Microsoft has partnered with Black Girls Code, led by Kimberly Bryant, to enable the organization to launch a chapter in Seattle, Microsoft announced on LinkedIn today. Since launching in 2011, Black Girls Code has introduced technology and computer science to young black girls in 13 cities throughout the country. Seattle marks Black Girls Code’s 14th chapter.
Microsoft also deepened its partnership with Technology Access Foundation, founded by Trish Millines Dziko. Across both partnerships, Microsoft invested $500,000.
Earlier this year, Black Girls Code teamed up with Lyft — after turning down a $125,000 donation from Uber last year — to make the nonprofit organization one of Lyft’s Round Up & Donate partners.
We're incredibly excited to announce our partnership with the @Microsoft team in Seattle! Mountains of gratitude to the BAM team and Satya for supporting our mission to bring more girls of color into tech! #Grateful #BlackGirlsCode 🙏🏾 https://t.co/Sgay7e3G38
— Kimberly Bryant (@6Gems) July 26, 2018
In a LinkedIn post, Microsoft Corporate VP and Lead Mary Snapp said she hopes the investments “will help a lot more students find a passion for technology, the opportunity to pursue a STEM education and most importantly believe it is possible for them.
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“As Satya has said in the past, Microsoft can only be successful if we have people of all backgrounds building our technology and we cannot build product and services for everyone unless everyone is represented in our engineering ranks,” Snapp wrote.
Computer science education should be accessible to young people of all backgrounds, which is why we're partnering with @BlackGirlsCode to help establish a Seattle chapter. Thanks @6Gems for your pioneering work to empower the next generation of innovators. https://t.co/TBMIoSNxjU
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) July 27, 2018
