By Sarah Woods-Killam*



Claire Curtin and Roxana (Roxy) Wolosenko, two women who played a pivotal role in the success of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sims">The Sims game</a>, came to 23andMe as part of our Speaker Series for Women’s History Month.



Claire and Roxy shared with us some of the highlights of their careers, experiences, and challenges of working in the largely male-dominated gaming industry.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Womens-History-scaled-e1681233526670-898x1024.jpeg" alt="A photo of Roxana (Roxy) Wolosenko, left, and Claire Curtin." class="wp-image-31568" width="449" height="512"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Roxana (Roxy) Wolosenko, left, and Claire Curtin.</figcaption></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-changing-the-game-for-working-mothers-nbsp-nbsp-nbsp">Changing the game for working mothers&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</h6>



One of the first challenges was finding a balance between raising their children while meeting the demands at work, said Claire. This was especially true for two working moms, in a workplace dominated by men, but it’s what led Claire and Roxy to come up with the idea of job sharing.



“By the time we both had our first children, we went to our HR director at the time, who was a woman, to establish child care without losing our jobs,” said Claire. “We made arrangements to share projects and establish communication to make it seamless, taking turns coming into the office and then together once a week.”&nbsp;



The Sims project continued to be successful and operate smoothly, oftentimes having colleagues mistake them for one another.



For Roxy, the challenges started even before she landed the job. She was pregnant during her interview process, and because there were no laws regarding the discrimination of pregnant people, she worried about telling her interviewer that she was pregnant.



After telling him that she was going to have a child, he said:&nbsp;&nbsp;



“That’s okay, guys get into motorcycle accidents and women get pregnant.”&nbsp;



However, with Claire’s support, Roxy and Claire were able to negotiate maternity benefits and continued working together on The Sims project.&nbsp;



Job sharing during The Sims project, while pregnant and raising children, allowed Roxy and Claire a better work-life balance. But job sharing came with its own challenges, said Roxy. For one, there weren’t many good examples of job sharing to follow at that time. But both women said that working together allowed them to navigate and create a new work environment for working moms.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“My entire career would have been different if Roxy had not been there,” said Claire.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-women-in-tech">Women in Tech</h6>



Roxy and Claire were the only women working on The Sims but they had an outsized impact.&nbsp;



“When we began working with each other there were 40 people in product development and out of those 40, we were the only two women,” Roxy said.&nbsp;



The Sims game was originally built for architecture, but they took it in a different direction when they started working on it. They helped make it gender neutral, which in turn ensured that both boys and girls Sims were welcome.&nbsp;



“The big nut to crack was, ‘How do you get girls to play games?’” Roxy said.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-life-after-the-sims">Life after the Sims</h6>



After some time working on The Sims, Claire decided it was time for a change.&nbsp;



“I was 49 years old and realized I did not want to make entertainment anymore,” she said. “I asked myself, ‘How many more working years do I have?’”



Claire had other interests, and eventually became a consultant on energy efficiency. She said she was able to do that, in part, with the support of her husband. Her experience also led her to advise women to push for what they want. She tells women that they should speak up if there are any challenges in their career, or when there are individuals with whom you work who are particularly problematic.



Claire said, “The nasty people who are not easy to work with, those that try to wreck your career &#8211;&nbsp; you owe it to yourself to tell management since it is not fair to work. You can outlast someone like that.”



After leaving her work on The Sims, Roxy also decided it was time for a career change. Working in software, she was always staring at a screen and working inside. She said she realized that she found joy and therapy in working outside in the garden or with her hands.



“I needed to work on something where I used my hands, something that was organic and in the real world,” Roxy said.&nbsp;



She started her own landscaping business.&nbsp;



“I felt I was making a difference from one beautiful garden to another, helping people connect with nature,” she said.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-words-of-wisdom">Words of Wisdom</h6>



What resonated the most with many of us here at 23andMe was Roxy’s advice toward the end of the talk.&nbsp;&nbsp;



“I think the important thing as a woman is to feel you are valuable,” she said. “The challenges that women have are legitimate (and) everyone needs to be involved in solving (them). There is no reason why women should be penalized for having children. The only way to do that is to not be apologetic about it and stand in your strength.”



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



Sarah Woods-Killam an Operations Specialist on 23andMe&#8217;s Customer Care, but she&#8217;s also an instrumental member of several of our Employee Resources Groups including &#8220;23andShe,&#8221; the group that supports women employees.

Sarah Woods-Killam

Two Women Tech Pioneers Look Back

Two new surveys find that most consumers and doctors believe genetic testing could help make healthcare more personalized.



Three-quarters of people surveyed said they’d be more likely to follow their doctor’s advice if their doctor used their genetic profile in tailoring that advice. Sixty-six percent of doctors said using genetic testing could help lead to better outcomes for patients.



“I am excited about a future where genetic information becomes the foundation of personalized health,” said Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe CEO and Co-Founder. “Since starting the company, 23andMe has been focused on helping our customers — and the world — benefit from genetics based prevention and treatment.”



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-genetic-data-and-your-health-profile">Genetic Data and Your Health Profile</h6>



The data comes from two national surveys on attitudes from primary care physicians and the general population about the role genetic testing might play in healthcare.* From the responses, both consumers and doctors believe genetics is essential. Among doctors, 92 percent said that genetics is integral to a patient’s health profile.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="621" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/92-percent-stat-1024x621.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31268" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/92-percent-stat-1024x621.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/92-percent-stat-300x182.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/92-percent-stat-768x466.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/92-percent-stat-880x534.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/92-percent-stat-1180x716.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/92-percent-stat.jpg 1386w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Among the general population, 75 percent said they would be more likely to follow a doctor’s advice if they knew their genetic profile was used to personalize their care.



But few people say they’re getting the kind of care tailored to them. Most people surveyed, 62 percent, said they wanted advice from their doctors tailored to them personally. However, only 36 percent said that’s what they were getting. The survey also found that many people were unsatisfied with their current state of health. More than half saying they don’t feel healthy and 63 percent saying they don’t feel in control of their health.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="645" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/75-percent-stat-1024x645.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31267" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/75-percent-stat-1024x645.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/75-percent-stat-300x189.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/75-percent-stat-768x483.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/75-percent-stat-880x554.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/75-percent-stat-1180x743.jpg 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/75-percent-stat.jpg 1333w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Doctors&#8217; Attitudes</h6>



For doctors, the survey revealed that testing could offer a way to connect with their patients and engage them more with their health. Sixty-two percent of doctors today say that genetic testing can help them provide more personalized care.



The survey of doctors is the third in a series of research surveys gauging doctors’ attitudes about genetic testing conducted by Medscape since 2018. It showed a marked change among physicians. This shift in attitude from doctors toward genetic testing and its potential use in care is starkly different than it has been in the past. Primary care physicians are much more aware of genetic testing and open to using it with patients.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">More Doctors Have Themselves Tested</h6>



The survey showed a significant shift in the number of cases they had in which genetics was a factor. For example, in 2018, only about three in ten doctors regularly saw patient cases involving genetics. 



In this latest survey, more than half, 51 percent, of primary care physicians surveyed said they encountered one or more clinical cases a week where genetics plays a role. In addition, 34 percent of doctors in the 2022 survey said they had personally taken a direct-to-consumer genetic health test. In 2020 only about 7 percent of doctors said they’d taken a direct-to-consumer genetic health test.&nbsp;&nbsp;



You can find out more about the surveys <a href="https://www.23andme.com/dna-and-personalized-healthcare/?features=sophc_2023:on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.



*Based on 2022 surveys designed by 23andMe, Medscape, and Material Holdings LLC of approximately 1,000 doctors and approximately 1,500 patients in the U.S. ; Based on 2019 survey designed by 23andMe and M/A/R/C Research of approximately 1,000 23andMe Health + Ancestry customers.

23andMe Blog

23andMe Blog Team

Genetics May Be a Bridge to More Personalized Healthcare

In honor of International Women&#8217;s Day, Barbie®, as it has done since 2018, highlights inspiring female role models to encourage girls to dream big. 



As part of this effort and to inspire our local community, we invited a few girls over to 23andMe’s headquarters inspiring them to pursue their dreams and talk to our CEO and Co-Founder, Anne Wojcicki.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sisterhood">Sisterhood</h6>



Anne and her sisters, Susan, special advisor to Google and Alphabet, and Janet, a professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at UCSF, were among the women who work in the field of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) picked by Barbie® to inspire young girls during this year’s International Women’s Day. Also honored are <a href="https://www.katechazarreta.com/about">Kat Echazarret</a>, an electrical engineer and science show host; <a href="https://www.imperial.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering/people/meet-our-alumni/dr-maggie-aderin-pocock/">Dr. Maggie Aderin Pocock</a>, a space scientist, and educator; and <a href="https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/service/expert-database/antje-boetius.html">Professor Dr. Antje Boetius</a>, a marine researcher and microbiologist.



&#8220;My sisters were some of my strongest role models growing up and we all built careers based on our interest in STEM,” said Anne. “Our parents fostered independence and a belief that we could truly be anything we wanted to be when I grew up, but most important was to pursue a passion. I’m honored to celebrate International Women’s Day this year with Barbie alongside my family and these other powerful women in STEM leadership roles. I hope that sharing our stories encourages young girls to try something new, face something that may scare them, and look at challenges as exciting opportunities.”&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Bridging the Dream Gap</h6>



Research shows that starting at age five, many girls begin to develop self-limiting beliefs and think they&#8217;re not as smart and capable as boys. They stop believing their gender can be anything. This issue is called the “dream gap.” &nbsp;It may also contribute to the need for more representation in careers grounded in science, technology, math, and engineering. To address this, Barbie launched the Dream Gap Project in 2018 — an ongoing global initiative that gives girls the resources and support they need to continue believing in themselves.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-99-1024x768.jpg" alt="A photo of Anne and three girls holding up their beaded bracelets." class="wp-image-31234" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-99-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-99-300x225.jpg 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-99-768x576.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-99-880x660.jpg 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-99-1180x885.jpg 1180w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As part of the effort, the people from Barbie®’s “You Can Be Anything” YouTube series came to 23andMe headquarters to film Anne with three young girls from the <a href="https://www.bgcp.org/">Boys &amp; Girls Clubs of the Peninsula</a> — Kylie, 6, Emily, 8, and Arabella, 10. Together they talked a little bit about their dreams and goals, did some activities, and chatted about science.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">A Primer on DNA</h6>



But first, Kylie had a question.



&#8220;Who named this place?&#8221; she asked.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Science = FUN! | Barbie | You Can Be Anything" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SOtl97UANb0?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



&#8220;I did,&#8221; Anne said.&nbsp;



It was a good question because the &#8220;23&#8221; in 23andMe, stands for the 23 pairs of chromosomes in each of us. And the question gave Anne a chance to explain to the girls a little bit about DNA and how much we share. We&#8217;re each 99.5 percent genetically similar, but that tiny difference in our DNA makes us each unique. That all segued nicely into the girls&#8217; project making bracelets with colored beads representing the four chemical bases of DNA — adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T).&nbsp;



Why bracelets?&nbsp;



A DNA molecule consists of two parallel strands twisted around each other. They&#8217;re held tight by a bond between the bases. Anne explained how each base, the ACG and Ts of our DNA, always pairs with the same complementary base. So, an A always pairs with a T, and C with G. The girls used this to create paired beaded bracelets. One of the bracelets they could keep and the other they could give to a friend.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-38-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31270" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-38-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-38-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-38-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-38-587x880.jpg 587w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-38-787x1180.jpg 787w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AWBarbieFilming-38-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Genes not Jeans</h6>



For Emily, creating the bracelets was the most fun part of the visit. However, each girl said they learned something new talking to Anne. Arabella was fascinated by the fact that humans and mice share DNA, while Kylie said she learned something about &#8220;genes.&#8221;



&#8220;Not these ones,&#8221; she added, pointing to the jeans she was wearing.



This effort by Barbie® is also grounded in encouraging girls to believe that they can be anything.&nbsp;



That message was loud and clear for Kylie, Emily, and Arabella. Each had goals and ambitions not hemmed in by expectations or lack thereof. Kylie and Arabella said they were interested in business because it sounded exciting. The prospect of earning good money was enticing. Emily was interested in math, mostly because she doesn&#8217;t love reading.&nbsp;



Yet what they will ultimately do was wide open. They mentioned being a doctor, chef, actor, or dancer. Each of the girls felt empowered to be whatever they wanted to be.



Learn more about Barbie®&#8217;s Dream Gap Project <a href="https://shop.mattel.com/pages/barbie-dream-gap">here</a>.



To watch the You Can Be Anything series, visit <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UipnUlq81JI&amp;t=616s">here</a>.



To learn more about the Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula, go <a href="https://www.bgcp.org/">here</a>.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Making Your Own DNA Bracelet at Home</h6>



Want to get in on the fun and see how Kylie, Emily, Arabella, and Anne made their bracelets? Here’s how you can do it at home.



We have templates for four types of bracelets that are meant to represent the DNA of four different animals: a Monarch Butterfly, an American Black Bear, a rattlesnake, and an African Leopard.&nbsp;



First off you’ll need some string and a few dozen beads of four different colors. We used purple, green, blue and red — to represent the bases that make up DNA — adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and thymine (T). Each bracelet has 21 beads. Part of the fun of this activity is creating a paired bracelet to match. Make sure you have enough beads of each color to make two full strands.



Below are more detailed instructions and the sequence for each animal. Have fun! 



<figure class="wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex">
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="429" height="1024" data-id="31149" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Butterfly-Bear-Snake-and-Leopard-1-429x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31149" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Butterfly-Bear-Snake-and-Leopard-1-429x1024.jpg 429w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Butterfly-Bear-Snake-and-Leopard-1-126x300.jpg 126w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Butterfly-Bear-Snake-and-Leopard-1-494x1180.jpg 494w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Butterfly-Bear-Snake-and-Leopard-1.jpg 524w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 429px) 100vw, 429px" /></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="451" height="1024" data-id="31148" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bracelet-instructions-1-451x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31148" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bracelet-instructions-1-451x1024.jpg 451w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bracelet-instructions-1-132x300.jpg 132w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bracelet-instructions-1-387x880.jpg 387w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bracelet-instructions-1-520x1180.jpg 520w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/bracelet-instructions-1.jpg 568w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 451px) 100vw, 451px" /></figure>
</figure>

A photo portrait of Anne Wojcicki, 23andMe's CEO and co-founder

Inspiring Young Girls

Being Black in Tech



By Elo Ratliff,* MPH



To honor Black History Month, we decided not to look backward this year but instead to look inward at 23andMe, asking Black professionals here for their perspective on working in biotechnology where representation is still sorely lacking.



Being Black in tech you often find yourself being the only, or one of a very few, Black people in the room. Getting comfortable with that is important, and for the Black and African American community, history has shown us it’s that resiliency which is the antidote to remedy this lack of representation.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">Community</h2>



That resiliency can help change the narrative in spaces where we do not typically see ourselves. In talking to my fellow members of the Black@23andMe Employee Resource Group (ERG), an affinity group aimed at supporting 23andMe employees who identify as Black, it takes more than just resiliency; it also takes community and support to sustain meaningful change.&nbsp;



For young Black professionals exploring their career paths, there are very limited outlets to expose them to job opportunities in technology, and many think that even if they do have some type of scientific or engineering background, they cannot work in tech. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pathfinding</h2>



For 23andMe Research Associate Shaeloren Deering, who came to 23andMe after attending Spelman College and Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, simply finding the path to a career in tech is harder for those in the Black community.&nbsp;



“I wish there were more avenues to expose future Black professionals to the various career opportunities in tech,” said Shaeloren, who supports recruitment efforts for 23andMe’s Therapeutics team.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Support</h2>



But the challenges for Black tech workers don’t stop after you finally land a job. From building a network of support, to feeling overwhelmed by constantly being the minority, to lack of representation in leadership roles, it is challenging. 



There is immense pressure to always show up when you are one of the only minorities in the room, and pressure to suppress your authentic self to feel more accepted and validated in your thoughts.&nbsp;



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="360" height="260" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Black@logo.png" alt="" class="wp-image-31187" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Black@logo.png 360w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Black@logo-300x217.png 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px" /></figure>



There are many efforts to support underrepresented groups at 23andMe, and our ERGs are a part of that. 23andMe has also embraced Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), which is the idea that the workplace needs to ensure that no matter what community an individual belongs to, they always feel they are being treated fairly and are not being discriminated against due to any parts of their identity. Most often, a DEI strategy helps disadvantaged groups feel a sense of belonging in the workplace.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Being Your Authentic Self</h2>



23andMe has done a lot of work with DEI, but despite these efforts, for many of us in the Black community it’s hard to shake the lifelong experience of “being different.” 



That, in turn, has altered our perceptions of how to be our “authentic selves” in the workplace. Lameisha Dubose, a Senior Sarbanes-Oxley Act Compliance Analyst, said it’s important to have a community and support in the workplace where you feel comfortable to be your “true self.” She calls this:



“Standing in my truth and finding my tribe.”



Lameisha echoed the sentiments of many others who are part of Black@23andMe. Each indicated in their own way how much they rely on their own “tribe.” That might mean simply finding support through an employee resource group; it can also mean leaning on allies, or trusted friends at work with whom they feel safe, valued, and a sense of belonging.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Purpose</h2>



What helps sustain us all is our “WHY.” Why are we here? We understand that while being a minority in these spaces can be challenging, we are also paving the way for future generations of young Black professionals to come into this space and hopefully be free, or limited in the disparities we are experiencing. But we are also professionals motivated by the innovative world of technology and the possibilities it brings.



Liz Babalola, a Senior Program Manager with 23andMe’s Research team and expert in public health and quantitative research, draws her motivation from the power of technology to transform.



“I am excited about AI driven analytics and machine learning,” said Liz.



Liz’s excitement to leverage new technology to drive change, particularly to help people live healthier lives, motivates all of us.



“For healthcare, I am excited to see all the new developments that can help those who may have been helpless before,” said April Ward, a Pharmacy Office Administrator.



At our core, we all love working in biotechnology because of what is possible &#8211; whether it’s finding new insights into disease, treating those conditions, or delivering important health information people can use to lead healthier lives.&nbsp;



The work we do is fun, especially when we get to do these things at a company that continuously strives to build a culture where every employee feels like they are just as important as the person next to them. Luckily for us, 23andMe is that company and has worked hard over the years to ensure DEI is a top priority. We are still learning (every company is), but the openness to learn and the support from the top down to make sure we are working towards “getting it right” is the most important step to yield change, and we are doing that.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



*Elo Ratliff, MPH, is a Senior Project Manager for Genomic Health at 23andMe and Co-Lead of the Black@23andMe ERG.

A photo of five of the young women who participated in 23andMe's Being Black in Tech discussion

Eloycsia Ratliff

Being Black in Tech

This summer brought special visitors to 23andMe: 10 high school students from<a href="https://streetcode.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Streetcode Academy</a>, a Bay Area nonprofit committed to empowering communities of color with access to technology.



<figure class="wp-block-image alignright size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="746" height="992" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Streetcode.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-31062" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Streetcode.jpg 746w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Streetcode-226x300.jpg 226w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Streetcode-662x880.jpg 662w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 746px) 100vw, 746px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Our Exposureship participants pose for a group selfie.</figcaption></figure>



The students spent one week exploring life at 23andMe as part of a newly developed Exposureship program.&nbsp;



They attended panels and workshops hosted by 23andMe and StreetCode with subjects ranging from career development to diversity, participated in team meetings, scheduled one-on-one discussions with employees, and capped off their experience with presentations and a celebratory lunch.



&#8220;We wanted to create a one-of-a-kind experience that would build connections in both directions &#8212; giving students a window into life at a tech company, and giving 23andMe employees the chance to connect with the next generation of innovators in our community,” said<a href="https://education.23andme.com/community/sarah-laskey/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Sarah Laskey</a>, Ph.D., a Senior Scientist at 23andMe who was actively engaged in creating the program.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-one-student-s-experience">One student’s experience</h6>



For Ziyan Batada, a senior at Mission San Jose High School in Fremont, California, the program presented a chance to accelerate learning and experience the “range of professions and ventures in [the field of] genetics.”



“I was very excited because 23andMe is my dream company to work at,” Ziyan said. “I am interested in the workings of life, both the psychological and biological aspects.”



Ziyan kept busy during his week at 23andMe. He had in-depth conversations with therapeutics and computational biology team members and attended four different meetings.



“I got to learn a lot about the culture at 23andMe and the value of higher education,” he reflected.



He also had the opportunity to speak to a 23andMe employee who is neurodivergent, just like him. “I am neurodivergent,” Ziyan explained, “and I got to learn from a high-achieving member of the neurodivergent community [at 23andMe] about his struggles and how he worked with them to get far in life.”



This type of authentic connection embodies the goal of the exposureship program, Sarah said. &#8220;They say, &#8216;if you can see it, you can be it.&#8217; That&#8217;s what the Exposureship was all about. Now, these students have seen what it means to work at 23andMe, and maybe they&#8217;ll be back in a few years to work with us!&#8221;

A photo of some of the young people who participated in Streetcode

A New Program Brings High School Students to 23andMe

By Alisa Lehman and Shirley Wu*



As 23andMe Product Scientists, our work focuses on making genetics and science valuable, understandable, and relatable to our customers. Learning about your DNA is incredibly personal, and we know that people have different experiences with our product.



This goes beyond the fun fact that everyone&#8217;s DNA is unique. Unfortunately, it&#8217;s also because our product doesn&#8217;t serve everyone equally.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-problem">The problem</h6>



Creating inclusive products that serve and engage as many people as possible is both good for business and the right thing to do.



But even for a company like 23andMe, which was founded on the idea that everyone should be able to understand and benefit from the information in their DNA, tackling diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our product hasn&#8217;t been that simple.



23andMe has all the DEI considerations of any consumer-facing software product, but also has challenges related to how DEI intersects with biology, genetics, medicine, scientific research, data, identity, culture and geopolitics. Historical bias in research has led to disparities in the discoveries — and therefore products — that apply to people of non-European descent. Connecting genetics to identity can be controversial. The way that health information and disease risk are typically communicated does not reflect the experiences of those who are transgender and/or nonbinary.&nbsp;



For a long time, we relied on individual employees to identify and advocate for DEI. And things did happen — there were several projects that improved diversity within our database and we added new genetic reports that could broaden the value of our product to underserved groups. The problem was that these were isolated projects, and championing them required extra effort to gain organizational support and resourcing. Some issues, like gender inclusivity, were simply never prioritized despite repeated attempts.&nbsp;



That changed in 2020.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Empowering&nbsp;</h6>



In the aftermath of George Floyd&#8217;s murder, our CEO and co-founder Anne Wojcicki publicly <a href="https://www.23andme.com/black-lives-matter/">acknowledged our shortcomings and our need to do more</a>. Anne had also been listening to employees who’d long advocated for more inclusivity in our product and our company. She decided to make DEI a company priority.



Words matter, particularly public commitments from leadership. These statements empowered employees to drive change across the company, shifting the organizational mindset and starting what has become the most systematic revisioning that 23andMe has ever done of our approach to DEI. It triggered a broad reexamination not only of our workplace and hiring practices but also of the research we do and the products we create.



With that new focus and organizational support, we&#8217;ve made a number of improvements in the last two years. We created more options around birth sex and <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-and-you/more-inclusive-for-all-genders/">gender identity</a>, improved our <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/articles/accessibility-and-me">accessibility</a> features and software development process, and added <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/dfnb1/">health updates</a> that increase the value of the product for customers of East Asian descent. We launched new regions in our flagship Ancestry Composition feature, including<a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/indigenous-genetic-ancestry/"> Indigenous American ancestry</a>, ethnolinguistic groups in <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/african-ethnolinguistic-groups/">Africa</a> and greater detail in <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/ancestry-reports/ancestry-composition-update-china/">China</a>, incorporating input from customers and/or experts with these ancestries. We&#8217;ve used more <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/new-23andme-eczema-report/">inclusive illustrations</a> and language to reflect the diverse experiences of our customers.



Just as importantly, we&#8217;ve established metrics and processes that help us understand where we are and bring concepts of inclusivity and equity into our day to day work.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">Elements of change</h6>



We&#8217;ll admit: addressing the very real, complex DEI issues with our product can be incredibly daunting. There is often no blueprint, and it requires real mental and physical effort.&nbsp;



Four important elements have helped us get to where we are: action, persistence, intentionality, and grace.&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Action: You may not have all the resources you want or a playbook for what to do, but you can always do something. Tackle some low-hanging fruit and build momentum through those successes. You will learn as you go. </li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Persistence: Making your product more equitable and inclusive isn&#8217;t going to be a one-time fix, but an ongoing journey, so commit to the long haul. Enthusiasm and support, especially from the top, will be difficult to sustain, so create infrastructure for measuring progress, and embed DEI into existing processes and tools to reduce burden. Sustaining the work efficiently — and independently of individuals — is the goal. </li>



<li>Intentionality: 23andMe is a business juggling multiple priorities, and we&#8217;ve made product decisions that don&#8217;t always align perfectly with DEI goals. There can be mixed feelings about this, but we are increasingly making those decisions with intentionality and awareness of the DEI impact. There is greater accountability, and we can be more thoughtful about how we follow through.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Grace: There is often a fear of getting things wrong. And the truth is that there is often no right answer. 23andMe tackles uncomfortable subjects head-on, often venturing into new territory. We do the best we can with the information we have, and we extend ourselves a fair amount of grace — permission to try, to mess up sometimes, to learn, and keep going.&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



We still have so much we need to do at 23andMe, but we&#8217;ve been heartened to see the growing number of companies making the same kind of commitment to making equitable and inclusive products. For us, DEI means we have the potential to connect with and help even more people access, understand, and benefit from the human genome.



<hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity"/>



*Alisa is a senior manager on 23andMe’s product science team. She holds a Ph.D. in biology from Stanford. Shirley is the director of 23andMe’s Product Science and Genetics Platform Analytics teams and holds a Ph.D. in biomedical informatics from Stanford.&nbsp;

Creating Inclusive Products and Features at 23andMe

Despite a lingering pandemic, most people in the US say they feel less stressed or anxious this year compared to earlier in the pandemic, according to a new survey by 23andMe.



In this third holiday under the shadow of COVID-19, people appear to have adjusted to the new normal and are more optimistic about their health. Many have returned to their traditional holiday celebrations, according to the survey.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stress-and-anxiety-remains">Stress and Anxiety remains</h6>



However, about 14 percent say they still feel stressed, and more than 11 percent said they’re anxious about the future. And about 77 percent of those surveyed said they still feel some sort of negativity around their health.



But stress levels have significantly dropped since the beginning of the pandemic, with only about 14 percent of those surveyed saying they were stressed, compared to more than 47 percent in 2020. Similarly, only about 5 percent said they were more depressed this year than last, compared to almost 32 percent in 2020.



Beyond this survey, 23andMe has done extensive research on the genetics of depression and anxiety, which has downstream impacts on health. Anxiety disorders like depression and anxiety are <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/major-depression">very common</a>. Up to three-in-ten people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with one during their lifetime, according to prevalence <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/any-anxiety-disorder">statistics</a> from the National Institute of Mental Health. Researchers believe that genetics combine with other factors to influence how likely an individual is to develop an anxiety disorder.&nbsp;



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">A focus on health</h6>



The survey commissioned by 23andMe and conducted by SurveyMonkey on U.S. adults in early November, found that health is understandably a focus for many people. Almost half of the respondents who said they’re focused on their health also said they planned to make healthy lifestyle changes in the new year with a focus on their diet and weight.



Many of those surveyed said the pandemic had impacted their waistline in the last year, with about 12 percent saying they gained weight.



People are also feeling less isolated this year. Perhaps contributing to that shift in optimism is a renewed connection to family and friends. The percentage of respondents who feel less connected to friends and family dropped from 48 percent in 2020 to just 5 percent in 2022. The survey showed a similar drop in the percentage of people saying they were depressed, going from 32 percent in 2020 to just 5 percent this year.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading">More family bonding this holiday season</h6>



Lockdowns meant that in the first year of the pandemic, most people said they’d canceled family holiday plans, preferring to stay at home. But this year, that has shifted. Only about 17 percent of people said they would not be having a traditional holiday this year, compared to 62 percent in 2020.



More than 40 percent of those surveyed said they’re returning to their traditional holiday plans this year, and one in five people said they never changed their traditional celebration throughout the whole pandemic.



This is in stark contrast to 2020 when 41 percent of those surveyed said they weren&#8217;t traveling for the holidays, and 34 percent said their friends and family also didn’t plan to visit them.

Despite COVID-19 People Less Anxious This Holiday

For the past several months, we’ve been working on a redesign of this blog. Today we’re excited to introduce you to our new and improved look.



We aimed to give the site a streamlined, cohesive feel – with improved navigation, larger images, and a pared down, mobile-friendly user experience.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-larger"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="880" height="526" src="http://35.88.189.111/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-10-19-at-1.02.01-PM-880x526.png" alt="" class="wp-image-30658" srcset="https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-10-19-at-1.02.01-PM-880x526.png 880w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-10-19-at-1.02.01-PM-300x179.png 300w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-10-19-at-1.02.01-PM-768x459.png 768w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-10-19-at-1.02.01-PM-1024x612.png 1024w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-10-19-at-1.02.01-PM-1180x705.png 1180w, https://blogcms.23andme.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/Screen-Shot-2022-10-19-at-1.02.01-PM.png 1790w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 880px) 100vw, 880px" /></figure>



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-new-features">New Features</h6>



The revamped homepage allows us to showcase the blog’s most newsworthy and popular posts. And a new search function and navigation bar helps our readers quickly find the information and topics they’re looking for.



<h6 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-exploring-the-world-of-genetics">Exploring the world of Genetics</h6>



We created the blog in 2007 to inspire engagement and conversation. Since then, we’ve shared thousands of stories – from <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/health-traits/after-the-click-drug-reaction/">customer accounts</a> to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/therapeutics/drug-discovery-explained/">expert perspectives</a> to <a href="https://blog.23andme.com/23andme-research/we-got-the-beat/">research updates</a>.&nbsp;



We hope this new design will provide a simplified jumping off point for you to explore our content and the exciting, complex world of genetics.&nbsp;

Welcome to the New 23andMe Blog

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2022/10/27/2542610/0/en/23andMe-Granted-New-FDA-Clearance-to-Provide-Interpretive-Drug-Information-for-a-Commonly-Prescribed-Cholesterol-Medication.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">granted 23andMe </a>510(k) clearance for its pharmacogenetics report for the <a href="https://www.23andme.com/topics/pharmacogenetics/slco1b1/">SLCO1B1 genetic variant</a> to provide interpretive drug information for simvastatin.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-among-the-most-commonly-prescribed-medication">Among the Most Commonly Prescribed Medication</h2>



Simvastatin is a medication in the statin family of drugs commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol to help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. In 2020, simvastatin was the second-most widely prescribed statin and the thirteenth-most<a href="https://clincalc.com/DrugStats/"> commonly prescribed</a> medication in the U.S.



A particular gene variation, SLCO1B1, influences the body’s response to simvastatin. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-ethnicity-matters">Ethnicity Matters</h2>



In<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4889090/"> certain ethnicities</a>, up to 38 percent of people have a SLCO1B1 genotype that increases the possibility of experiencing side effects related to taking simvastatin, particularly statin-associated musculoskeletal symptoms risk.



In addition to providing interpretive drug information, the new FDA clearance also removes the requirement for confirmatory testing.&nbsp;



“This is an important win for consumers, as they will have access to critical information on how they may respond to a commonly prescribed medication based on their genetics,” said Noura Abul-Husn, M.D. Ph.D., Vice President of Genomic Health at 23andMe.



“A complete health picture requires a number of inputs, including genetics, which is too often overlooked in healthcare. With this clearance, we are continuing to champion access to actionable health information so that everyone can benefit from a personalized healthcare experience and avoid negative side effects of medications where possible.”

News — Page 3