9781422273074

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY PROFILE: KIMBERLY BRYANT, FOUNDEROF BLACK GIRLS CODE When Kimberly Bryant was a freshman at Vanderbilt University majoring in electrical engineering and taking classes in computer coding, she noticed that there were few African American women like her studying STEM fields. This made her sad because she loved the world of computer science and wanted other African American women to enjoy the rewarding work, high salaries, and strong job opportunities that a career in IT provides. In 2011, she founded Black Girls Code (www.blackgirlscode.com), which aims 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.” Black Girls Code offers community outreach programs such as workshops, “hackathons,” and after-school programs to introduce underprivileged young women to basic programming skills. Bryant has received many awards for her work. Business Insider included her on its list of “The 25 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology,” and she was named one of Fast Company’s “Most Creative People.”

Kimberly Bryant discusses Black Girls Code and hackathons

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