Black Girls Code

{{Infobox organization

| name = Black Girls Code

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| image = Black Girls CODE logo.png

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| abbreviation = BGC

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| formation = 2011

| founder = Kimberly Bryant

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| purpose = introducing Black and brown girls ages 7-17 to computer programming to ignite their interest in technology and change the face of STEM.

| headquarters = Oakland, California

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| region = United States, South Africa

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| website = {{URL|http://www.wearebgc.org}}

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File:Black Girls Code at GEM-TECH 2015 awards.jpg.]]

Black Girls Code (BGC) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on engaging African-American girls and other youth of color with computer programming education to nurture their careers in tech. The organization offers computer programming and coding, as well as website, robot, and mobile application-building, with the goal of placing one million girls in tech by 2040. Kimberly Bryant, an electrical engineer who had worked in biotech for over 20 years, founded Black Girls Code in 2011 to rectify the underrepresentation of African-American girls and women in tech careers.{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/natalierobehmed/2013/08/30/black-girls-code-tackles-tech-inclusion/|title=Black Girls Code Tackles Tech Inclusion|last=Robehmed|first=Natalie|date=August 30, 2013|work=Forbes|accessdate=April 16, 2014}} In October 2023, Cristina Jones became CEO; she was previously an executive at Salesforce.

Programs

Headquartered in Oakland, California,{{Cite web |last=Esswein |first=Patricia Mertz |date=2 July 2015 |title=Small-Business Success Story: Black Girls Code |url=http://www.kiplinger.com/article/business/T049-C000-S002-small-business-success-story-black-girls-code.html |access-date=2020-05-01 |website=Kiplinger}} the organization grew to 2,000 participants by August 2013 within the seven established institutions, operating in seven States across the US, as well as in Johannesburg, South Africa.{{cite web |last=Ntim |first=Lottie |date=December 12, 2013 |title=When Black Girls Code |url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lottie-ntim/when-black-girls-code_b_4427516.html |accessdate=April 16, 2014 |work=The Huffington Post}} As of December 2019, BGC had 15 chapters.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/how-black-girls-code-transformed-basement-experiment-international-movement-ncna1103431|title=How Black Girls Code transformed from basement experiment to international movement|last=Bondy|first=Halley|date=17 December 2019|website=NBC News|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219111038/https://www.nbcnews.com/know-your-value/feature/how-black-girls-code-transformed-basement-experiment-international-movement-ncna1103431 |archive-date=2019-12-19 |access-date=2020-02-12}}

BGC depends on a volunteer network to design and conduct workshop classes. These IT professionals teach participants skills in web, app, and game development; AI; art and music coding; coding languages (i.e., HTML/CSS, JavaScript, Python); block-based coding; and integrated development environments (i.e., Scratch, p5.js, MIT App Inventor, Repl.it, EarSketch).

In 2023, BGC, in partnership with GoldieBlox, launched CODE Along, a video series of coding tutorials.

History

= Founding =

Bryant was inspired to start BGC after her gamer daughter, Kai, attended a computing summer camp and was disappointed in the experience.{{cite web|url=http://www.techrepublic.com/article/black-girls-code-founder-kimberly-bryant-engineer-entrepreneur-mother/#.|title=Black Girls Code founder Kimberly Bryant: Engineer. Entrepreneur. Mother.|last=Gilpin|first=Lyndsey|date=April 7, 2014|work=TechRepublic|accessdate=April 16, 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2428084,00.asp|title=American Express, BlackGirlsCode, and Internet Backlash|last=Lynn|first=Samara|date=December 9, 2013|work=PC Magazine|accessdate=April 16, 2014}} Her daughter was one in a handful of girls who were at the camp and was the only African American girl present. She also noted that the boys at the camp were given much more attention from the counselors than the few girls there. In an interview with Ebony, Bryant said, "I wanted to find a way to engage and interest my daughter in becoming a digital creative instead of just a consumer, and I did not find other programs that were targeted to girls like her from underrepresented communities."{{cite web|url=http://www.ebony.com/life/black-girls-code-founder-kim-bryant-talks-333#axzz2z0qE3OOB|title=Black Girls Code's Kim Bryant Talks Bits and Bytes|last=Phanor-Faury|first=Alexandra|date=March 19, 2014|work=Ebony|accessdate=16 April 2014}}

In 2011, Bryant convinced her colleagues from Genentech to create a six-week coding curriculum for Girls of Color. Her first educational series started in the basement of a college prep institution, and attended by a dozen girls, including her daughter. In January 2012, a tech consultancy company called ThoughtWorks invested in Bryant's initiative, providing access to space and resources.

= Leadership transition =

Bryant was removed as head of the organization by the board in 2021 following complaints related to her conduct.{{cite news |last=Joyner |first=April |date=23 Dec 2021 |title=The founder of Black Girls Code has been ousted as head of the nonprofit after allegations of 'workplace impropriety' |work=Business Insider |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/black-girls-code-founder-kimberly-bryant-board-dispute-2021-12}} The organization then sued Bryant for "hijacking" its website, while she also filed a federal lawsuit accusing board members of defamation, retaliation and wrongful termination from her position as CEO.{{cite news |last=Joyner |first=April |date=23 Aug 2022 |title=Black Girls Code sues former CEO and founder Kimberly Bryant for 'hijacking' website |work=NBC News |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-girls-code-files-lawsuit-former-ceo-founder-kimberly-bryant-hija-rcna44438}}

In October 2023, the Black Girls Code board appointed former Salesforce executive Cristina Jones as its new CEO.{{cite news |date=28 Oct 2023 |title=Cristina Jones Takes the Helm as New CEO of Black Girls Code, Pledging to Expand the Organization's Mission of Launching Black Girls in STEAM |work=Black PR Wire |url=https://www.blackprwire.com/press-releases/bprw-cristina-jones-takes-the-helm-as-new-ceo-of-black-girls-code-pledging-to-expand-the-organization-s-mission-of-launching-black-girls-in-steam}}{{cite news |last=Nwanji |first=Ngozi |date=24 Oct 2023 |title=Black Girls Code Appoints Former Salesforce Executive Cristina Jones As Its New CEO |work=Yahoo Finance |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/black-girls-code-appoints-former-172803863.html}}

Awards and grants

BGC received a $50,000 grant from Microsoft's Azure development (AzureDev) community campaign in January 2014.{{cite web|url=http://www.geekwire.com/2014/black-girls-code-code-org-among-named-azuredev-grant-winners/|title=Black Girls Code, Code.org win Microsoft AzureDev grants|last=Frank|first=Blair Hanley|date=January 15, 2014|work=Geekwire|accessdate=April 16, 2014}} Bryant also received a "Standing O-vation" presented by Oprah Winfrey and Toyota in November 2014.{{cite news| last=Shumaker | first=Laura|title=Oprah gives San Francisco's Kimberly Bryant a Standing O-vation| journal=SFGate| year=2014|url=http://blog.sfgate.com/lshumaker/2014/11/17/oprah-gives-san-franciscos-kimberly-bryant-a-standing-o-vation/}}

In August 2015, Bryant turned down a $125,000 grant from ride-sharing app Uber, calling the offer disingenuous and "PR-driven". She also criticized Uber for offering Girls Who Code $1.2 million, an amount nearly ten times larger.{{Cite web|url=https://www.blackenterprise.com/black-girls-code-lyft-uber/|title=Black Girls Code Teams Up With Lyft After Rejecting Offer From Uber|date=2018-02-12|website=Black Enterprise|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-21}}

In February 2018, BGC announced a partnership with Uber's competitor, Lyft, as part of their Round Up & Donate program.{{cite news |last1=Guynn |first1=Jessica |title=Lyft riders can now add to fares and donate to Black Girls Code |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2018/02/09/lyft-riders-can-now-add-fares-and-donate-black-girls-code/321414002/ |access-date=July 17, 2021 |work=USA Today |date=February 9, 2018}}