Impact House’s New #HackTheCulture Networking Series To Promote Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace

Through a series of networking events, Dallas-based Impact House wants to facilitate diversity within STEM and other tech-related industries. It all begins on Nov. 15 with The Challenge of Being the "Only One."

Moving up in the workforce has, historically, not been an equal experience for people from diverse backgrounds. Through a new networking series — in a place where innovation meets culture — Impact House is seeking to change that.

The #HackTheCulture Networking Series was created after Impact House conducted a series of interviews with Dallas-Fort Worth-based Black and Latin-X entrepreneurs and professionals. The interviews focused on the challenges that come with attempting to start or grow a business in spaces that traditionally excluded minority talent.

“We believe inclusion and diversity is the engine for innovation and we seek to be a key player in what attracts minority talent and investment to our region, as well as what keeps them here.”
Benjamin Vann

“We believe inclusion and diversity is the engine for innovation and we seek to be a key player in what attracts minority talent and investment to our region, as well as what keeps them here,” Benjamin Vann, Impact House Founder and CEO, said in a statement.

Dallas-based Impact House believes “inclusion and diversity is the engine for innovation,” so it works to provide an ecosystem of skills and opportunities for underrepresented students, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Impact House’s other flagship programs aim to address this “innovation divide” by providing these founders with access to coaching, curriculum, capital, and community.


READ NEXT Collective Impact: ‘Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming.’


The #HackTheCulture Networking Series is no different, as it intends to focus on diverse groups within the STEM, technology, start-up, and social impact fields. Each series will include an interactive activity and featured speakers from the community, along with “Daps N’ Hugs” (networking), complimentary bites, and, of course, plenty of time for networking. Impact House encourages attendees to bring their friends and fellow entrepreneurs along as well, as the welcoming networking environment is said to offer startup resources for the DFW area.

Impact House Founder and CEO Benjamin Vann. [Courtesy Impact House]

#HackTheCulture

The #HackTheCulture Networking Series events will be hosted at GoodWork Co-working in Dallas and attendance and registration is free. There will be four interactive networking events in total, with topics including:

  • The Challenge of Being the “Only One” (Nov. 15)
  • Imposter Syndrome (Dec. 6)
  • Time Management (Jan. 10)
  • Self-Care (Feb. 7)

 

This networking series is just the beginning, though — #HackDFW 2019 will continue the conversation next year, from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17 in the Women’s Museum at Fair Park. Mark your calendars now, because this three-day event will focus on “hacking, learning, creating, and collaborating,” as apart of a larger initiative to promote diversity within the designated sectors. Over 500 professionals are expected to attend, all eager for the opportunity to pitch for cash and prizes, participate in tech talks and design-thinking activities, interact with vendors, and listen to corporate roundtables. A special #HackTheCulture challenge, designed specifically for women and innovators of color, will even be featured.

Get on the list.
Dallas Innovates, every day.

Sign up to keep your eye on what’s new and next in Dallas-Fort Worth, every day.

One quick signup, and you’re done.
View previous emails.

R E A D   N E X T

  • The Water Cooler at Pegasus Park—the largest shared nonprofit space in Texas — is a place designed to accelerate impact, together. From Big Thought to SVP Dallas to The Trust for Public Land, the 15 ‘exceptional nonprofits' were picked after an application process last summer. They’ll join Water Cooler's five founding tenants.

  • Bob Sulentic Dallas CBRE headquarters

    CBRE has launched a $7.25 million commitment to help combat climate change globally, improve educational and career development opportunities for racial minorities and disadvantaged populations across the U.S., and support community betterment efforts in Dallas—its headquarters city.

  • Last week, BUiLT International celebrated its one-year anniversary as a non-profit organization working to advance the representation and participation of Black people in tech. Peter Beasley, the founder of the organization, was voted back as Chairman of the Board for another year. 

  • What does diversity, equity, and inclusion look like in real life? How can organizations become diverse, inclusive, and equitable, and make it work? How can they make it last? A three-part virtual workshop—set for Jan. 19, Jan. 26, and Feb. 2—aims to present a blueprint on just that, featuring leaders who have seen successful DEI programs launched, and who will discuss key elements that made them successful. On Jan. 19, three nationally renowned leaders in diversity will kick off the seminars in a discussion titled “A Holistic DEI Approach in Academia”: Dallas ISD Superintendent Michael Hinojosa, who oversees one of…

  • Now in its third year, the program from Dallas Innovates and D CEO honors 78 disruptors and trailblazers driving a new vision for innovation in North Texas.