What is Fifty50 Initiative?
The tech industry remains overwhelmingly male-dominated, with women making up just 31% of the workforce at major companies. For Black women, the numbers are even more alarming—accounting for only 3% of computing roles.
At Fifty50 Initiative, we’re on a mission to change this narrative by shaping tech for a 50/50 future. By prioritizing the empowerment of Black women, we are bridging opportunity gaps and working toward an industry that reflects true gender balance.
We empower women to chart their own paths in tech without a predefined blueprint, equipping them with the tools, confidence, and support they need to succeed. But we’re not just building careers; we’re driving economic mobility and creating meaningful, lasting change for Black women in the tech industry.
Why Our Work is Important
Representation matters. In a field where opportunities often feel out of reach, Fifty50 Initiative bridges the gap by fostering community and creating connections. Studies show that Black women face systemic barriers in tech, but our work is about breaking down those walls. We aim to reduce the degrees of separation, ensuring that no one feels alone in their journey. By empowering women to pivot into tech careers, we’re not just changing individual lives—we’re reshaping the future of the tech industry.
About the Founder
Taiwo Ade is the visionary behind the Fifty50 Initiative, a first-generation entrepreneur, and a Black woman in tech. With 8 years of experience at leading companies like LinkedIn, Meta, and Etsy, Taiwo understands firsthand the challenges of breaking into the tech industry without a clear blueprint. She is building a legacy of community, empowerment, and transformation in the tech .
Starter Pack
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〰 [Career Pivot Series] Pivoting to tech without related experience
〰 [Hired Girl Summer] Job hunting series in a tough market
〰 [Public Health to UX] Wha is UX research and how do I break in?
Online Education
〰 [LinkedIn Learning] Foundation UX courses I started my journey with
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〰 [Mixed Methods]
〰 [NN/g UX Podcast]
〰 [Awkward Silences]
〰 Brave UX - [audio] | [video]
〰 [Design Better]
〰 [UX Radio]
〰 [The World of UX with Darren Hood]
〰 [Quantitude]
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〰 [Don’t make me think], Steve Krug
〰 [The Design of Everyday Things], Don Norman
〰 [Moderator’s Survival Guide], Donna Tedesco
〰 [Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights 1st Edition], Steve Portigal
〰 [Just Enough Research], Erika Hall
〰 [Think like a UX Researcher], David Travis
〰 [Measuring the user experience], Tom Tullis and Bill Albert
〰 [Doorbells, Danger, and Dead Batteries], Steve Portigal
〰 [Universal Methods of Design, Expanded and Revised: 125 Ways to Research Complex Problems, Develop Innovative Ideas, and Design Effective Solutions], Bella Martin and Bruce Hanington
〰 [User Research: A practical guide to designing better products and services], Stephanie Marsh
〰 [It’s Our Research], Tomer Sharon
〰 [Research Practice], Gregg Bernstein
〰 [Quantifying The User Experience: Practical Statistics For User Research], Jeff Sauro and James Lewis
〰 [List of 100 behavioral design books]
Newsletters
〰 [The UX Life Chose Me Newsletter] - Monthly newsletter focused on User Research and ReOps
〰 [User Weekly] - Weekly newsletter looking at whats happening in User Research
〰 [NN/g Newsletter] - weekly newsletter from Nielsen Norman Group
〰 [UXinsight newsletter] - monthly newsletter that features UX research articles, templates, conferences, events & trainings
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〰 [🚨Layoff Guide]
〰 [Volunteer Platforms] for GRC Analysts, Data Analysts, Data Scientists, Product Managers
〰 [Volunteer Platforms] for UX Researchers, Product Designers, Software Engineers/ Developers
〰 [Google Coursera Course - UX Professional Certification] (There is a program specifically focused on UX research and gives an extensive overview of research types, methods, and walks you through the process with best practice recommendations)
Job boards
〰 [UX Job Board]
〰 [Remote UXR Jobs]
〰 [Yuno Juno]
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〰 [Global UX Compensation Transparency Project]
〰 [Ten Rules for Negotiating a Job Offer]
〰 [UX Salary in Silicon Valley video from Aona Talks]
〰 [Design salary repository] (Global, ongoing data collection)
〰 [Measuring U Salary Calculator]
〰 [She Negotiates: Resources]