3 Days, 1 Team, Big Questions: What I Learned Leading EDIA Talks at IBM Brazil for the NumFOCUS 2025 DISC UNconference.

My teammates on Day 2 of the DISC Unconference ❤️. Yigakpoa L. Ikpae (Samuel), Patricia Loto, Andrea Gomez Vargas, Ashley Pace, Oriol Abril Pla, Nicolás Palopoli & Otema Yirenkyi.

Remember my previous blog post where I spoke about being hospitalized and having back pain? Well I literally stood up from that bed and went to Brazil with 1 call from DHL saying they had my passport.

Stepping into the IBM offices in São Paulo, Brazil, I felt the weight of the moment. This was more than just another conference — it was a full-circle experience.

NumFOCUS had invited me on an all-expense-paid trip to the 2025 DISC Unconference, where I had the privilege of leading conversations on “Leadership Skills to Support EDIA Initiatives in Times of Geopolitical Uncertainty” — a project initially proposed by Malvika Sharan. These discussions took place in the “Africa Room,” a space generously offered by Alan  Braz— thank you, Alan! The symbolism wasn’t lost on me — not just as someone from the Global South, but as someone who cares deeply about Africa’s place in global conversations.

IBM Brazil’s Africa Room ❤️

As an African woman from the Global South, leading a project in the Africa Room at a global event felt deeply meaningful. But what made the space special wasn’t just its name — it was the convergence of global perspectives inside it. It became a microcosm of what true inclusion should look like — a reminder that inclusion isn’t about geography. It’s about who gets to shape the conversation and whose realities are centered in decision-making.

Being a girl child from Ogoniland — a marginalized community in the Global South — I can’t overstate how much it means to be seen, heard, and trusted with leadership on a global stage. And truly, this isn’t just about me. It’s about what this moment represents for other girls like me who come from places that are too often left out of these rooms and conversations.

Working at the intersection of open source, social change advocacy, and accessibility, I’ve seen firsthand how difficult it is for Africans to be fully included in global tech ecosystems:

• Open-source projects often assume access to high-speed internet and powerful devices — a luxury in many African regions. eg yours truly giving an international talk and losing internet halfway, how much more people in rural areas.

• Accessibility frameworks largely reflect Western experiences, missing the nuances of life and disability in under-resourced settings.

• EDIA funding rarely prioritizes grassroots African initiatives — even though communities here are building some of the most impactful, locally-rooted solutions.

What problems do you see around you and how can you solve them using technology? Think 🤔

IBM literally asked us to think. So, as I led our team’s discussions, I kept asking the big question:

“How do we ensure that EDIA leadership isn’t just reactive to geopolitical uncertainty but sustainable — especially for those of us navigating systemic barriers every day?”

The answers weren’t easy, but they were necessary. And I left Brazil with more than ideas — I left with hope, community, and a renewed commitment to keep pushing for equity, inclusion, and justice from the margins to the center.

Lessons in Leadership: Building Resilience in EDIA Work

Slide 1 — Day 3: Me presenting our project to the online and in-person delegates. Slide 2 — Day 2: Me leading my teams conversations. Of course I wore African prints all through ❤️.

One of the major themes we tackled was leadership in times of uncertainty — a topic that feels especially urgent for those of us in Africa, where economic and political instability often make long-term planning feel impossible.

Through our discussions, we tried to answer this question:

👉🏾 How do we sustain EDIA efforts in times of geopolitical uncertainty?

With a diverse audience — our discussions were rich with different perspectives, yet grounded in a shared reality: EDIA work doesn’t exist in isolation. When one region faces setbacks, the ripple effects are felt globally.

The Power of Glocal Conversations in Global Spaces

The DISC UNconference was structured in a way that allowed different rooms to host separate teams. Each room carried its own energy, its own projects, challenges, and its own set of proposed solutions.

What We Learned during “Leadership Skills to Support EDIA Initiatives in Times of Geopolitical Uncertainty,” project discussions.

My teammates on Day 3 of the Unconference ❤️. From L-R: Yigakpoa L. Ikpae (Samuel), Oriol Abril Pla, Otema Yirenkyi, Andrea Gomez Vargas, Victoria Nnenna Ottah, Patricia Loto

Our discussions didn’t just focus on the problems — we were there to build real, practical leadership strategies to keep EDIA efforts alive and thriving, even when external pressures threaten to shut them down. However, the recurring themes were clear:

• Power structures still limit inclusive leadership.

• Funding for EDIA remains unstable, often tied to political cycles.

• Digital accessibility is still not a priority in many global tech spaces.

1. Leadership Must Be Intentional — It Won’t Just “Happen”

   • Representation in leadership isn’t enough if decision-making power is still concentrated in the same places.

   • EDIA leaders need strategic skills — not just passion — to navigate resistance and push for real change.

2. Digital and Physical Accessibility is Still an Afterthought

   • Many global platforms are built without real accessibility considerations, especially for people in regions with slow internet or limited resources.

   • Digital inclusion should go beyond compliance — it should be embedded in the core of every tech project.

3. Funding Models Need to Change

   • EDIA work is often dependent on short-term grants, but we need sustainable financial models that allow initiatives to survive political and economic shifts.

   • Decentralized funding approaches (crowdfunding, cooperative sponsorships) can give EDIA projects independence.

4. Open-Source and EDIA should Go Hand in Hand

   • Open Source has the potential to democratize access — but right now, it still reflects many of the same barriers found in closed systems.

   • More non-Western contributors need to be in leadership roles within open-source communities to ensure diversity isn’t just a statistic.

Taking the Work Beyond the UNconference

The DISC UNconference wasn’t about coming up with abstract ideas — it was about creating action plans that continue beyond the event. Our team is now working on:

1. A Practical Leadership Guide for EDIA in Uncertain Times

   • Actionable strategies for EDIA leaders navigating political and economic instability.

   • Lessons from different regions on how to sustain inclusion work despite external challenges.

2. Strengthening Global Networks for EDIA Advocates

   • Building cross-regional collaborations that make sure EDIA efforts aren’t siloed.

   • Connecting open-source communities with accessibility and inclusion advocates.

3. Pushing for Sustainable EDIA Funding Models

   • Identifying new cooperative funding strategies that don’t rely on short-term grants.

   • Advocating for corporate and institutional accountability in funding EDIA initiatives long-term.

Who Gets to Lead?

For me, this experience was a powerful reminder that leadership in EDIA isn’t just about who is in the room—it’s about who gets to shape the decisions that come out of it.

I left the DISC UNconference knowing that we have work to do. We need to move beyond surface-level inclusion and towards real structural change. We need to ensure that:

• EDIA leaders have the tools to sustain their work—even when the world is unstable.

• Funding models are built for long-term impact—not just to check a box.

• Global spaces actually reflect global realities—not just the perspectives of those with the most resources.

Final Thoughts: The Power of Showing Up

Fun Fact. Before tech, I was once a fashion designer & this is a design from my then atelier ❤️

Being hosted by IBM in São Paulo, leading a team at the DISC UNconference, and engaging in side discussions about Africans leading in global tech —it was a reminder of something I already knew but felt even more strongly after this experience:

👉🏾 Our dreams are valid.
👉🏾 We belong in these spaces.
👉🏾 Representation is important.
👉🏾 We have the expertise, the ideas, and the leadership to shape global policy.

InPerson participants- NumFOCUS 2025 DISC UNconference at São Paulo, Brazil.

So, if there’s one thing I want to take forward from this experience, it’s this: Africans in global spaces must go beyond representation—we should lead, demand accountability, and build products for the needs of our communities.

On a lighter note—I actually made a YouTube vlog about my experience because, dear Nigerians, you won’t believe this: the zebra crossing in Brazil actually works! I know, wild. Subscribe and turn on notifications here so you’ll know when the vlog goes up 💃.

Thank You IBM Team ❤️

Over just three days, I had the best time—rich, thought-provoking discussions, and phenomenal food (shoutout to the IBM team, your kitchen deserves a standing ovation. I even asked for a photo, that’s how serious it was).

I literally crossed the Atlantic Ocean to get here 😂.

After spending over 20 hours traveling to Brazil, I can now say it was absolutely worth it. And now that I’m back in Lagos, Nigeria? The work doesn’t stop. If anything—this is just the beginning.

If you care about building sustainable EDIA strategies, creating truly accessible tech spaces, or ensuring that leadership reflects real diversity, let’s collaborate.

Let’s Connect:

• Book a 1:1 with me here: https://forms.gle/WEWDX6pnWj34Rvmb6

• Follow me on Twitter

• Connect with me on LinkedIn

• TikTok & Instagram: @MyLifeAsYiga

• GitHub: https://github.com/yigakpoa

Until next time, ILY ❤️