Catt Small: Designing Inclusive Tech and Opening Doors

When I think of someone who’s smashing barriers in tech, design and gaming. All while lifting up their community. It’s Catt Small. She’s a Brooklyn-born product designer, game developer, web dev and activist focused on making technology accessible, representative and fun.

A Tech Journey from Childhood to Leadership

Catt started coding at age 10, designing by age 15 and even interned at an all-girls marketing firm while in high school. She went on to study at the School of Visual Arts (BFA in Graphic Design, 2011) and then earned a master's in Integrated Digital Media from NYU in 2016.

Building Diverse & Creative Tech Spaces

• Awarded Technologist of the Year by the Brooklyn Innovation Awards after winning a Google scholarship .

• Co‑created the Game Devs of Color Expo, celebrating Black, Indigenous and other developers in the gaming world.

• Developed SweetXheart, an empathy-driven game about the experience of a young Black woman, highlighting race, gender and microaggressions.

  
  

Designing Real Impact

She’s designed for big names like NASDAQ, SoundCloud, Etsy and now Dropbox and All Turtles...shaping products used by millions. Yet, she always emphasizes empathy, diversity and representation in every interface and team she touches.

Why Catt Inspires Me?

Catt’s story shows that when girls are supported, given tools, opportunities and a seat at the table, they can lead, innovate and uplift others. But too many girls lose that chance because of period poverty. They are missing school or opportunities simply because they don’t have basic sanitary products. That needs to change.

Imagine if every girl had the confidence to code at 10, design at 15 and build companies by 25 without being held back by stigma or lack of period care. That’s the world Catt is helping to build creative, inclusive, and limitless.

If there’s one thing Catt teaches us, it’s this: diverse voices make technology better and equal access makes society stronger. Let’s make sure no girl is forced to step away from school or her future because of something as basic as a pad or tampon. Let’s design a world where every girl can show up, be seen, and create the future just like Catt.

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