Some time in late 2001, it seemed like a good idea to round up a few local women who worked in various aspects of information technology for the nonprofit sector. We decided to have a very informal dinner together, and jokingly dubbed it "Technobabes' Night Out." Three years later, we have about 35 members, an email distribution list, and monthly get-togethers.
Although the nonprofit sector is highly feminized, the field of information technology is not, and it's great for the women who do this work to have a chance to get to know each other. Our outings are purely social (no official agenda, no technical presentations), but there's plenty of room for brainstorming about technologies and career strategies.
I'm very proud to report that we now have a rising generation of Technobabes, consisting of some of the daughters that have been born to members of the group. Our most senior Junior Technobabe is thirteen years old, and insists on being included whenever her schedule permits. I like to imagine this second generation as adults, reminiscing about how when they were little, they went along with mom to hang out a group of women who were her professional peers.
