Women’s Equality Day 2025 Reflections

August 26 commemorates the adoption of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, prohibiting the government from denying the right to vote on the basis of sex. As we celebrate equality today, we invited women from Mapbox to share their reflections and stories about equality and their experiences in tech:

Cherie Wong, SVP of Location Services

“Equality is so important, especially in the workplace and especially in tech. Equality isn't just about each person having the same opportunity, but also having the same support, tools, and time to be able to take on that opportunity. Creating true equality means we need to focus on equity in our interactions, our processes, and our resources. It's about meeting people where they are and giving them what they need to succeed.”

Liz Erickson, Director of Recruiting

“From the start of my career, I have chosen to walk toward challenges and the unknown. At Amazon and later at Google, I often found myself in rooms filled with people of every gender, every age, and with every level of experience. Those rooms could be intimidating, but I learned quickly that the only way forward was to show up with confidence and bravery every single day. That mindset has carried over into my work at Mapbox, where I deeply believe that everyone deserves the chance to step into any room with the same courage I had to muster, and to have it met with respect and opportunity, no matter your gender. Equality, to me, means building an environment where people are supported for who they are and where courage is celebrated. I am happy to have found that here at Mapbox, where people are empowered to thrive.”

Anu Sharma, VP of Product

“When I started my career, I was the only woman on a team of engineers, and I sometimes wasn’t fully caught up on their more recent discussions. One day, I was on a call with a Principal Engineer and asked a question that perhaps he wasn’t expecting. He said that it was an asinine question and that he wasn’t going to go down that line of thinking. For a second, I was speechless, and my brain froze. My whole team was around me, and I felt like I wanted to just shrink to nothing. But then they all rallied for me, answered my question, and embraced me in subsequent discussions. That experience shaped the formative years of my career and helped me learn how to think for myself. No AI will ever take that away from me!” 

Natalia Anoshka, Head of Data Services Operations

“I have a strong belief that tech offers amazing opportunities for women. While things like culture and education play a role in a woman's career direction and professional development, the most essential factor to success is being honest with yourself about your true desires/goals and being disciplined in achieving those goals through taking risks, making mistakes, and challenging yourself daily. In my career journey, I followed my dream by moving from legal services to Tech, and I want to say that it was quite a challenge. But nothing is impossible. Love what you do, and you will be inspired by the results of your work for your future endeavors.”