December 17, 2020

Jamila Gordon

By Alina Tugend

“In traditional technology, I don’t think much has changed. But in artificial intelligence, it’s a new area.”

— Jamila Gordon, chief executive and founder of Lumachain

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In Her Words invited female leaders to share their thoughts on what a post-pandemic world might look like. We are publishing their views in this newsletter throughout December.

This week we hear from Jamila Gordon. She is chief executive and founder of Lumachain, a technology platform that uses artificial intelligence to connect broken links in the global food supply chains and keep workers safe. She was born in Somalia and escaped its civil war when she was 18, ultimately moving to Australia.

How did you get into technology?

I went to university and chose accounting — I was good with numbers. But I had to take electives, and that gave an opportunity to do software development, and I fell in love with it. It was a level field because software development was so new — we were all learning at the same time. So, I switched majors — I’ve been 20 years in I.T.

It’s not easy for a woman in technology, particularly a woman of color, is it?

I did have my fair share of setbacks and difficulties. Whether it’s conscious or unconscious, people hire people who look like them, and that’s typically men. I missed opportunities, but I lifted myself and went to organizations that wanted me to work with them.

Are things changing?

In traditional technology, I don’t think much has changed — there’s a lack of opportunities, lack of flexibility at the work force. In some cases, women feel it’s hard to fit in. But in artificial intelligence, it’s a new area.

Why is that?

It requires individualized work — you’re building models, training those models, building algorithms on your own. You can do it much more on your own time. You just have to be patient and teach the computer model everything it knows — it’s like a baby. It’s not traditional I.T. — you don’t need to be sitting in an office. Some people’s preference is to put children to bed and then do the work. I was one of those people in a previous life.

How have you used your company to help women?

We have 21 people (13 in Australia, eight offshore), of which eight are women. Before Covid, we worked from home two days and in the office three days. I wanted to attract talent, and I wanted to attract women — and dads. Now, we only go into the office on Wednesdays.

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When the first woman started with us, I changed the setup in the office. The men worked in the open space and I was in an office. I moved out to the open space so she wouldn’t be alone. We all have to make conscious decisions on ways to move the needle. There are many ways to do it, and that’s my way.

Do you think the fact so many companies worldwide had to go remote may end up being a good thing for women in the work force and especially in technology?

The flexibility that women who work, including in A.I. and tech, have been requesting for years is now a reality in the post-pandemic world. I think it has unleashed the potential productivity that women have always offered but have sometimes been denied.

Write to us at inherwords@nytimes.com.

What else is happening

Here are four articles from The Times you may have missed.

Members of the L.G.B.T.Q. community in Israel protested a government official’s endorsement of conversion therapy last year.Oded Balilty/Associated Press

“We ask for forgiveness from those whose lives have been damaged and destroyed on the pretext of religious teaching.” More than 370 international spiritual leaders have signed a declaration demanding a global ban on disputed conversion therapy and calling for an end to violence and criminalization against L.G.B.T.Q. people. [Read the story]

“I wouldn’t have known that my mom had gone through menopause.” Our Op-Doc asks the question: Why are we so unprepared for one of life’s inevitable transitions? [Watch the Op-Doc]
“This is about democratizing luxury beauty.” With her latest venture, the Bliss founder Marcia Kilgore is selling high-end beauty products at prices closer to what the factories charge. Will consumers want a slice of Beauty Pie? [Read the story]
“Today I am going to rejoice that we have been sentenced to a fine.” The City of Paris was fined nearly $110,000 for appointing too many women. [Read the story]

In Her Words is edited by Francesca Donner. Our art director is Catherine Gilmore-Barnes, and our photo editor is Sandra Stevenson.

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