Black Internet Effect

Pocket Change Collective

by Shavone Charles, Ashley Lukashevsky (Illustrator)

"This frank, spirited guide spotlights a thoughtful leader who embraces social responsibility." — Kirkus

With witty humor and a strong sense of self, musician, model, and technology executive Shavone Charles recounts her journey through Google, Twitter, and more – and outlines her mission to make space for herself and other young women of color both online and IRL.

Pocket Change Collective was born out of a need for space. Space to think. Space to connect. Space to be yourself. And this is your invitation to join us. This is a series of small books with big ideas from today's leading activists and artists.

"The right balance of curiosity and good old nerve has always pushed me toward good directions in my life. During the darkest, most discouraging times, I can lean on those two parts of me." In this installment of the Pocket Change Collective, musician and technology phenom Shavone Charles explores how curiosity and nerve led her from a small college in Merced, California, to some of the most influential spaces in the tech from Google to Twitter to eventually landing a spot on the coveted Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Grateful for being the first in many spaces, but passionate about being neither the last nor the only, Charles tells her story in the hopes of guiding others and shaping a future where people, particularly women of color, feel empowered to make space for themselves and challenge society’s status quos.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Audiobook, Teen, Feminism, Social Justice, Technology

64 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2022

Reviews

[Shi'Asia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just fine to me. I enjoyed it more than my previous pocket exchange book. This is pretty much a mini auto biography, but it still feels deep and to the point in the short amount of pages it has. I even felt more inspired to get into tech as a Black woman even though I don't think I'm the target age group.

[Hannah]

I've heard cool things about this series, so I was really excited to pick this up, but it wasn't the radical manifesto I expected. It was just a 64-page autobiography, which is fine but isn't really what I was set up to expect from the marketing or the flap copy. For what it is--a teen-friendly personal narrative you might also find in longform on Medium--it's good. I would have enjoyed little pocket books by changemakers and influencers when I was younger or if I were in middle or high school now and watching these people on Tiktok and Instagram. It just didn't deliver what was promised.

What's truly wild is that it just wasn't edited. Like, at all. There is no way anybody with command of flow and mechanics did a thing with this manuscript. But it's clear that the aim of the series is scooping up influencers before other publishers do and giving readers a tiny taste of their work, probably with a second book option or something for more substantive content, so good for Penguin, I guess.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was super good. I think the intro/hook could have been more effective, but the conclusion was powerful - all about how Black communities and other communities of color shape and build the social digital spaces we navigate, and how women like Shavone are making that possible through careers in tech. I very much enjoyed it.

[Jennifer MacMaster · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to rate this book higher. However, I felt as though the author was trying to create more of a racial divide. She stated only 4% of blacks were employed at Google, which seems like it’s skewed against them but looking at statistics for the US, their population only represents 12%. I didn’t view it as that company or sector having anything against her race. I view it as some jobs have more of some races than other. Just like football and basketball are predominantly black people. It’s not saying races can’t but it’s just how it works out. The author does reference being the only black woman in the room quite repetitively. At Google, she first complains that there weren’t enough of her race but even when she tried to befriend those of her race, she found she was shunned by them too. This situation was less about color even though she made it seem that way. It was more about social status and money as most of the students attended Ivy League schools. She should have focused on finding people of her social status. The author seemed a bit immature and not realizing how the world works. Honestly, I could care less what race you are but lots of people struggle of all races. I could relate to most of her struggles which seemed pretty basic, normal life struggles.

[Jenna Freedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a quick, easy read with heavy content that feels light.

The author, a young Black woman in tech discusses her path, lessons learned, triumphs, and what would make the work better for other people holding minoritized identities.

Here's are quotes for anyone who doesn't have a healthy relationship with their work:

Too many times I realized that in those moments [Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and Michael Brown's murders by law enforcement], my job should have put me first. Many of my hardest, most emotionally daunting days as a Black woman in tech coexist with the biggest news moments in history that have unfolded, play-by-play, in real time on the very social media companies I've worked for.

and

So many of us are coached to validate ourselves with the jobs that we do versus the value we ourselves bring to said job."

Thanks, Edelweiss, for the Digital ARC

[Domo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a short read that is honestly really good for younger teens to give them ideas and have confidence to reach their goals that people may tell them is impossible. It takes about who is and who isn't empowered on the internet and how embracing yourself and being who you are can get you farther than you ever thought. This would be a great book to have in schools or use to teach internet safety in general

[Anna]

wow. this one was fantastic. This one focuses on how white centered the tech industry is and the author was a true trailblazer during the start of social media. She went into tech and strives to bring diversity, specifically more Black people into the tech world and to make others more aware and conscious of the environment we are in.

in general about the pocket change collective: these are such a good way to absorb new information quickly and efficiently. they introduce a great variety of important issues and every single one is a worthwhile read.

[Raven (the.readingraven) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this mini-memoir from Shavon Charles! Honestly, I wish I could have read this while I was in high school or college. Shavon shares moments of her life from high school into adulthood as a Black woman breaking into the tech world. She shares a lot of her experiences of being one of a few Black individuals in tech spaces such as Google and Twitter. Parts of her memoir that really got me were when she was working at Twitter during the rise of the BLM movement. How hurt and frustrated she felt as a Black woman working in a space that felt lonely while also seeing the outpour of support for the Black community during the time. It was very eye-opening, and even though it was tough for her, she still persisted and continued to create a space for herself and her community, even after leaving Twitter.

[JaysBookiverse · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this short but impactful story of Shavone Charles going through her life as a black female doing what seemed impossible to others. I think that I thought about my own story in a very similar way, as I am a black person in a space that has become a very white centric career, but i am hoping to change and impact that, especially as a queer black person!

This book was a short read that is honestly really good for younger teens to give them ideas and have confidence to reach their goals that people may tell them is impossible. While this books doesnt necessarily give tips on how to be successful in the world of the internet and social media, it does show that going back to our roots and embracing your full self will get you more places than you may think.

Thank you again Penguin Teen for this book! I cannot wait to read the others!

[Sierra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was amazing.

[Lauren Stoolfire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably my least favorite of these so far, but still a good autobiographical tale.

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love these Pocket Change books because they're laser focused on telling a story about a thing from a person with that exact experience.

Learning about Charles' rise in the tech field of social media giants and carving her own path was inspirational and full of powerful leadership. Thoroughly enjoyed this short memoir about being a Black woman in technology and carving space for more in the field.

[Pranati Rajagopal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chanced upon this book whilst browsing and the miniature size and cover art really attracted me to it. This series is essentially mini-autobiographies of inspiring people who went on to make a difference in their industry/community and carved a niche for themselves.

This particular one is by Shavone Charles - activist, entrepreneur, and technology executive. She speaks about what got her interested in tech as a non-techie, the glaring diversity gap in the field, and steps she took right from her college and early career days to advocate for more Black representation.

This was a teaser into her illustrious career-progression and I would’ve loved to dive deeper into certain topics that were touched upon and hear more anecdotes about her experiences at various tech companies.

However, the book lacked thematic flow and seemed to jump around to vastly different topics without warning. Just as the reader gets invested in one theme, another one is thrown their way - which can become confusing.

At the end of the day, these 64-pages managed to inspire and motivate me. Would hugely appreciate a longer, well-edited version!

[Bianca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Accessed this on NetGalley via the PYR Fall 2022 Educator and Librarian Preview.

This was more of an autobiographical essay than an uplifting manifesto, which is sort of what I thought (and was hoping) it would be. The writing was also oversimplified and stilted to the point where I wondered if this was supposed to be for middle grade, and even then, it should have been executed better. Believe that young readers are capable of complex thought and comprehension! There's no need to be so wooden.

At 64 pages this is pretty short, but I felt like I had a handle on it a third of the way through and skimmed the rest. Again, this is more of a personal story about Charles' journey and a recounting of realizations, and I was expecting an actual outline that included tips and showed clear steps to take if you are a young person of color trying to break into the tech industry.

Two stars because I felt misled by the copy, but the actual content itself is probably three stars, if you consider it an autobiography. Just okay.

[Lauren McCullough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect read for a teen, young adult or someone looking for a quick but insightful read.

I love how Shavone highlights how limited our perspectives can be when it comes to opportunities in different industries. (i.e. we often are taught/believe you need to be a nurse or doctor if you want to be in the medical field, but you could also be an X-ray tech, phlebotomist, pharm tech, ultrasound tech.) In Shavone’s case, she talks about in tech, people think you need to be a computer science major, know how to code and go to an elite school. But you can find a role that you can thrive in no matter your personal experience and background.

She describes the importance of diversity in the workplace and how the BIPOC community that helps create the culture of social media spaces online is often not represented in the offices of tech which puts a lot of pressure on the few BIPOC employees to carry the mental load and be advocates for their communities.

Really enjoyed getting a snapshot of her experience in big tech.

[Shakeem · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good read. I wasn't expecting to get anything meaningful out of this book because I'm not apart of the audience this book was talking to.
I was impressed at her perseverance to fight through being the only person of color in the tech field & only person who graduated from her school going into a world where HBCU's dominated.
It made me think about the spaces that I frequent and also the ones I don't. I never thought about diversity in places as much until I read this book and This Is What I Know About Art.
It's astonishing to know that not too many POC are in the upper echelon of the tech world spaces. I wish that it was different.

[Erikka · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an excellent take on social media, something which I generally consider as a source of mostly evil with occasional blips of good. Viewing it through the lens of a Black woman who works in the tech field made for a very different perspective that was much more nuanced. She addresses the challenges while also acknowledging the deep sense of community SM provides for underrepresented groups. One must only think of how infectious Black Lives Matter was (and I mean that in the best possible way) to know how vital social media is to the organizing community. These books never cease to make me think!

[Hailey Linenkugel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up at the library and read it in a sitting without even checking it out! The Pocket Change Collective sounds like a neat idea — I’m looking forward to learning more.

The book wasn’t what I expected — I was expecting to learn about race and the tech industry as a whole, or how Black culture has shaped internet culture, but it was a memoir/autobiography. It feels like a personal essay to apply to a school/job/grant, where she discusses setbacks in her career and how she overcame them. It had some bootstrappy vibes.

A pleasant, motivational read for young black girls interested in tech.

[Des · Rating 4 out of 5]

Navigating spaces not made with you in mind, especially tech, are marvels for me to listen to. The importance of community in workspaces are so underrated - having people like you and understanding your experiences makes the place where you spend most of time, not so draining.

“These women were living, breathing examples of what could be possible for me. They inspired me by simply existing, moving and shaking in full force as Black woman leaders. Seeing them thrive allowed to me to see myself, and actually believe I had a real fighting chance to make a positive impression and impact as well.”

[Jas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of this collection and this addition did not disappoint. I think of these books as personal essays, and as a WOC and first gen college student in the US, a lot of what Shavone Charles wrote resonates with me. But reading this also brought to light the toll it takes to work in tech as a Black woman, during a time when so much of online spaces is driven by Black culture and Black communities, while simultaneously not receiving adequate support. A must read for anyone in tech, recruiting, mentoring, or communications.

[Michele Delgado · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an hour long memoir that is part of the “Pocket Change Collective.” It’s about a Black woman’s journey into a tech career. It starts off with her experience as a student interning for Google and ends with her early career. She highlighted the experience of not seeing many Black faces in tech spaces and often being the “first Black woman” to do XYZ. This book lacks depth probably because of its extremely short length so it sounds more like a panel discussion. I think this book would interest current students.

[Gina Malanga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a short but really important read by and about Shavone Charles and her truly amazing career breaking down barriers and creating space for men and women of color at some of the biggest companies (google, Facebook, Twitter) in the world. Her message of being true to who you are and always taking a chance are inspirational and motivational and I look forward to sharing her journey with my students.

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved hearing Shavone’s perspective of a Black woman in tech who was not a STEM person. I am a (white) woman in a non-tech role at a tech startup but I appreciated the insight she had to offer through her experience. It’s easy to hear “Tech has problems with diversity” but to hear from someone who experienced it first hand, broke through those communities, who is actively engaged with opening doors for BIPOC in tech, is really valuable!

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Black Internet Effect is a quick and easy read about Shavone Charles's experience within the tech industry, in a non-tech role, as a Black woman. She provides valuable insights, especially in the final third when she talks about the impact Black users have on twitter globally compared to Black staff at twitter. Mostly it's an autobiographical essay, and I wish there'd been more time and space for her to add more commentary, but it's a solid read worth checking out.

[Richetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do you know a high school senior or a college student who is wondering what their next step is going to be? Are they concerned about their first job or internship and how they might fit in as their first time in the workplace? I recommend that they check out the story of Shavone Charles in her book Black Internet Effect.

Shavone discusses her thinking behind why she chose to be a workplace advocate for employees of color. Because she graduated from a small college, she felt like an outsider when she landed a coveted internship at Google. Being a young Black woman in the workplace also added a layer of discomfort and isolation to her experience.

Shavone describes her journey from Merced College to internships at Google and Twitter (where she landed her first job.) She talks about how she found community for herself and created safe spaces for her colleagues of color to find community as well. She also talks about why it is important for women of color in particular to feel empowered in the work place.

Academic Potential
This is a short, but powerful book. I love that it is only 64 pages because it creates an opening for a reader who may feel overwhelmed with long texts to accomplish the goal of finishing a book in a short amount of time. The style, topics and format of the books in the Pocket Collection has me brainstorming ways these books could be included in curriculum. They address interesting and relevant topics, are written by youth close to the age of high school students and are brief so that discussion can occur in depth about the entire book.

[sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet, I was expecting more commentary on the role race has played in developing the modern internet as we know it and less about the author's life story (although it could be argued that Shavone's experience working at big social media companies is representative of a part of the "Black Internet Effect" so to speak).

Also, I was surprised at how tone deaf some of the reviews of this book were. Read the news people! Do your own research!

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

really enjoyed this one - more biography style but really interesting seeing the authors perspective/experiences as a black woman in the tech space and the challenges this entails - particularly regarding not seeing people like you at work, expectations to show up during difficult times, emotional labour involved etc.

a fact i found interesting - that marginalised groups are typically more active/tech savvy/use social media!

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brief autobiography of a young black woman navigating employment in the big tech companies. Starting with an internship at Google, and landing at Twitter, Charles opens our eyes to the lack of BIPOC in the tech industry, and what that lack of representation means. This is a slim book, and I would love to hear more!

[Wendelle]

Shavone Charles is a groundbreaker who secured her own path and internships in the tech space, particularly Google and Twitter, even without a playbook to help her. In this short book she shares how valuing her own identity and persisting in her passions has driven her to cross over in the tech industry. As she shares, her father told her: " the worst they can do is say no."

[Natalie D.C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very brief essay/memoir about activist and musician Shavone Charles's experiences working in tech as a Black woman. This was really interesting and inspiring, but I found myself wanting a lot more out of this text. It would've been really cool to have read more about how Charles got into her other lines of work alongside tech. All in all, however, this was a solid pocket book!