I’m writing a book!

My upbringing was dwarfed by the powerful entrepreneurial culture and technocratic mentality that thrives in Northern California. Maybe this is why in my professional life, I’ve gravitated towards small to medium-sized tech companies. Most recently, I’ve been having a blast building a branded community at WeVideo helping amplify the voices of education leaders and students across the globe through digital media and creativity.

In March, I started a content creation journey of my own. I was invited to participate in Georgetown University’s Creator Institute and started writing down my story. After a grueling few months, I was able to draft an initial version of my manuscript working closely with a developmental editor. At the end of that process, my manuscript was green-lit for publication with New Degree Press.

In the Shadow of Big Tech is a collection of stories from my upbringing in Silicon Valley. These stories serve as a window to explore the origins of core characteristics in the cultural ethos here.

This book project was sparked by trends that I noticed about the impact of tech culture on people’s interpersonal relationships, emotional well-being, and the ability to engage in civic life. Over time, I’ve gleaned historical and socio-cultural insights from experts and industry leaders. The book weaves together narratives that serve as a platform for critical conversations about the on-the-ground impact of innovation economies and Silicon Valley mindsets.

The stories from my childhood, interviews with experts, research, knowledge, and interactive modules provide the scaffolding for honest conversations and to debunk core assumptions that permeate the Valley. These are:

• Public and social sector organizations are less efficient and less innovative than private sector companies.
• Levels of productivity, return, and measurable outputs are the core mechanism to understand the value of human endeavor and life.
• Technology is unbiased and therefore inherently equitable.

You’ll love this book if you’re looking to humanize a region that has brought you many of the scaled technologies you use daily both at work and at home. In the Shadow of Big Tech is a nonfiction book that speaks to entrepreneurs, movement starters, and change-makers. Both the hard-headed realists and mission-driven idealists are invited to participate. The goal is to provide a common language and dispel false dichotomies to unlock the promise that technology can decentralize access to wealth and power.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing select excerpts from my book with over 80 beta readers who have backed the project. I’ll also post updates on my process to Medium. These readers will have the opportunity to share feedback with me and shape the project. I’m excited to explore what lies in these shadows together.