In an effort to increase the number of Latinas in the tech sector, Black Girls CODE and Latino Startup Alliance have partnered to bring the first-ever bilingual “Build a Workshop – In A Day” workshop to be hosted in the MEDA community center in San Francisco and co-sponsored by Google For Entrepreneurs and Mozilla.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Leonardo Y. Sosa
Mission Economic Development Agency
415-550-8595 ext. 115
lsosa@medasf.org
Abby Bobé
Black Girls CODE
215-307-5107
abby@blackgirlscode.org
Jesse Martinez
Latino Startup Alliance
415-754-9469
jesse@latinostartupalliance.org
SAN FRANCISO (May 21, 2013) – Black Girls CODE (BGC) teams up with Latino Startup Alliance (LSA) and Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA), to present its first ever Bilingual (English/Spanish) one-day workshop “Build a Webpage- In a Day” on Saturday, May 25th 2013 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The already sold-out workshop will focus on the HTML, CSS and basic front-end Web development. “Build A Webpage,” has been BGC’s most popular program, which has been launched in 10 cities nationwide and impacted more than 1000+ young girls of color, ages 7 to 17.
“I am incredibly excited about our upcoming bilingual workshop with the LSA,” said bioengineering professional Kimberly Bryant, founder of Black Girls CODE. “Since our organization was founded in 2011, Black Girls CODE has been committed to introducing girls of color from African-American, Latino, and Native American communities to careers in computer programming and technology. While we have done a fantastic job in the African-American community, this partnership allows us to reach the Latina market, which is a primary focus of our efforts. Latinas and African American young women are some of the most underrepresented groups (less than 3%) in the tech industry. We are very honored and proud to partner with MEDA and LSA to bridge the educational access gap and feed the pipeline for future innovators in technology.”
Determined to “change the ratio” the San Francisco-based nonprofit, Black Girls CODE provides one-day workshops, 6-Week classes and hosts summer camps that introduce young girls to computer programming, robotics, electrical engineering and other areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in inner cities across the nation.
“Programming is a valuable skill that can lead to great careers,” Richard Abisla, Project Manager of the Latino Microenterprise Tech Network at MEDA stated. “MEDA is excited to work with BGC to promote coding and STEM careers to young women because we are looking forward to promoting STEM achievement as part of the Mission Promise Neighborhood.”
According to one recent report, over the next decade the U.S. economy will create 120,000 jobs that require computer science degrees, but American colleges will only produce 40,000 graduates with a bachelor's degree in computer science. That's three times as many jobs as we have people qualified to fill them. Disparities among the number of women and minorities in computer science and other STEM fields are significant. A 2012 report by NSF Science and Engineering Indicators and NSF Women, Minorities and People with Disabilities, reveals that Hispanics make up more than 15 percent of the U.S. population but earn less than 7 percent of bachelor’s degrees in computer science. African-Americans, about 13 percent of the population, earn less than 5 percent of these degrees. For women in these same demographics, the statistics are even less. Black Girls CODE is motivated to change these statistics by feeding the STEM pipeline and providing young girls of color a community of supporters and educators and an environment where they have role models who “look like them.”
"We are delighted to work with Black Girls CODE and the Mission Economic Development Agency to help prepare young women for the opportunities presented by technology", said Latino Startup Alliance's Founder, Jesse Martinez. "Latino Startup Alliance is committed to fostering the talent of under-represented Latinos in technology and we have been working with professionals and youth alike. We are thrilled to be a part of this program to spark the young innovator's mind."
"We are excited to partner with these great organizations to engage students in the global tech community. Our mission with Google for Entrepreneurs is to foster the spirit of entrepreneurship around the world and we believe in supporting young talent who are the current and future entrepreneurial leaders in our communities," said Mary Grove, Director of Global Entrepreneurship Outreach at Google.
During the “Build A Webpage” workshop, BGC will use Mozilla tools such as Hackasaurus and Thimble to introduce more than 60 students to basic programming and development. "I am always excited to work with groups who aim to teach web literacy, confidence, and competence especially when the audience is groups of learners who are ones not typically exemplified in the existing tech mainstream. A more diverse Internet, with more contributors, is a healthier web. We cannot assume that everyone who will find they love creating with the building blocks of open technology are already aware and able to access them," said Lukas Blakk, Mozilla Release Manager.
“We're absolutely delighted to see so many students walk away from BGC classes feeling empowered to do more on their own! Planting that seed of curiosity and empowerment is a critical step towards a bold new future for these girls and the IT industry as a whole,” said Grant Joung, Office Principal of ThoughtWorks.
In addition to the workshop Black Girls CODE, LSA and MEDA will offer a complimentary technology career panel for parents featuring entrepreneurs, corporate representatives and educational leaders in the industry. The panel, “Imagine the Impact: Guiding Your Child into a Career in Technology,” will include Deldelp Medina, founder and CEO of MyPio Corporation; Grant Joung, San Francisco Office Principal of ThoughtWorks; Ana Salvatore, Mobile Apps Development Manager of First Tech Federal Credit Unions; and Kimberly Bryant, Executive Director of Black Girls CODE.
The panel is designed to help parents navigate the waters of raising future coders and programmers by providing career insight, advice on continuing education, and information on various community programs and internships that support children from the elementary through collegiate level.
Media Opportunities
To request event access or arrange media interviews with participants, please contact Abby Bobé at abby@blackgirlscode.org or 215-307-5107, or Leo Sosa at lsosa@medasf.org or 415-550-8595 ext. 115.
About Latino Startup Alliance
Latino Startup Alliance’s mission is to encourage the inspiration and cultivation of U.S. Latino led technology startup ventures by providing a strong network of fellow entrepreneurs, investors, innovators, and mentors. LSA provides its members learning opportunities around tech entrepreneurship, from lean startup principles and customer development to fundraising and more. LSA members also lead the Youth Startups program, a program centered on tech entrepreneurship for high school students.
For more information, please visit http://latinostartupalliance.org/
About Mission Economic Development Agency
MEDA is a 39 year old nonprofit organization based in San Francisco’s Mission District and provides free services to low-income families to help them become financially prosperous. Already a leading provider of services to alleviate poverty in San Francisco, MEDA is the lead agency for the Mission Promise Neighborhood, a collaborative community effort to support school improvement and revitalize the Mission neighborhood by creating a cradle-to-career pipeline for students and families.
For more information, please visit http://medasf.org
About Black Girls CODE
Black Girls CODE is a global movement. Founded in 2011, the San Francisco based nonprofit introduces young girls of color, ages 7-17, to computer programming, electrical engineering, mobile app development, robotics and other STEM fields. In 2012 the nonprofit launched in 10 cities nationwide and expanded to South Africa. Voted as "2012 Most Innovative Nonprofit" by Bank of the West, the nonprofit continues to expand and empower hundreds of girls worldwide.
For more information, please visit http://blackgirlscode.com/
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