To close out Women’s History Month, REVOLT is highlighting a few organizations and groups who have made it their mission to bring more women into the tech space. They deliver free resources, grants, workshops, and networking opportunities to provide a safe space for women to learn more about emerging technology. Here are their stories.
1. Baddies in Tech
First up is Baddies in Tech, a nonprofit DAO founded by Allie Joy back in 2019. The organization’s official website states its mission is “to build a public good that empowers and uplifts Black and brown female technologists globally.” Their vision is to increase the representation of women of color in technology to 10 percent by 2030. They believe that diversity and inclusivity will make the tech industry more innovative, and they’re committed to doing their part to see that happen. Baddies in Tech offers a database resource for those looking for employment opportunities, but it doesn’t stop there. They host networking events at some of the biggest tech conferences to provide women a safe place to come together. And when the conferences are over, you can keep up with all your fellow baddies by joining their Discord. Want to support this organization? You can find them here.
2. Women in Tech
Women in Tech’s mission is to close the gender gap and help women embrace technology. According to their official website, the organization calls for action in four primary areas: Education, business, social inclusion, and advocacy. They also aim “to educate, equip and empower women and girls with the necessary skills and confidence to succeed in STEM career fields.” As the leading organization for inclusion, diversity and equity in STEM, it’s also worth noting the Women in Tech community has over 200,000 members across the world with chapters in six continents. The amazing organization offers free workshops to learn about STEM and more, along with providing a mentorship program to help make transitioning into tech a little bit easier, alongside someone who has walked the same path. How can you get involved? Become a member, ambassador, sponsor, or donate. For more information, find them here.
3. Black Girls Code
Women make up an extremely small percentage of coders and developers, so this organization was created to provide a pathway for Black girls and women to enter the industry. Black Girls Code was founded by Kimberly Bryant in 2011 to improve the pipeline of Black girls in tech, like her daughter Kai who was a middle school student at the time. Since then, the organization has grown to include numerous chapters that offer education and resources surrounding the areas of game design, mobile app design, robotics, and web design. They have partnered with huge brands like Nike to curate hackathon events across the country and have even gotten support from top celebrities like Mariah Carey. If you want to support this organization, find them here.
4. World of Women
This next group is no stranger to doing the work when it comes to bringing women into tech, specifically in the Web3 space. I am talking about World of Women. As their official site explains, this NFT project started out with four friends coming together to bring a vision to life: Create a collection and community that celebrates and increases representation, inclusivity and equal opportunities for all. Now, thousands of people have united around this shared sense of purpose. World of Women has made such a huge impact that celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Eva Longoria have joined the efforts to further push the mission. Those who purchase the NFT get exclusive access to events, a customizable avatar, an exclusive Discord, and more. To learn more, find them here.
5. Black Girls in Tech
Another group that has pushed the glass ceiling for women is one we are all very familiar with, Black Girls in Tech. This organization was founded with the purpose of creating a colorful space in the white, male-dominated technology sector. As explained on their site, the company provides a space for Black women to support each other, connect, and share their experiences and resources within a community of like-minded people. The group has partnered with over thirty top tech organizations to provide mentorship, internships, and job placement opportunities for their members. They even offer coding bootcamps and educational workshops to increase members’ skill sets, so they can land that dream tech job. Their efforts have expanded outside of the United States to countries like Nigeria and Ireland, and they continue to journey across the world to provide Black women new opportunities. Want to support this organization? Find them here.
6. Boss Beauties
Another NFT project that has been at the forefront of onboarding women into the Web3 and tech spaces is Boss Beauties. This project was founded by Lisa Mayor. When she started it, Mayor asked her community to imagine a collection of digital portraits to capture the empowered women they want to see and be in the world. People submitted vision boards that featured beautifully diverse women in positions of power, successful women in STEM fields, and next-generation style inspiration. She then launched the compilation in eight weeks and sold out in an hour. It became the first NFT collection featured by The New York Stock Exchange and at the United Nations headquarters. Through this project and foundation, Mayor has been able to provide funding for research and scholarships, and offer mentorship for women around the world. Boss Beauties’ goal is to bring the next million women into Web3. If you want to help with their efforts, find them here.
7. Black Girl Ventures
Mentorship and education aren’t enough for women to sustain their ideas and businesses in the tech space; they need funding and that is where Black Girl Ventures comes in. Their mission is to provide “Black and Brown woman-identifying founders with access to community, capital, and capacity building in order to meet business milestones that lead to economic advancement through entrepreneurship,” their website states. Founded in 2016 by serial entrepreneur and computer scientist Shelly Bell, The Black Girl Ventures Foundation addresses how best to solve the various challenges Black and Brown businesswomen face in accessing social and financial capital. Since the company’s inception, they have funded 450 women of color, held over 50 BGV Pitch Programs across 15 cities and served over 10,000 founders. Their pitch participants are collectively generating over $10 million in revenue and supporting 3,000 jobs. Want to get involved with this organization? Find them here.
All of these groups have made significant strides within the Web3 and tech spaces, nurturing the next generation of thinkers and providing opportunities for women to thrive. We applaud and thank you for all of your efforts.