Re “CityViews: New York Can’t Afford to Become Silicon Valley East” (Op-ed, March 12):
Ms. Cleveland’s op-ed on New York’s evolving tech economy warns that our city could soon face problems that have long plagued Silicon Valley, most notably the exclusion of women and people of color from accessing good-paying jobs. Make no mistake: the de Blasio administration is dead-set against having this happen. But we also can’t afford to ignore the economic reality that technology is the gateway to the future. If we don’t adapt and innovate, New York’s best days will be behind us.
That is why we are all in on creating the country’s most dynamic, inclusive tech sector while simultaneously investing in our greatest asset: our people.
Whenever we speak to tech executives looking to establish a New York presence, they cite the city’s diversity as its biggest draw. It is our competitive advantage, making us the anti-Silicon Valley rather than Silicon Valley East.
By leaning into our diversity rather than downplaying it, we’ve seen major players like Google and Facebook doubling down on their New York presence. But our tech sector extends far beyond these companies’ Manhattan offices; it is at the center of every single one of our core industries, from finance to fashion to food distribution. New York tech has also evolved to propel our existing industries forward. Ed-tech companies are shaping how students learn, ad-tech companies are changing how brands share their stories, and health-tech companies are revolutionizing how patients access care.
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