Black Girls Code – CODE Girl Club
Black Girls CODE is devoted to showing the world that Black girls can code, and do so much more. By reaching out to the community through technology focused programs and events, Black Girls CODE introduces computer programming and technology to girls from underrepresented communities in technology areas such as web design, robotics, gaming, mobile app development and more. Black Girls CODE works to close the digital divide while simultaneously addressing the gender gap prevalent in the tech industry which comprises less than 20% women and only 3% women of color.
The mission of Black Girls CODE is to directly address the issue of racial equity by providing girls of color with an opportunity for early exposure to STEM focused technical careers, and by providing role models from the pool of existing female technologists to “shift the equation” and to feed the pipeline creating the next generation of leaders and builders in technology.
When girls don’t see themselves represented in their classrooms or in the fields in which they have an interest, they often choose a different path. Black Girls CODE provides this important representation and also delivers programs in a culturally sensitive and supportive way. Their programs effectively redirect this pattern of under-representation and empower the next generation of female tech leaders. Black Girls CODE has a broad impact on a large number of girls by introducing them to STEM and computer science, fostering their interest and skill building, and ultimately creating a community of learners and a network of support and resources on which students can lean.
In 2022, the Elsevier Foundation will support a BGC CODE Club in Philadelphia containing a series of interactive sessions throughout the duration of this 4-6 week program that includes mobile app development, web development, and game development. The program provides participants with intensive training sessions to develop skills sets in one or more of these coding technologies. In addition to classroom instruction, office hours are also available for participants throughout the duration of the program.
Beneficiary group: Middle school and high school students from under-represented groups
Demographic: Female
Budget: $25,000
Location: Philadelphia, US
Support the BCG Code Club in Philadelphia by:
- The CODE Club in Philadelphia will be launched in 2022. It will: • Provide students with a unique experience to acquire valuable coding and STEM skills.
- Position these students to secure high-powered career positions in the growing technology sector, creating a pathway for them to become the future leaders and innovators in the technology field.