Inspiration comes when it wants. One never knows when. At IFA 2024 while attending a press conference for a what I thought would be a presentation of a security light, hardly high value glamor at a big technology show, I did a double take. The presenter was a Black Guy. Usually, at these get togethers an Asian or White man takes the stage. The technology industry is as diverse as a Southern American University Fraternity. Yes, tech management believes in the principle of the ideal, but not the implementation.
Reolink is a Chinese security Camera technology brand based in Shenzhen. When I got the press invite for a product unveiling my first instinct was to pass. Home security is not my tech topic. But, after positive engagement with the public relations representative, I scheduled an attendance. During my many years of covering product unveilings at gadget trade fairs, I cannot remember one presiding over by a person of color. Normally, the speakers are Asian or White. This time Reolink gave the microphone to Mr. Fabrice Kalhoun, a Person of Color. The African born engineer gave an enthusiastic presentation of the new home security camera he designed. During our post presentation talk, Fabrice told me his story of studying in China. While in graduate school, Reolink recruited the engineer him out of university to become a part of the company’s team.
I called him “a tech unicorn” in modern reality. Normally, an African man front and center of an Asian company is a politically correct advertisement showing the brand is part of the DEI trend. Not in this case, Fabrice’s authority, knowledge with attention to detail came across.
As for the security technology, I do not live in a house, meaning, there will not be a product review of the Atlas PT Ultra 4K camera. The images are clear for an outdoor image gathering device.
What I thought could have been a mundane appointment instead was an inspiring one.