At careerbyte, we’re always looking to feature organizations that support People of Color in Tech. If you do want to share your story, feel free to reach us out at stories@steamboston.com. Did we miss something, let us know via email.
During these past 2 years, we focused on highlighting organizations that are doing great work in supporting People of Color in Tech. Back in October 2018, we featured David Delmar of Resilient Coders and learned more about why he started Resilient Coders. Delmar is passionate about equity. Technology happens to be the superpower that makes people impossible to ignore or disenfranchise.
In October of 2018, we featured Rizel Bobb-Semple and talked more about Rizel’s Mission to Hack Diversity. Rizel’s journey has not been traditional at all, and she credits all the mentors she has had. All her past and current managers, and programs like Resilient Coders and Hack Diversity. All those people have recognized her skills and publicly encourages her. Rizel is also the Curriculum Development and Recruitment Lead for G|Code.
In January of 2019, we featured Pariss Athena of Black Tech Pipeline. Black Tech Pipeline is a platform for the #BlackTechTwitter community to continue collaborating, receiving support, resources, and opportunity by other technologists who look like them. People of color always hear that there’s this “pipeline” problem. Employers claim that they can’t find people of color to fill their roles, but Pariss looks at that as an excuse.
Pariss says it doesn’t add up, especially now with the number of responses that the #BlackTechTwitter thread has and continues to receive. These are black people in tech ranging from junior developers to CEO’s of tech companies, conference founders, and investors. These are highly skilled and talented black people in tech looking to contribute and thrive in this industry.
For November 2019, we spoke to Olu Ibrahim of Kids in Tech. Kids in Tech was founded in 2016 in Lowell, Massachusetts to prepare disadvantaged kids with interactive, free after school programs in computers and technology. By 2024, 80% of the top 10 most in-demand STEM jobs in the Greater Lowell area will be in technology – and, these are the some of the top most desired skills for many growing industries across the country. In the past three years, Kids in Tech has offered programs at four different sites serving low-income kids in the Lowell area.
Black Tech Pipeline
Black Tech Pipeline is founded Boston-area software engineer Pariss Athena (whom we featured talking about #BlackTechTwitter). Black Tech Pipeline is a service based platform focused on bringing exposure, resources and opportunity to Black technologists, and our allies. We connect employers and opportunity extenders, to highly skilled and qualified talent within our pipeline. Our platform provides the support and tools necessary to help our community members grow and thrive.
Website: https://www.blacktechpipeline.com/
Learn more about the platform here.
Resilient Coders
Resilient Coders trains young adults of color from Boston’s low income communities for high growth careers as software engineers, and connects them with employment opportunities. Through their free nonprofit coding bootcamp, they teach more than the technical skills students need to be impossible to ignore; they present a path towards economic resiliency. They offer their students a state-of-the-art training in software engineering, making them highly competitive job-seekers in Boston’s growing tech economy. To achieve this, they have developed our Bootcamp, a 14-week program during which students explore the coding skills necessary to become full stack software engineers.
Donate here: https://www.resilientcoders.org/donate
G|Code
G|Code is a program designed to help young women of color between the ages of 18-25, who have an interest and aptitude for computers or technology, but do not know how to develop their interest or understand the opportunities. In the two-year program, participants get access to technical and specialty training, as well as a six-month internship. Throughout the program, G|Code participants live in the G|Code House, a co-living space in Roxbury.
Check out the G|Code Interview with Rizel Bobb-Semple & Bailey Siber.
Donate here: https://ifundwomen.com/projects/gcode-house
Hack Diversity
Hack.Diversity aims to boost Black and Latinx talent in Boston’s tech ecosystem. The program recruits Black and Latinx students pursuing careers in software engineering, data analytics, information technology and UX/UI design. After going through a program that includes career and interview coaching, those students—Hack.Diversity fellows—are placed into internships with local tech companies. HubSpot and Wayfair are among the companies that have tapped Hack.Diversity fellows as summer interns.
Donate here: https://www.tbf.org/donors/forms/hack-diversity-fund
Kids in Tech
Kids in Tech was founded in 2016 in Lowell, Massachusetts to prepare disadvantaged kids with interactive, free after school programs in computers and technology. By 2024, 80% of the top 10 most in-demand STEM jobs in the Greater Lowell area will be in technology – and, these are the some of the top most desired skills for many growing industries across the country. In the past three years, Kids in Tech has offered programs at four different sites serving low-income kids in the Lowell area.
According to the Center for Childhood Creativity, “Data shows that young people are not graduating with the skills needed to succeed in a rapidly-evolving, technologically-driven workforce.”
Kids in Tech has proven, demonstrated results, with over 90 percent of our participants reporting increased knowledge, skills, and interest in STEM fields. We’re growing by leaps and bounds and look forward to offering these programs in more communities across the region and around the country.
Donate here: https://kidsintech.org/donate/
