Year: 2011

Who: Kimberly Bryant​

Where: Based in California​

What: As the founder of Black Girls Code, Bryant has empowered thousands of young African American girls to pursue careers in technology, helping to close the racial and gender gap in STEM fields.

Bryant’s early passion for science and mathematics led her to earn a scholarship to Vanderbilt University in 1985, where she initially planned to study civil engineering. Inspired by emerging technologies like microchips and personal computers, she switched her focus to electrical engineering, graduating in 1989 with minors in computer science and mathematics.

Her career began with roles at Westinghouse Electric and DuPont before she transitioned to the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, working for major companies like Genentech, Novartis, and Merck. Despite her professional success, Bryant frequently encountered isolation as one of the few African American women in these spaces. These experiences inspired her to create a more inclusive environment for future generations.

In 2011, Bryant founded Black Girls Code after struggling to find coding classes suited for her daughter, who expressed an interest in computer programming. Black Girls Code addresses the underrepresentation of African American women in tech, where they make up less than 3% of the workforce. The organization offers after-school and summer programs, aiming to teach coding to one million girls by 2040. With 15 chapters across the U.S. and internationally, including Johannesburg, South Africa, the nonprofit has already trained over 3,000 girls.

Bryant has received numerous accolades, including the White House Champion of Change for Tech Inclusion, Smithsonian’s American Ingenuity Award for Social Progress, and induction into the SXSW Interactive Festival Hall of Fame. Through her advocacy and leadership, Bryant continues to inspire a generation of young women to excel in STEM, fostering innovation and inclusivity in the tech industry.

Sources:

Websites:

• Black Girls Code. (n.d.). About Kimberly Bryant and the founding of Black Girls Code. https://www.wearebgc.org/about

• Forbes. (2018, February 28). Kimberly Bryant: Founder of Black Girls Code. https://www.forbes.com/sites/whitneyjohnson/2016/08/15/black-girls-code-daring-to-dream-the-next-steve-jobs-will-be-a-woman-of-color/