Diversity in Blockchain To Launch First Local Chapter This Week

In the leadup to New York’s Blockchain Week, Diversity in Blockchain Launches NYC Chapter

Diversity in Blockchain today announced that it is launching individual chapters around the country, starting with the launch of its New York Chapter on May 7 in New York City.

Founded in 2017, Diversity in Blockchain is a non-profit organization committed to creating equal, open and inclusive opportunities in the blockchain industry. To further expand its reach and promote its mission, Diversity in Blockchain is launching its first chapter in the leadup to NY Blockchain Week with an inaugural event held from 6:30-8:30pm at the New York offices of Norton Rose Fulbright. In addition to Norton Rose, the NYC Chapter launch is also being sponsored by Wolters Kluwer, Jones Day, and IBM.

Diversity in Blockchain’s founders—Joshua Ashley Klayman, Susan Joseph, Shawnna Hoffman, Anna Ashurov, and Michelle Gitlitz—are blockchain pioneers and thought-leaders with unmatched expertise working closely with industry leaders and Fortune 500 companies in finance, insurance, securities, native digital assets, smart contracts, supply chain management, and startup consulting among others.

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The New York City Chapter Planning Committee’s members have sweeping experience in the blockchain space, including at startups, large financial institutions, institutional exchanges, global blockchain technology, and design companies, technology providers and law firms.

The May 7 event will feature Carlos Acevedo, renowned New York City high school teacher recently featured in the Washington Post for his work introducing students in the South Bronx to cryptocurrency, Frankie Pangilinan, powerhouse software developer with MetaMask who will do a “how to” on digital wallets, and Mark Beylin, co-founder and CEO of The Bounties Network, a platform that empowers humans to incentivize and self-organize, from freelancing to grassroots social action and anything in between.

The event received an overwhelming response—it is currently sold out, and has a waitlist, which, in the organization’s view, reflects a growing hunger in the blockchain space for diverse voices to be heard and diverse viewpoints to be recognized.

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Michelle Gitlitz, one of Diversity in Blockchain’s founders and Co-Chair of Blank Rome’s Blockchain & Digital Currencies Group, said, “We are thrilled with the hard work that the founders of the New York Chapter have undertaken to bring our organization to market in the New York area. The proliferation of blockchain technology requires education, mentorship and the opportunity to discuss and engage amongst diverse perspectives.”

The New York Chapter’s launch will promote Diversity in Blockchain’s mission of accessibility and inclusion by starting a year-long series of “how-tos” for blockchain and digital assets over the course of the year.

“For years, the tech industry has been under scrutiny when it comes to the status of diversity and inclusion,” said Adrienne Valencia Garcia, one of the New York Chapter’s co-founders and Senior Blockchain Counsel at IBM. Rebecca Rettig, another NYC Chapter co-founder and a partner in FisherBroyles LLP’s Blockchain & FinTech practice group, added, “With this new chapter of Diversity in Blockchain, we look forward to continuing our efforts to create inclusive opportunities for diverse representation in emerging technology.”

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