Building Belonging in Tech: Emily Harden on Community, Courage & Creating Space

2025-07-04

n this episode of the Go Rogue Podcast, we sit down with Emily Harden—community builder, nonprofit leader, and Techlahoma’s executive director—to explore what it really means to build spaces where people feel like they belong. From a chance conversation at a “Learn to Code” event to shaping one of Oklahoma’s most inclusive tech communities, Emily’s story is both inspiring and deeply practical. We talk about burnout, barriers to entry in tech, creating sustainable nonprofit models, and the quiet courage it takes to keep...

n this episode of the Go Rogue Podcast, we sit down with Emily Harden—community builder, nonprofit leader, and Techlahoma’s executive director—to explore what it really means to build spaces where people feel like they belong.

From a chance conversation at a “Learn to Code” event to shaping one of Oklahoma’s most inclusive tech communities, Emily’s story is both inspiring and deeply practical. We talk about burnout, barriers to entry in tech, creating sustainable nonprofit models, and the quiet courage it takes to keep showing up for people.

💬 Topics include:

How Techlahoma became a “third place” for remote tech workers
What Emily learned from feeling like an outsider in a coding world
Why community health starts with margin, not hustle
Ways leaders can advocate, include, and empower others—without burning out

Whether you lead a company, a community, or just your own career—this episode will challenge and encourage you to lead with empathy and build with purpose.

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