Recoding stories: the power of inclusive books at scale | Komal Singh | TEDxKitchenerED

Summary

In this video, a woman recounts a moment when her daughter, noticing her all-male colleagues during a conference call, assumed all engineers are boys. She reflects on the importance of diverse representation in children's books, highlighting the lack of characters of color and STEM themes. The speaker discusses her initiative at Google to create inclusive stories, like 'Ara the Star Engineer,' to inspire girls and minorities. By using technology, such as AI and VR, she aims to empower children to see themselves as future leaders and change-makers in various fields.

Takeaways

• 👧 Children notice gender representation in professions from a young age, as shown by the daughter's observation that all engineers are boys.
• 📚 Less than 5% of children's books feature characters of color in lead roles, and less than 1% are themed on STEM or sports adventures.
• 🤔 Books shape children's understanding of the world and can influence their career aspirations and self-perception.
• 👩‍🔧 Women are underrepresented in tech, comprising only about 20-25% of the workforce and less than 5% of tech founders.
• 🧠 Research shows girls start doubting their STEM intelligence by age 6 due to social conditioning, not lack of ability.
• 📖 The speaker created 'Ara the Star Engineer' to inspire young girls, featuring a diverse cast of female engineers.
• 🌐 The book 'Ara the Star Engineer' has been translated into over 10 languages and inspired children globally.
• 🚀 Technology can enhance storytelling, such as using AI to customize book characters to reflect the reader's appearance.
• 💪 Inclusive stories can empower children to envision themselves as leaders and innovators in various fields.
• 📈 The impact of inclusive storytelling is evident in the positive responses and aspirations of children who have read 'Ara the Star Engineer'.

Q & A

What was the pivotal moment that led the speaker to realize the importance of gender representation in the tech industry?

The pivotal moment was when the speaker's four-year-old daughter observed during a conference call that all the engineers she saw were boys, highlighting a lack of gender diversity that the speaker had previously overlooked.

Why did the speaker feel that children's books play a crucial role in shaping perceptions about professions?

The speaker believes that children's books are important because they feed children's curiosity and can influence their career choices. If books lack diverse characters, children may develop biases and limited perceptions about who can excel in certain fields.

What percentage of children's books feature characters of color in lead roles according to the script?

Less than 5% of children's books feature characters of color in lead roles.

How does the lack of diversity in children's books relate to the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields?

The lack of diversity in children's books can contribute to the underrepresentation of women in STEM fields by reinforcing traditional gender roles and failing to inspire girls to pursue interests in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

What was the speaker's personal realization about the impact of book characters on her career choices?

The speaker realized that if the characters in her favorite books had looked like her, it might have propelled her to be a more confident dreamer, risk-taker, and leader in her tech career.

What project did the speaker undertake at Google to address the issue of diversity in children's books?

The speaker undertook a passion project at Google to reimagine books and create inclusive stories at scale using technology, starting with the book 'Ara, the Star Engineer'.

What is the main theme of the book 'Ara, the Star Engineer'?

The main theme of 'Ara, the Star Engineer' is about a young girl of color who wants to solve the problem of counting all the stars in the sky, meeting diverse, real-life women engineers along the way, and learning computing concepts.

How did the speaker and her team enhance the storytelling experience to make it more engaging for children?

They enhanced the storytelling experience by creating modalities such as virtual reality, 3D experiences, and a voice-assistant-enabled story time that triggers sound and light effects as the story is read.

What is the 'Ara Effect' mentioned by the speaker?

The 'Ara Effect' refers to the impact the book 'Ara, the Star Engineer' has had on children, inspiring them to see themselves as engineers and problem solvers, similar to the 'Scully Effect' which inspired girls to pursue careers in STEM after watching Dana Scully on 'The X-Files'.

How does the speaker suggest using technology to make classic stories more inclusive?

The speaker suggests using artificial intelligence to render protagonists in books to look like the reader, allowing children to visualize themselves as the heroes of the story, making the stories more relatable and empowering.

What is the speaker's call to action for different groups to help increase diversity in children's literature?

The speaker calls on creative tech professionals to create new ways to make stories inclusive at scale, workplaces to integrate inclusive storytelling early in children's lives, and book lovers to choose books that empower children to be heroes in their own stories.