Kimberly Bryant
More about Kimberly Bryant
Kimberly Bryant is the founder of Black Girls Code a nonprofit with a mission to teach girls of color the technology skills they need to succeed and flourish in the 21st century. Bryant was born in 1967 in Memphis, Tennessee and has described herself as a girly-girl who enjoyed playing with dolls. Originally Bryant planned to become a lawyer, but she had excellent grades in math and science courses. At the urging of a high school guidance counselor, she decided to study electrical engineering and computer science. The inspiration for Black Girls Code came out of a combination of experiences that culminated in a thriving non-profit. Bryant has said that she felt isolated with so few engineering classmates who looked like her. Her middle school-aged daughter attended a computer science camp, and in 2010 Bryant attended a conference on women in corporate leadership. These two events lit the spark for Bryant to launch what would become Black Girls Code.
- Black Girls CodeLearn more about the Black Girls Code organization, its mission, how to donate, and more.
TED Talks
Books about Bias in Computing Systems
Algorithms of OppressionA revealing look at how negative biases against women of color are embedded in search engine results and algorithms Run a Google search for "black girls"--what will you find? "Big Booty" and other sexually explicit terms are likely to come up as top search terms. But, if you type in "white girls," the results are radically different. The suggested porn sites and un-moderated discussions about "why black women are so sassy" or "why black women are so angry" presents a disturbing portrait of black womanhood in modern society. In Algorithms of Oppression, Safiya Umoja Noble challenges the idea that search engines like Google offer an equal playing field for all forms of ideas, identities, and activities. Algorithms of Oppression contributes to our understanding of how racism is created, maintained, and disseminated in the 21st century.
Girls Who CodeBursting with dynamic artwork, down-to-earth explanations of coding principles, and real-life stories of girls and women working at places like Pixar and NASA, this graphically animated book shows what a huge role computer science plays in our lives and how much fun it can be. No matter your interest--sports, the arts, baking, student government, social justice--coding can help you do what you love and make your dreams come true. Whether you're a girl who's never coded before, a girl who codes, or a parent raising one, this entertaining book, printed in bold two-color and featuring art on every page, will have you itching to create your own apps, games, and robots to make the world a better place.
