This article was originally published by Hana Gabrielle on Medium. Discovering my passion in tech In Fall 2017, I took an introductory computer science (CS) course, CS 1110, with Professor Walker White and immediately became more interested in CS. Before Walker White started his lectures, I always looked around to find my kababayans, or my fellow Filipinos, in CS 1110 without much luck. I was also too shy to initiate a conversation with a classmate near me, so I did not know many of my CS 1110 classmates, which made
New data has revealed that there has been an uptick in the amount of capital funding Black founders in the U.S. raised in Q4 of 2022. Although this shows that the tide may finally be turning, founders have yet to receive adequate funding to scale their businesses successfully. According to Crunchbase, Black startup founders raised around $264 million out of the $33.6 billion allocated in Q4 of 2022. This may seem small, but a slight increase from the $178 million raised from July to September 2022. What did last year
The Hispanic Technology Executive Council (HITEC) and the Illinois Institute of Technology have come together to support the growth of Hispanic tech talent by opening the door to educational opportunities and scholarships within technology and business. HITEC Foundation scholars and HITEC corporate Emerging Executive Program graduates looking to pursue an MBA or Master of Science degree from the Illinois Tech Stuart School of Business will be considered for scholarships worth up to $2 million. Everything you need to know about HITEC and the Illinois Tech HTEC is a global executive
Hack. Diversity’s mission is to shake up the industry, and after receiving a $500,000 grant from The Barr Foundation, they are on the road to achieving this goal. The Barr Foundation’s program expansion According to reports, non-profit organization Hack. Diversity was awarded a two-year $500,000 grant from the Barr Foundation. The grant is a part of the organization’s initiative to advance racial wealth equity and its partnership with Hack. Diversity is a testament to that. The grant will allow Hack. Diversity to expand their program impact and remove the hurdles
Black Girl Fest (BGF) has announced the expansion of their BGF x eBay Seller Academy program for Black women. BGF x eBay’s partnership The partnership began in late 2021 and has been extended to help further Black women successfully grow and scale their online businesses. For twelve weeks, Black women will have access to learn more about developing an online business through eBay’s marketplace. The initiative aims to teach the women three key sectors; how to build their confidence when selling online, connect with other like-minded Black women business owners, and use
From tech conferences to business challenges, HP’s global chief information officer (CIO) Ron Guerrier, is spearheading the tech giant’s work with HBCUs to build and foster Black talent into tech. Throughout his pathway to IT leadership, Guerrier has made it his priority to speak up about the lack of diversity in the industry. The trailblazer’s new partnership with HBCU is a further testament to his commitment to helping his community break into the sector. HP’s partnership with HBCUs Through Guerrier, HP will be working alongside HBCUs to build a
Dr. Lakeysha Hallmon is the entrepreneur behind The Village Market Atlanta, a community hub for Black businesses to help them connect and engage with their consumers. What is The Village Market? Over the years, The Village has become a staple in Atlanta for many Black-owned businesses. In addition, the thriving village has connected with small businesses across 38 different states in four other countries, which is a testament to the platform’s growing popularity. To date, The Village has spotlights thousands of Black-owned businesses specializing in all-natural products and foods. In
Sam Ayeni is the entrepreneur behind afriKare Life, a Black-owned company providing life insurance and financial solutions to the African diaspora and POC across America. Africare Life, whichSam Ayeni co-founded alongside his partners Maureen Marcus and Andrew Fyneboy, has quickly grown to become an innovative and modern life insurance platform that helps uplift individuals, families, and different tribes in the “land of opportunity.” Black Americans are buying more life insurance Black people are buying life insurance packages at higher rates than other racial groups. The 2021 LIMRA Barometer study found
To celebrate Computer Science Education week, Girls Who Code have launched a new video game, Girls Who Code Girls, tailored to turning users into creators by helping them code their characters. According to recent stats, 77% of video game developers are men meaning most female and non-binary characters are designed by men, which is why women are misrepresented. Black Girls Who Code hopes to change that with their new gaming experience. Girls Who Code, founded by Reshma Saujani, is a non-profit organization committed to disrupting the imbalance in gaming by challenging the misogynistic culture that
Jermaine (Jupiter) Murray, also known as ”The Job Father,” is paving the way for Black people in tech by using his LinkedIn page to help professionals secure jobs and recruiters diversify their hiring practices. According to recent reports, Black representation in tech is barely improving, with Black professionals only making up approximately 13% of the industry. Additionally, only 7% of Black people can break into high-tech, proving that the tech industry has an issue embracing and retaining Black talent. The recent layoffs have also shown how precarious Black people’s jobs
