Women in MIDS: Akshita Gandra

Open to all women-identifying MIDS students and faculty.

How do women and nonbinary people in tech reinforce their authenticity and unique personalities as a new wave of leaders, while also finding the freedom to lead like men while discarding double standards?

We have witnessed the death of the “girlboss” in recent years. The tech ecosystem is faulty — while companies are now begrudgingly accepting that yes, women and nonbinary folks are equal to men, they haven’t grasped that we don’t function or behave exactly the same way (e.g., societal pressures are generally much higher for women, and the daily 9–5 doesn’t accommodate for a globally broken childcare system). Even when we do conform to men, double standards result in powerful women CEOs (whose companies achieved great success) getting intensely criticized in the court of public opinion for the same leadership styles that male CEOs have been applauded for. Let’s talk about how to break into the unknown confidently, systematically redefine and achieve success on our own terms, battle double standards/sexism, build or find support systems, and reframe the way the narrative is shaped in our minds.

Speaker

Akshita Gandra

Akshita Gandra is a product manager, tech writer, and founder of an intersectional feminist magazine. Akshita, with a background in computational cognitive science and a focus on AI/ML, is building a mindfulness app while participating in founder and venture capital programs. She is passionate about using tech for social good and empowering marginalized communities.