Alumna inspires representation in tech through “unicorn magic”

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When Jamila Parham embarked on a career in technology upon graduating from DePaul, she immediately noticed the lack of diversity in her field. Determined to make a change, she founded her own company, The Tech Unicorn​, in 2016.

The Tech Unicorn develops STEM-centered incubation programs for students of all ages. It uplifts women of color through workshops and training impact programs that inspire and provide tools on how to succeed in tech.

“When I was a project manager, I often walked into rooms with people who didn't look like me," Parham says. “One colleague of mine said, 'I've never seen a Black woman leading innovation at this scale. You're like a unicorn.' I realized I'm not the only one with this experience, and that's how The Tech Unicorn emerged."

Nearly 10 years later, Parham works for Microsoft while leading her company. In this Q&A, Parham details her road to entrepreneurship, building future STEM leaders at DePaul and the importance of representation in STEM-related fields.

How did your time at DePaul support your career in entrepreneurship and advocacy?

During my time at DePaul, I was a part of Her CTI, a program built to uplift women pursuing computer science degrees at DePaul. It was a small group of women because there weren't a lot of us pursuing computer science, but it built a strong sense of community and opportunities that gave me job exposure and a scholarship from the National Science Foundation. That support forged the way for my career.

What are your favorite Tech Unicorn initiatives?

One that stands out to me was when I partnered with Girls Inc. and led a career day field trip to KDM engineering, a Black woman-owned firm. We brought 20-30 girls and had career panels and one-on-one networking. A lot of the students showed interest in STEM - many of them had no idea this was a career path and told me they learned a lot from the experience.

Another one of my favorite experiences was giving a keynote speech at Arizona State University. The university has an engineering program with young women, and I held a workshop to speak with them directly. A lot of the students came up to me and said my story inspired them to continue their education in engineering.

You're also involved with social advocacy at Microsoft. What does this look like?

As a senior customer success manager, I translate business requirements to technology solutions for federal agencies. I make sure all customers reach their goals with technology solutions that empower them.

Aside from empowering customers, I support other employees through my involvement in employee resource groups. I'm part of Women in Microsoft and Black at Microsoft, which provide mentors to other employees and community service organizations within Microsoft.

As a Microsoft employee, I organized a cybersecurity Minecraft workshop. The goal was to spark interest in cybersecurity as a career path, so we also had speakers come in and taught students about cybersecurity through Minecraft.

What does representation in STEM look like to you?

Advocating for diversity, equity and inclusion is about inclusion and uplifting equity. Right now, I believe there's an illusion in society that everyone has equity and is starting at the same starting line when that's not always the case. There are communities that don't have equal access to resources and funding to pursue an education and career in tech.

It's important to work together and create our own resources and ways to maintain the progress that we've made to keep moving representation forward. That's how movements are born and why I advocate for others.

Can you tell us more about your involvement with DePaul post-graduation?

I had such a rich experience at DePaul. As I progressed through my career as an entrepreneur, I was inspired to get back involved with DePaul's Coleman Center of Entrepreneurship. I've been able to work with their social impact incubator for many years, giving presentations and mentoring students. Two years ago, I was honored at their reception as an outstanding alumna, which was a great recognition.

Working with the center feels like coming back home. It feels amazing to come back and share my talents, experiences and what DePaul has given me. Now, I can give back to DePaul's students.

What advice would you give to women and women of color who want to pursue careers in tech?

We're all in this together and you have support here. Overcoming adversity is a testament to your ability to exceed and excel. There are so many things that make you unique and different. The reasons why we don't blend in are our superpowers. Embrace your unicorn magic.