According to Nielsen's Report, "African American Millennials are driving social change and leading digital advancement. They are more likely than all Millennials to say they are among the first of their friends/colleagues to try new technology products." They are also the main consumers of smart- phones and users of the internet. Unfortunately when it comes to finding employment in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) related careers, African Americans especially women lag behind other groups. Black Girls Code was created to address this discrepancy. Anyone who has seen the movie, Hidden Figures knows that African American women have played an important role in the development of NASA and other science projects. Now Black Girls Code wants to inspire a new generation to make their mark.
Their vision is to provide "African-American youth with the skills to occupy some of the 1.4 million computing job openings expected to be available in the U.S. by 2020, and to train 1 million girls by 2040." Kimberly Bryant, the founder of Black Girls Code believes that their first aim is "to increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures through exposure to computer science and technology."
They provide workshops and hackathons across the country where young girls can learn coding, create digital programs and find a supportive community. This weekend their chapters in Dallas and New York will have special events for young girls followed later by events in Atlanta, Boston, Miami and the Bay area. To get more information and register for programs visit their site.
Good news, young Black men will not be left out, there are plans for a Black Boys Code in the future.
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