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Apple's Bozoma Saint John is my hero

Apple's Bozoma Saint John is my hero

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Despite being one of the premier events in tech, WWDC isn't traditionally known for being a bastion of diversity. That's changing somewhat these days, as Apple, right along with the rest of the industry, continues to respond to calls for inclusion. But up on stage, WWDC is still mostly ruled by the white dads.

Who can forget Eddy Cue's brief but beloved performance last year?

Eddy Cue Dancing

So let's take a moment and thank the heavens above for Bozoma Saint John, Apple Music exec and a clear badass born for the job. Saint John took the stage this morning to unveil an Apple Music overhaul that promises to make the app's media ecosystem easier to use and understand. And she pretty much slayed. She demonstrated not only the overall improvements in the app, but also pretty solid taste. Yes, I will grant that choosing "Rapper's Delight" to work a crowd isn't the hippest choice, but you'll also notice that she listens to Mary J. Blige, The Weeknd, and Major Lazer.

We learned that she struts into the Apple offices on Mondays:

And we learned that she enjoys Ghanaian Highlife. And hearing that, I just about died. Because when your company is known for inviting OneRepublic onstage, playing some damn good music from West Africa is a welcome change of pace.

Here's a simple reminder: having figures like Bozoma Saint John onstage is essential. Women — and especially women of color — need to be visible at the upper echelons of tech. The Craig Federighis of the world will of course continue to get people excited by what's ahead in technology while maintaining their excellent hair. But women like her raise the bar even higher on both fronts. We should follow their lead.


Everything you missed from WWDC 2016