In 2016, the DC Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) released the District’s first-ever report on the state of inclusion in the city’s tech economy: the 2016 Pathways to Inclusion Report, which proposed 19 interventions to foster a more inclusive tech ecosystem.

This 2023 report by DMPED and the Washington DC Economic Partnership (WDCEP) seeks to provide an update by 1) documenting the progress that has been made and 2) identifying next steps for making the District a leader in diversity, equity and inclusion in tech. This includes capturing the current state and assets of DC’s tech ecosystem; identifying key challenges to diversity, equity and inclusion; proposing opportunities and recommendations to address these challenges; and providing metrics for measurement of progress. This report relied on data analyses, a sentiment survey of tech professionals, and stakeholder engagement, including 18 interviews and focus groups with a total of 42 stakeholders– from employers and not-for-profits to educational institutions and government.

2023 Pathways to Inclusion - Tech Equity in the District of Columbia