Founded in 2011, Black Girls CODE (BGC) was built on the pillars of empowerment and education and is dedicated to leveling the playing field for girls of color in STEM. Through the organization’s tech education-focused programming and initiatives—designed for young women between the ages of 7 to 17—BGC aims to inspire youth to become innovators in STEM fields, leaders in their communities, and builders of their own futures.
Black Girls CODE is on a mission to change the narrative surrounding racial and gender diversity in STEM and create safe spaces where Black girls can see themselves reflected in tech innovation. BGC strives to empower girls to go from consumers to creators and use technology as an avenue to be agents of change.
The organization started in San Francisco with 8 girls sharing 6 computers, learning how to write lines of code and since its inception has served over 20,000 students through 15 chapters across the United States and South Africa. BGC’s goal is to train 1 million girls how to code by 2040.
2020 has been a year of pivoting. At Black Girls CODE, we are dedicated to driving change that matters in a fast-changing world. As the world faced a global pandemic, Black Girls CODE transitioned all of its STEM education-focused programming to the virtual space. From tech career panels to coding workshops, we’re grateful for all of those who have joined us along this new journey. Since we’ve made the transition to virtual programs and events, we’ve been able to serve over 8,900 students and execute more than 160 virtual events.
Through our virtual offerings, BGC has been able to reach girls from all over the world. From rural America to Jamaica, to Canada, to Europe, and even to Africa. The transition to virtual illustrated that we are all connected by the power of code.