Black Girls CODE Opens New Chapter in Raleigh-Durham, Seeks to Inspire Girls Through Technology
Durham, NC – Girls in the Raleigh-Durham area have a great opportunity this month to learn computer science and coding through two innovative programs offered by the new, local chapter of Black Girls CODE, an organization which focuses on helping minority girls in underserved areas better understand programming and digital technology.
The programs, organized by Black Girls CODE and brought to the Raleigh – Durham area for the first time by Verizon and NCCU, will offer young girls valuable skills in ideation, computation science, teamwork and public speaking. The programs are inexpensive and need-based scholarships are available.
The first event in Raleigh – Durham is a one day workshop entitled Build A Website in a Day. The event kicks off on July 11 for girls ages seven to 17. Attendees will learn basic web design and build their own websites using coding, such as HTML and CSS.
The second event is a Summer Camp from July 20-24 for girls ages 13 and older. Participants will learn mobile app development and entrepreneurship. The camp provides five days of hands-on, project-based instruction, where young ladies work in teams to develop their own apps.
“Our camps and workshops offer a space where girls of color can learn computer science and coding principles alongside their peers, with mentorship from female role models who have established themselves in tech fields where women, and minority women in particular, tend to be underrepresented,” said Kimberly Bryant, Executive Director and Founder of Black Girls CODE.
Jerry Fountain, regional president for Verizon, said: “We are excited that girls in the Raleigh-Durham area now have these important opportunities to gain real-world skills in app development, critical thinking, problem-solving, team collaboration and more. At Verizon, our focus in education is to deliver the promise of a brighter future by empowering students with STEM and entrepreneurship skills through engaging hands-on programs like this.”
Black Girls CODE is one of a number of organizations Verizon supports to provide coding and entrepreneurship skills to more underserved and underrepresented youths across the country. Verizon is also working with Black Girls CODE on similar programs in the Washington, D.C. area.
Both events will be hosted by NCCU at their state of the art biotechnology research facility the Mary Townes Science Complex. For more than 100 years, NCCU has educated the citizens of North Carolina, the United States and the world to become global leaders and practitioners who transform communities.
The two events are open to girls of all experience levels who are interested in computer science, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), mobile apps, design and gaming. The cost for the Build A Website in a Day Workshop is $35 and includes snacks and lunch. The cost for the Summer Camp Workshop will be $155 and includes snacks and lunch for all five days. Scholarships for both events are available in limited supply for participants with financial need. For more information about both events and links to sign up, go to http://www.blackgirlscode.com/programsevents.html
About Black Girls CODE
Since 2011, Black Girls CODE has been a transformative global movement fueled by the power of individual, but connected and engaged chapters, dedicated to providing girls of color with the technical skills and inspiration to become technology leaders of tomorrow. Black Girls CODE is committed to changing the face of technology. In 2012 – its first full year of programming – BGC engaged, educated and empowered 800 girls in 16 cities across the globe.
Voted as “2012 Most Innovative Nonprofit” by Bank of the West and “Top Social Enterprise Improving the Lives of Women and Girls” by Women Deliver in 2013, the nonprofit continues to expand and empower hundreds of girls worldwide. We have now reached over 3000 girls and built a network of over 2700 volunteers all over the country and world. We have 8 chapters in the United States – Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Bay Area, New York, Washington, DC, Raleigh-Durham, and Memphis. We have one international chapter in Johannesburg, South Africa. Our goal is to reach 1 million girls by 2040. Join the BGC movement at facebook.com/blackgirlscodeorg and on twitter @BlackGirlsCODE.
About the Verizon Foundation
The Verizon Foundation is focused on accelerating social change by using the company’s innovative technology to help solve pressing problems in education, healthcare and energy management. Since 2000, the Verizon Foundation has invested more than half a billion dollars to improve the communities where Verizon employees work and live. Verizon’s employees are generous with their donations and their time, having logged more than 7.6 million hours of service supporting more than 28,000 organizations to make a positive difference in their communities. For more information about Verizon’s philanthropic work, visit www.verizon.com/about/responsibility; or for regular updates, visit Facebook (www.facebook.com/verizonfoundation) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/verizongiving).
