we see some real traction and progression. I'm like, Sign me up, send it my way. 

Take ESG stuff for example. We've been chatting recently with a company using hashgraph technology, which I think is slightly different, to track carbon credits and things like that, or a project in Africa using tokenization to help farmers trade, and so much cool stuff.

Alright, any other wisdom, insights, experience, or anything you were hoping I would ask you that I haven't that you want to share?

What I will say is that when we're talking about diversity in blockchain, when we're talking about diversity in this space, we always want to consider the barriers and how can we eliminate them. It doesn’t have to be big like you mentioned earlier with the iceberg analogy. You can think about it in terms of your space. What can you do in your small space? I remember my college professor in my doctoral programme. They talked about advocacy and going out there and doing some of the real work. When you close your door to your class with one student, what can you do there in that small space? I translate that into the other things I do. What can I do, however seemingly small, in the spaces I occupy? In the spaces where I like to play in this space? How can I eliminate barriers? Whether I invite one friend to come with me, that maybe looks like me, or from a different group. Maybe someone says, “Hey, I need one more speaker.” And I recommend someone. It’s about keeping my eyes open, and when I see the opportunity to add diversity, to be inclusive, I do that. Then not only that I invite them in, but I also stay. I don't leave them there. I stay and make sure they belong, make sure they feel welcome, make sure they're involved, and make sure that they can then participate. There was a phrase that was buzzing around probably in the 90s: Reach One, Teach One. 

I think that's an amazing answer and super practical advice that people can take on because, you know, we're all just one person. And maybe some of us have that idealistic notion of wanting to change the whole world in one fell swoop, but perhaps it comes down to being more realistic and reaching one, teaching one. I really liked that. I hadn't heard of that. 

Because when you think about it, if there's 50 of us, just 50 of us doing that, then suddenly we're at 100. It's multiplying. Just imagine how many you are reaching because what you are doing is creating this ripple effect.

I love it. It's been really nice to speak to you. I'm going to ask you to leave a question for our next guest. Do you have anything?

I will go along the lines of my philosophy, which has been uncovered in this chat. Thinking practically: what are you doing in the spaces you occupy to add diversity, be inclusive, and make sure those you invite belong?

Perfect. I love it. Thank you very much for coming on. And I will be in touch with you very soon. 

Awesome. Thank you so much for your time.