A decade ago, I had a front row seat as Jesse Jackson held big tech firms accountable for being overwhelmingly white and male

On February 17, 2026, the world lost civil rights icon Reverend Jesse Jackson at the age of 84. Jackson was a figure most remembered for marching alongside Martin Luther King Jr., standing present in the aftermath of his assassination, running historic presidential campaigns, and influencing generations of leaders, including Barack Obama.

But one of his most consequential legacies unfolded far from church pulpits and voting booths. It was inside technology boardrooms and much of Silicon Valley.