I Felt Suicidal. I Couldn't Stop Crying.

When I Studied Computer Science At Duke University In The First Half Of The 1980s, I Had Professors Who Treated Women Differently Than Men. I Kind Of Got Used To It. At Microsoft, I Had To Use My Elbows And Make Sure I Spoke Up At The Table, But It Was An Incredibly Meritocratic Place. Outside, In The Industry, I Would Feel The Sexism. I'd Walk Into A Room And Until I Proved My Worth, Everyone Would Assume That The Guy Presenting With Me Had Credibility And I Didn't.

We Look In Our Own Backyard And Say, 'how Do We Help At-risk Families, At Risk Youth? How Do We Think Through Some Of The Problems Affecting The Pacific Northwest And Make Some Change There?'

I Am Inspired By The Women I Meet Everywhere I Go. They Have To Work So Hard Just To Make Sure Their Families Survive, But Somehow They Stay Optimistic And Do Everything In Their Power To Make The Future Better Than The Past.

In Places Like India With Smartphones, There's An App Now For Women If They're In A Violent Situation, They Can Press One Button. They've Given Their Cell-phone Number To Five Trusted Friends, And Right Away Their Gps Location Goes Out: "here I Am."

Poverty Disproportionately Affects Women Around The World.