Black Girls Code Moves Into Google's New York Offices

Diana Christina Photography

Black Girls Code will continue its mission in a new 6,000 square foot space inside of Google's New York office.

Since 2011, Black Girls Code has worked to build awareness and enthusiasm about STEM careers among a group that is often overlooked.  Founder Kimberly Bryant tells For Harriet that with the tech giant's support, they will be able to expand on their operations and give girls a closer look into the field.

"This space will allow BGC to create and incubate programs for our tech divas in our office which will double as a teaching space for us," says Bryant. "And the proximity to Google's headquarters provides countless opportunities for our girls to envision a future in tech- to touch it, feel it, experience it, and eventually be it."

Kimberly Bryant at Impact Hub Oakland

Bryant describes the partnership as a "win-win" for both BGC and Google. While her organization receives access to more resources, the company headed by Sundar Pichai gets a first look at diverse talent.

"We're building much more than just a pipeline," says Bryant. "We're creating future leaders for companies such as Google and providing real access to an unrivaled pool of talent and creativity."

Founder Kimberly Bryant travels with BGC around the country to provide Black girls between the ages of 7 and 17 the opportunity to get hands on experience with coding and computer programming. These offices will serve as a hub for the East Coast events.

Black Girls Code

These early introductions are crucial. Black women make up a tiny fraction of those working in science and technology careers. But the multibillion dollar tech companies also have a responsibility to recruit and retain Black and Latina talent. In a report released last year, Google revealed that 2% of its staff is Black.