*The article was originally posted on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/she-blockchainers-asia-my-blockchain-story-yuree-hong/)
The economic and philosophical value of blockchain technology fascinates me. I was first exposed to Bitcoin several years ago while I was working at a cybersecurity startup. Later at a healthcare industry seminar in 2017, I heard the theoretical view of the blockchain-enabled database management system, which can bring the practical applicability to life. I started doing my own digging on the subject, contextualizing the history of the internet, cryptography and international monetary system, as well as the philosophical approaches applied to technology by design. It led me to realize the massive potential of this technology.
SHE Blockchainers Asia, a non-profit, collective community empowering women in blockchain.
As I actively attended blockchain-related meetups and workshops in Singapore last year, I realized there are almost no females in the room. I looked up female empowerment initiatives in the blockchain industry, yet I could not find such community in this part of the world then. Therefore, I decided to start SHE Blockchainers Asia in September 2017.
Why do we need attention to female inclusion in the space?
We know that, statistically, the IT and finance industries have a lower volume of females than other sectors. Since the majority of people in the blockchain industries tend to come from these sectors, this exacerbates the gap in gender diversity.
With this industry in its infancy, opinions from different perspectives are crucial. Traditionally, critical business decisions on technology development have primarily been driven by men, which sometimes create outcomes that are not especially in tune with the female population. Blockchain-enabled businesses can scale up their usability as it eases the real-life implication for both males and females. This is why active female participation is highly valuable in the initial development phase of the industry.
As I run SHE Blockchainers Asia, I meet people looking for female employees or experts often. There are many successful female leaders in Asia, and I hope that I can support and partner across industries to raise awareness of blockchain technology among females.
There is currently a massive demand for blockchain developers, regardless of gender. Women developers that are savvy to the potential of blockchain ahead of time can play an essential role in shaping their career or business opportunities.
There are many misconceptions about blockchain and cryptocurrency, which may slow down not only the progress of the industry but female inclusion in it. We need more female experts voicing their understanding of the technology’s potential and correcting any misconceptions in order to attract other talented female peers more effectively.
Why are we focusing on Asia?
Blockchain and cryptocurrency are two different topics. When it comes to the blockchain technology, Asian markets have been at the forefront of innovation for several years already. China has banned cryptocurrency while the government supports blockchain-driven innovations actively in the country. In comparison, Japan has adopted the cryptocurrency system into their everyday life rather seamlessly. Countries like Singapore, South Korea and Australia have announced regulation to protect citizens from malicious actors.
While we are far from standardization regionally, I believe that regulation designed to protect its citizens and allow a room for innovation of blockchain and cryptocurrency will be crucial moving forward.
Contrary to popular thought, blockchain has a long history in the region. Recently, it has unlocked considerable potential driven by the development of cryptocurrency, leveraging infrastructures well-prepared by the internet and mobile adoption. I foresee that regionally more blockchain-enabled, real-life use cases will evolve quickly in the years ahead. Leaders in supply chain and distribution, manufacturing, healthcare, and energy will be crucial in driving strategy that effectively applies the advantage of blockchain in Asia.
Featured on Forbes and CNBC!
We were recently featured in Forbes Asia and CNBC International. Our Facebook group has reached over 500 members in April 2018.
Crypto Happy Hour co-hosted by SHE Blockchainers Asia and ConsensysOur 10 meetups in Singapore, Seoul and Saigon have been successful so far, attracting over 30–40% female attendees. We organize seminars inviting female speakers usually (open to everyone for attending and networking). Recently, we did a crypto happy hour with Consensys at a 45th-floor rooftop bar in Singapore, which had a great turnout! We are in preparation for the next meetups in Singapore in May 2018 — Stay tuned.
Follow our local meetup pages for upcoming event updates:
Singapore - https://www.meetup.com/SHE-Blockchainers-singapore
Seoul - https://www.meetup.com/SHE-Blockchainers-seoul/
Saigon - https://www.meetup.com/SHE-Blockchainers-Saigon
I feel that I am growing myself while the community grows. It has been indeed a memorable journey. And hope it’s the same for our members.
You can find us on our website, Facebook page, Facebook group, or Twitter.
http://www.sheblockchainers.asia/
https://www.facebook.com/sheblockchainers/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/sheblockchainers/
https://twitter.com/sheblockchainer