1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,360 Speaker 1: All of us have a role to play because we 2 00:00:03,360 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: can also push back when we hear stereotypes about who 3 00:00:06,800 --> 00:00:10,160 Speaker 1: belongs in the sector, and we can keep pushing a 4 00:00:10,240 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: conversation that says that more folks should have a seat 5 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: at the table. There are No Girls on the Internet. 6 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,200 Speaker 1: As a production of I Heart Radio and Unboss Creative, 7 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 1: I'm Bridget Todd and this is There Are No Girls 8 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:33,640 Speaker 1: on the Internet. Banning books is nothing new in the 9 00:00:33,680 --> 00:00:37,800 Speaker 1: United States, but since we've seen the number of books 10 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:42,519 Speaker 1: banned in schools and libraries skyrocket as extremists parents groups 11 00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,559 Speaker 1: consolidate power in local school districts, and according to the 12 00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:50,000 Speaker 1: American Library Association, most of the books being challenged are 13 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:53,720 Speaker 1: about black or lgbt Q characters or deal with issues 14 00:00:53,760 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: of race and inclusion. Earlier this year, four children's books 15 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,440 Speaker 1: from Girls Who Code, an organization that exists to close 16 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: the gender gap in technology and change the image of 17 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: what a programmer looks like and does. We're pulled from 18 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,839 Speaker 1: Pennsylvania's Central York District. Girls who Code CEO Dr Rica 19 00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:13,560 Speaker 1: Barrett says that at a time when girls are on bionary, 20 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,360 Speaker 1: young people should be being encouraged to get more involved 21 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: in technology, making it harder to access girls who code 22 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:23,679 Speaker 1: books is especially troubling. Now, don't get it twisted. Dr 23 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:27,560 Speaker 1: Barrett is a doctor, but you can call me Arrica. 24 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: Especially with women who have PhD s. I don't out 25 00:01:31,400 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: of my way to really hit that doctor because I 26 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:35,320 Speaker 1: feel like it's so easy to be like, oh, just 27 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: first name and I don't know. I I appreciate you 28 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: letting me call you Treka, but I am a stickler 29 00:01:43,560 --> 00:01:46,520 Speaker 1: for the doctor. When it's a woman. I am with you, 30 00:01:46,640 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: and you immediately re engendered rapport right away. So I 31 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: was like, call me to Rica. But don't get it twisted. 32 00:01:52,400 --> 00:01:54,960 Speaker 1: If anyone does not refer to be as Dr Barrett, 33 00:01:55,080 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: especially if they're referring to other folks by that um 34 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:05,600 Speaker 1: sort of you know title, I get upset immediately because 35 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:08,160 Speaker 1: it has happened to me where I've been in conversations 36 00:02:08,200 --> 00:02:11,840 Speaker 1: where there is a phone call or a meeting and 37 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:14,639 Speaker 1: a gentleman is being referred to as Dr so and so, 38 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: and then I'm getting the tarika, and I've actually paused 39 00:02:17,600 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: and said to people, know it's Dr Barrett, which sometimes 40 00:02:20,360 --> 00:02:23,800 Speaker 1: you know, engenders some awkward silence. But to be honest, 41 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:26,960 Speaker 1: that honorific is nothing to play with, you know. I 42 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,680 Speaker 1: it took me four and a half years and two children, 43 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: birthing two children to get it. So I really appreciate 44 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: that you you kind of noted that too, Yeah, of course, 45 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: of course, Well that's a great place to start. How 46 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 1: did you wind up at Girls who Code? Oh my gosh, Bridget, 47 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:46,480 Speaker 1: that's such a great question. And I never thought that 48 00:02:46,600 --> 00:02:50,240 Speaker 1: I would be sitting here CEO of Girls who Code, 49 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,120 Speaker 1: one of the largest girls organizations on the planet. And 50 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,840 Speaker 1: you know, I am just overcome with pride because again 51 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,440 Speaker 1: I just could not have imagine that I would be 52 00:03:01,600 --> 00:03:05,400 Speaker 1: doing what I'm doing today, leading this movement to inspire 53 00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: and educate and equipped students you know, who identify as 54 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:12,080 Speaker 1: girls or non binary with all these computing skills that 55 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:16,240 Speaker 1: they need to really take advantage of twenty one century opportunity. 56 00:03:16,400 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 1: And as I reflect on how I got here, you know, 57 00:03:20,040 --> 00:03:22,519 Speaker 1: I come to this space first and foremost as an 58 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,640 Speaker 1: educator and activists, and I've been working on issues of 59 00:03:26,800 --> 00:03:31,200 Speaker 1: education reform for basically my entire career. And you know, 60 00:03:31,320 --> 00:03:35,640 Speaker 1: it goes back further. I had this incredible mom. You know, 61 00:03:35,800 --> 00:03:38,839 Speaker 1: I grew up partly in Kingston, Jamaica and Brooklyn, New York, 62 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:42,720 Speaker 1: who taught me not just the power of education, but 63 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,640 Speaker 1: always to go into spaces see the type of work 64 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: that needed to happen, that needs to get done but 65 00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: wasn't happening, and to have the agency that I could 66 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:56,040 Speaker 1: actually myself be the change that I wanted to see. 67 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:01,080 Speaker 1: And you know, I've had these incredible opportunities, milestones along 68 00:04:01,120 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: the way that I just feel blessed to have had. 69 00:04:04,240 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 1: I at one point was working in the New York 70 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,960 Speaker 1: City Department of Education, where I had a chance to 71 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: really take what was instilled in me, you know, when 72 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:16,080 Speaker 1: I was younger, and put it into practice. Um. I've 73 00:04:16,120 --> 00:04:18,840 Speaker 1: always been drawn to supporting the kids who have been 74 00:04:18,839 --> 00:04:21,320 Speaker 1: the most marginalized. And I worked within this office in 75 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,640 Speaker 1: the d OE that really focused on kids who were 76 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: significantly off track academically. So we're talking about kids who 77 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:31,719 Speaker 1: were not going to graduate on time, and you know, 78 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:34,400 Speaker 1: many people have frankly written off and most of them 79 00:04:34,640 --> 00:04:37,200 Speaker 1: were poor black and brown kids who looked, you know, 80 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:40,840 Speaker 1: just like me when I was their age. And you know, 81 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:43,560 Speaker 1: I had this once in a lifetime opportunity to leave 82 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 1: the team that was going to build a first of 83 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 1: its kind high school focused on software engineering. Um. But 84 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 1: it was also this incredible moment because this school, as intended, 85 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:58,159 Speaker 1: as folks came together and believed should be built, was 86 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:00,600 Speaker 1: going to be what we call a quote unquote read school, 87 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: and they very much wanted to be the school where 88 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: you would test in. And you know, as an educator, 89 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:10,120 Speaker 1: I knew what this was going to look like. Relying 90 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: on test courts would mean that for our most marginalized students, 91 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: for our kids of color, black and brown kids, they 92 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 1: were not going to have the advantage here. And we 93 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 1: know the reasons for that poverty, disinvestment in low income neighborhoods, 94 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:27,800 Speaker 1: and certainly racial bias and testing. And you know, as 95 00:05:27,920 --> 00:05:30,560 Speaker 1: I was a senior leader at the time, but relatively 96 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:34,599 Speaker 1: knew in my journey, I knew that this was going 97 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,479 Speaker 1: to be risky for me. But I somehow knew in 98 00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: my spirit that I would have to fight against screening 99 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 1: and rally support for opening this school to any kid. 100 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,279 Speaker 1: And it didn't matter if this was going to disrupt 101 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:49,760 Speaker 1: the notions that are key stakeholders held right venture capitalists 102 00:05:49,800 --> 00:05:52,839 Speaker 1: and tech entrepreneurs who were keen on having this school 103 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,839 Speaker 1: look a certain way, and today I'm just so proud 104 00:05:56,960 --> 00:06:00,120 Speaker 1: that any young person in New York City interest in 105 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,200 Speaker 1: computer science has a chance to attend the Academy for 106 00:06:04,240 --> 00:06:07,680 Speaker 1: Software Engineering and for the kids who are there them 107 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 1: are graduating on time and bridget you know, getting that 108 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: school off the ground was absolutely one of my proudest 109 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,159 Speaker 1: accomplishments as an educator, even to this day, leading Girls 110 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:21,160 Speaker 1: Who Code, But it, you know, was also a powerful 111 00:06:21,279 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: lesson that you always have to exist somehow at the 112 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,320 Speaker 1: intersection of opportunity and bravery, and if you get a 113 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 1: shot to disrupt the status quo, you have to take it. 114 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,960 Speaker 1: And you know, I could have answered this question really 115 00:06:35,000 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: six simply and just said it was during the pandemic. 116 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:41,359 Speaker 1: Took this job when our founder rush Mustajohn came to 117 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:45,320 Speaker 1: me and said it's time, Um, But I wanted to 118 00:06:45,360 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: give you some of the color that shaped why I 119 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,599 Speaker 1: said yes during a pandemic to becoming CEO of Girls 120 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 1: Who Code. You know, my grandmother had a sixth grade education. 121 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,480 Speaker 1: She worked on our family's farm, you know, after her 122 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:04,159 Speaker 1: mother died, helping to raise her seven younger siblings. I 123 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: she could never, in her wildest dreams have imagined that 124 00:07:07,720 --> 00:07:11,400 Speaker 1: I would be doing what I'm doing now, working toward 125 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:16,000 Speaker 1: lifting up all these young people and giving them opportunity. 126 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 1: All of those experiences I just told you be at 127 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,960 Speaker 1: the New York City Department of Education or other things 128 00:07:20,960 --> 00:07:24,520 Speaker 1: when I was a teacher, All these milestones led me 129 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 1: to this moment, you know, saying yes to being CEO. 130 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: And since we launch this organization in we've reached five 131 00:07:33,040 --> 00:07:36,880 Speaker 1: hundred thousand students with our programming, a hundred and fifteen 132 00:07:36,920 --> 00:07:40,440 Speaker 1: thousand of whom are college and workforce age, you know, 133 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 1: young women and non binary students. And you know what 134 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:46,840 Speaker 1: fuels me to do this work every day is that 135 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:50,200 Speaker 1: I know that when we address this growing gender gap 136 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:53,800 Speaker 1: in tech, which is very much our mission, we're empowering 137 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:58,440 Speaker 1: young people, this next generation, especially those who have been overlooked, 138 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:02,120 Speaker 1: to seek out that driving and exciting careers of the future, 139 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:04,760 Speaker 1: because we know that it's going to afford them this 140 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 1: improved quality of life and upward mobility that has been 141 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,240 Speaker 1: elusive too far too many. We are so fond of 142 00:08:12,280 --> 00:08:14,600 Speaker 1: that saying I'm sure you've heard it. If you if 143 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:16,200 Speaker 1: you can see it, you can be it. But if 144 00:08:16,200 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: you can't see it, you can't be it. And I 145 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: know that Girls Whose Girls who Code is doing so 146 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,600 Speaker 1: much of the work of helping young women and non 147 00:08:24,640 --> 00:08:29,320 Speaker 1: binary folks see themselves in positions and rooms and spaces 148 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:31,520 Speaker 1: that maybe they haven't really been shown before. And so 149 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:36,880 Speaker 1: when when Girls who Code books and programming are then 150 00:08:37,720 --> 00:08:41,599 Speaker 1: not included in school curriculums or outright band like we 151 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 1: know happened in some school districts, it's a problem, not 152 00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:48,400 Speaker 1: just because you know you're you're banning this content which 153 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 1: you find, like quote controversial, but also because it creates 154 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,840 Speaker 1: a situation where I think it sends a message that 155 00:08:55,880 --> 00:08:59,240 Speaker 1: there's something wrong with disrupting that status quo about what 156 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:01,600 Speaker 1: rooms women and non buying it and people can find 157 00:09:01,600 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: themselves in. Yeah, Bridget, you've said that so well, it's 158 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: frightening right like as you say it. Even though we've 159 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 1: been going through this since we learned of the book band, 160 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,400 Speaker 1: I still feel like such, you know, chills and a 161 00:09:16,480 --> 00:09:21,040 Speaker 1: sense of disbelief when you break it down that way. 162 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:23,960 Speaker 1: To say that I was unsettled by the news would 163 00:09:24,000 --> 00:09:27,560 Speaker 1: be an understatement. And you know you talked about what 164 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:32,719 Speaker 1: it meant to not be represented. I might be the 165 00:09:32,760 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: CEO of Girls with Code, this incredible nonprofit. But you know, 166 00:09:37,040 --> 00:09:40,679 Speaker 1: I'm also an educator and a mother, and we know 167 00:09:40,800 --> 00:09:44,960 Speaker 1: how transformative books can be for young people. I remember 168 00:09:45,360 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: when my daughter, she was much younger than she's actually 169 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:52,080 Speaker 1: applying for high school now, when our fiction series came 170 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 1: out and she looked at one of the covers and 171 00:09:55,600 --> 00:09:58,559 Speaker 1: she said, Mom, there's a brown girl on the cover. 172 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: Now did I don't remember exactly what year that was, 173 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: but to think that my daughter, in this modern era 174 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:10,080 Speaker 1: would be excited about that representation is an indication of 175 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:15,080 Speaker 1: how scarce it is for a brown girl, a black girl, 176 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:18,320 Speaker 1: you know, a girl wearing a h job, you know, 177 00:10:18,760 --> 00:10:21,760 Speaker 1: a student who's non binary, a student who's differently able 178 00:10:21,840 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 1: to see themselves represented in books, in media. And you know, 179 00:10:27,640 --> 00:10:30,240 Speaker 1: books can open up so many doors. Right, We're talking 180 00:10:30,240 --> 00:10:33,880 Speaker 1: about essential life skills, learning about yourself, the world around you, 181 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: your possibilities, what you can be. And so when this 182 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:43,559 Speaker 1: banning of our books happened, you know, it was a setback. 183 00:10:43,880 --> 00:10:46,760 Speaker 1: For all the reasons that you just said, Bridget We're 184 00:10:46,760 --> 00:10:50,120 Speaker 1: talking about a setback in terms of our fight for 185 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:54,559 Speaker 1: an equitable, safe and diverse world. Um, you know we 186 00:10:54,760 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: always say at girls to code. As you said, you 187 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:01,480 Speaker 1: can't be what you can't see, we say all the 188 00:11:01,520 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 1: time because when it comes to tech in particular, our girls, 189 00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,920 Speaker 1: are young women, are non binary students do not see 190 00:11:09,960 --> 00:11:14,680 Speaker 1: themselves represented in the ways that they should. And when 191 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:19,600 Speaker 1: we silence or ignore marginalized groups, we outwardly tell them 192 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 1: that they don't matter, that their stories don't matter. And 193 00:11:23,600 --> 00:11:26,400 Speaker 1: you know, we know this to be true. But if 194 00:11:26,440 --> 00:11:28,240 Speaker 1: you ask a girl, or if we think about how 195 00:11:28,280 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 1: we came up in school, we learned, you know, in 196 00:11:31,600 --> 00:11:34,960 Speaker 1: school and through culture about the Bill Gates of the world, 197 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:38,559 Speaker 1: Mark Zuckerberg, Albert Einstein, Neil Armstrong, if we go back, 198 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,720 Speaker 1: but when if you ask your girls, how many of 199 00:11:41,760 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: them have heard of Katherine Johnson or Mary Jackson, or 200 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,600 Speaker 1: Grace Hopper or Jeane Bartek or a Lovelace. They're looking 201 00:11:48,640 --> 00:11:51,760 Speaker 1: at you like what, Like, what are you talking about? 202 00:11:51,800 --> 00:11:58,199 Speaker 1: These incredible pioneers who made enormous contributions to the field. 203 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,960 Speaker 1: But yet the cultural representations that have defined text since 204 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:08,040 Speaker 1: the nine eighties, you know, completely diminish and ignore those 205 00:12:08,080 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 1: incredible contributions. And it was there was a certain amount 206 00:12:10,960 --> 00:12:15,440 Speaker 1: of intentionality there, and so we're counteracting these powerful cultural 207 00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:21,040 Speaker 1: stereotypes and images that tell our girls and young women 208 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:24,120 Speaker 1: that a programmer looks like a boy in a hoodie 209 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:27,600 Speaker 1: right along in a basement, or some maniac running a 210 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,680 Speaker 1: company in Silicon Valley. It's important for little girls to 211 00:12:31,720 --> 00:12:35,760 Speaker 1: see themselves reflected in the maths, sciences, and technologies. According 212 00:12:35,800 --> 00:12:38,600 Speaker 1: to research from the Gina Davis Institute on Gender and Media, 213 00:12:39,440 --> 00:12:42,720 Speaker 1: kids implicitly start thinking of technology as a male pursuit 214 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:46,040 Speaker 1: as early as age seven, a bias that continues well 215 00:12:46,080 --> 00:12:49,520 Speaker 1: into adulthood. This is exactly the kind of bias that 216 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 1: Girls who Code is combating. They're helping a new generation 217 00:12:52,960 --> 00:12:56,520 Speaker 1: of little ones get excited about technology and see themselves 218 00:12:56,600 --> 00:13:00,839 Speaker 1: reflected in it through initiatives like Doja Code, a new 219 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,880 Speaker 1: partnership with Dojakat that let's listeners engage with her music 220 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:08,240 Speaker 1: videos entirely through code. Before girls are even double digits, 221 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: before they're even ten, they've internalized these cultural touchstones, and 222 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,120 Speaker 1: these are beliefs that end up resonating with them throughout 223 00:13:16,120 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: their entire lives elementary school, middle school, high school, college, 224 00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:24,240 Speaker 1: and even into the workforce. And so that's why, in 225 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: terms of what we do at girls to code. We 226 00:13:27,840 --> 00:13:30,679 Speaker 1: make sure that we're putting forward women in tech spotlights. 227 00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:33,240 Speaker 1: We make sure that we're doing things like what you've 228 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: seen launching the world's first quotable music video with do Jaquet, 229 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,680 Speaker 1: helping girls to understand that it's not some crazy binary 230 00:13:40,760 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 1: where you either want to make money or you want 231 00:13:43,160 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 1: to lift up your community, that there's a path for 232 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,640 Speaker 1: you to bring your passion and creativity and the change 233 00:13:48,640 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: you want to see in your community in the world 234 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:55,000 Speaker 1: by embracing tech. Because we know that these powerful binaries 235 00:13:55,040 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 1: are still at play. That you can either you know, 236 00:13:57,679 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 1: be some guy going in space and a rocket ship 237 00:14:01,559 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: or using your money to do what you want to do, 238 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 1: or you know, as opposed to changing the world. And 239 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:12,959 Speaker 1: we're making sure that our community understands that they can 240 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: have the impact that they want to have, that they 241 00:14:15,320 --> 00:14:18,840 Speaker 1: belong within tech, and that they can you know, see 242 00:14:18,840 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: those representations and frankly, because we need for them to 243 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: do that, they're going to be the ones who actually 244 00:14:26,080 --> 00:14:28,880 Speaker 1: bring us the tech that's representative of our communities in 245 00:14:28,880 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: the world, and so it's critical that we change what's 246 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 1: happening absolutely. You know, when I first started this podcast, 247 00:14:36,840 --> 00:14:39,360 Speaker 1: I I kind of went into it with a similar 248 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,960 Speaker 1: kind of misconception that you've just described. I'm sad to 249 00:14:42,000 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: say where I had sort of internalized this story that 250 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:49,520 Speaker 1: you know, technology was a boys club and that women 251 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 1: and people of color have been trying to break into 252 00:14:52,160 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: this boys club, and that that's kind of where we were. 253 00:14:54,520 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: But in doing a little bit of research, I was like, oh, wait, 254 00:14:57,480 --> 00:15:01,760 Speaker 1: actually we were there all along, and exactly just because 255 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:04,520 Speaker 1: just because our stories weren't always told and we didn't 256 00:15:04,560 --> 00:15:07,400 Speaker 1: always get the shine or whatever, doesn't mean we weren't there. 257 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:12,240 Speaker 1: And so it took this kind of re calibrating internally 258 00:15:12,280 --> 00:15:14,720 Speaker 1: and be like, no, this is our rightful domain. We 259 00:15:14,760 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 1: have a right state of space and show up here absolutely. 260 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,400 Speaker 1: And you know, when you think about it, tech intersects 261 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:24,600 Speaker 1: every facet of our lives, right you have, be it 262 00:15:24,920 --> 00:15:30,200 Speaker 1: voting rights, healthcare, safety, and security, and there's no opting 263 00:15:30,280 --> 00:15:32,520 Speaker 1: out of tech. I think what you said is so 264 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:37,840 Speaker 1: profound because we have been not only consumers and users, 265 00:15:38,360 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: but certainly the creativity, all the different things. It's just 266 00:15:41,800 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: that these things, these accomplishments, aren't to amplify, you know, 267 00:15:46,080 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: and often it's the same folks who are getting be 268 00:15:49,480 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: it funding for the next big idea or recognition around 269 00:15:54,600 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 1: a given gadget or its influence. And part of what 270 00:15:57,920 --> 00:16:02,200 Speaker 1: we do is that we maintain steady drumbeat making sure 271 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 1: that we actually lift up the stories. Because when I 272 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:07,200 Speaker 1: think about even if you want to say about our students, 273 00:16:07,280 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 1: who you know, our new technology in some cases are 274 00:16:11,960 --> 00:16:16,160 Speaker 1: just starting out, I am blown away by their projects 275 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 1: and the way they think about things. And to say 276 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 1: nothing of our alums that include students who have you know, 277 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: created all kinds of things like you know, um an 278 00:16:26,960 --> 00:16:30,640 Speaker 1: app to stop cyber bullying, or we have another alum 279 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,800 Speaker 1: who you know, galvanized a whole group of folks to 280 00:16:33,920 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 1: make um ppe through three D printing. And these are 281 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: young people, and so I'm just so grateful that your 282 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:45,120 Speaker 1: show is another opportunity to kind of lift up these voices. 283 00:16:48,000 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: Let's take a quick break at our back as bleak 284 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:06,600 Speaker 1: as we all know, things can sometimes feel, the kids 285 00:17:06,600 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 1: are actually all right. With encouragement from girls who code, 286 00:17:10,280 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 1: young people are tackling some of the most pressing challenges 287 00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,199 Speaker 1: of our time using technology. Some of the stories that 288 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: are coming out of girls who code, the things that 289 00:17:19,040 --> 00:17:22,639 Speaker 1: they make are incredible, and things so whenever I'm asked, 290 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 1: you know, on this show, we have to talk about 291 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,240 Speaker 1: so many things that are dark or depressing or sad 292 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,760 Speaker 1: when it comes to technology. But the thing that gives 293 00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: me hope time and time again is young people like 294 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,200 Speaker 1: those And if you give that same girl a computer 295 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:39,240 Speaker 1: and some knowhow and some confidence, the things that you 296 00:17:39,280 --> 00:17:44,600 Speaker 1: can accomplish our limitless, limitless, absolutely limitless. And it's also 297 00:17:44,680 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: the things that are sitting in front of us that 298 00:17:46,680 --> 00:17:50,239 Speaker 1: we sit down as grown folks and feel paralyzed and 299 00:17:50,280 --> 00:17:53,640 Speaker 1: think are intractable issues. You know, we had one student 300 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 1: who came up with a gun safety pattern where okay, 301 00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,639 Speaker 1: you bring this weapon within X distance of a school 302 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,439 Speaker 1: or community that's been deemed where that's not allowed. It 303 00:18:02,520 --> 00:18:07,240 Speaker 1: doesn't work. These are you know, ideas that should shape 304 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,040 Speaker 1: policy and the way that we think about things. We 305 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:12,920 Speaker 1: have like twelve year olds working on the lead water crisis, 306 00:18:13,480 --> 00:18:16,720 Speaker 1: you know, and it ranges right like the among my favorites, 307 00:18:16,720 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: would these students who are like, wait a second, why 308 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:22,680 Speaker 1: aren't there any black hair care products? They're actually accessible 309 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:27,080 Speaker 1: you know in this way. Um or climate change or 310 00:18:27,359 --> 00:18:31,399 Speaker 1: negative you know, anti immigration policies and all kinds of things. 311 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 1: I'm with you. It's when you feel downtrodden that you 312 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,800 Speaker 1: recognize that our young people are not. And that's why 313 00:18:39,880 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: you have to continue to have programming like we offer 314 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: at Girls Who Code that allows young people to have 315 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: these on ramps to be able to gain this exposure 316 00:18:51,320 --> 00:18:56,280 Speaker 1: because they're deeply excited. They're almost inherently entrepreneurial in the 317 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: way that they think. They don't even necessarily think about 318 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:01,640 Speaker 1: it as like, well, I don't need to join X company. 319 00:19:01,760 --> 00:19:05,440 Speaker 1: They're all about the next thing that's going to make 320 00:19:05,800 --> 00:19:08,600 Speaker 1: things better for everyone, and that's just sort of how 321 00:19:09,400 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 1: they approach these challenges and it's so inspiring. Yeah, I 322 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 1: have to say I see a little bit of that 323 00:19:15,920 --> 00:19:18,480 Speaker 1: same inspiration in the way that you and the entire 324 00:19:18,560 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 1: Girls who Code community responded to the news of Girls 325 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:25,240 Speaker 1: who Code books being being banned. There is a line 326 00:19:25,320 --> 00:19:27,960 Speaker 1: in your LinkedIn post that I really, I really liked 327 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: where you quoted the co founder of Reshma, this is 328 00:19:30,800 --> 00:19:33,720 Speaker 1: an opportunity to start more clubs, get more girls to code, 329 00:19:33,920 --> 00:19:37,120 Speaker 1: and to get more girls to become economically free. And so, 330 00:19:37,520 --> 00:19:40,280 Speaker 1: you know, using what I think was like a pretty galvanizing, 331 00:19:40,880 --> 00:19:44,199 Speaker 1: horrible moment, these books being banned to say well, no, 332 00:19:44,280 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 1: we're not going to retreat. We're going to use this 333 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,119 Speaker 1: as an opportunity to continue building the changes that we 334 00:19:49,160 --> 00:19:53,119 Speaker 1: want to see. As inspiring as Girls Who Code is not, 335 00:19:53,320 --> 00:19:56,719 Speaker 1: everybody feels that way. Across the country, extremist groups are 336 00:19:56,760 --> 00:20:00,040 Speaker 1: banning books from libraries and classrooms that highlight inclusion, and 337 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:03,520 Speaker 1: in September four, books from Girls Who Code were amongst 338 00:20:03,560 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: the books that have been restricted or diminished for either 339 00:20:06,359 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: limited or indefinite periods of time in Pennsylvania's Central York District. 340 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 1: The books called The Friendship of Code, Team BFF, Race 341 00:20:14,960 --> 00:20:18,800 Speaker 1: to the Finish, Lights Music Code, and Spotlight on Coding 342 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 1: Club all follow the adventures of a group of young 343 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: girls in a coding club at their school, kind of 344 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:27,359 Speaker 1: like the Babysitters Club series, only for coding. To be clear, 345 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:30,439 Speaker 1: these bands are not prompted by a collection of just 346 00:20:30,680 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 1: one off parent complaints. According to Pan America, the large 347 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:38,720 Speaker 1: majority of book bands underway today are not spontaneous, organic 348 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,199 Speaker 1: expressions of citizen concern. Rather, they reflect the work of 349 00:20:42,200 --> 00:20:45,680 Speaker 1: a growing number of advocacy organizations that have made demanding 350 00:20:45,760 --> 00:20:49,240 Speaker 1: censorship of books and ideas in schools part of their mission. 351 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,919 Speaker 1: Girls Who Code founder Rush Misogyny didn't take all of 352 00:20:53,920 --> 00:20:57,360 Speaker 1: this sitting down. This is an opportunity to start more clubs, 353 00:20:57,560 --> 00:20:59,879 Speaker 1: get more girls to code, and get more girls to 354 00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:02,480 Speaker 1: be come economically free. She just bonded to the news 355 00:21:02,520 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 1: of the bands in a LinkedIn post, and thanks to 356 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,439 Speaker 1: the vocal support of students, teachers, and parents in the 357 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:11,840 Speaker 1: community who organized and thought back, the band was defeated 358 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:15,240 Speaker 1: for now at least. I appreciate so much that you 359 00:21:15,359 --> 00:21:20,000 Speaker 1: named that. We approached it and really turned this horrible 360 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 1: moment on its head and saw it as a way 361 00:21:22,560 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 1: to bring together our community and frankly, to raise awareness 362 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:28,639 Speaker 1: among other folks who may not understand what a big 363 00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:32,640 Speaker 1: deal banning a book frankly as benign as this one, 364 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:37,600 Speaker 1: you know what that meant um and banning books and 365 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,000 Speaker 1: other it's not just our book, right, other diverse educational 366 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 1: material is intended to keep children and specifically our girls 367 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:51,399 Speaker 1: from accessing opportunity, and that is frightening. And this book 368 00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: band that we're talking about was part of a larger 369 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:58,840 Speaker 1: nationwide movement over six titles that were removed from shelves 370 00:21:58,840 --> 00:22:01,800 Speaker 1: this past year alone, And when you look at the 371 00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:06,360 Speaker 1: breakdown of what that meant. Nearly the books discussed racism 372 00:22:06,359 --> 00:22:11,520 Speaker 1: in America. Of them featured characters of color and an 373 00:22:11,520 --> 00:22:17,480 Speaker 1: additional address lgbt Q, you know, plus themes and what 374 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 1: does it mean? You know when like, if we're keeping 375 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: children from learning about their history, seeing themselves, or hearing 376 00:22:26,240 --> 00:22:30,359 Speaker 1: stories about people who look like them, we're in trouble, 377 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:34,199 Speaker 1: right because then nothing is off limits. And you know, 378 00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:39,639 Speaker 1: that kind of exposure could severely hamper a young person's 379 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:44,440 Speaker 1: ability two just gain the knowledge that could be transformative 380 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:48,000 Speaker 1: for them. And you know, when you ask me what 381 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,800 Speaker 1: does this work? Like, how does it continue? It made 382 00:22:51,880 --> 00:22:54,119 Speaker 1: us It just kind of I think, I don't know, 383 00:22:54,280 --> 00:22:56,679 Speaker 1: heighten the fire in the belly, if you will, bridget 384 00:22:56,720 --> 00:22:59,239 Speaker 1: in terms of just saying, oh, hell no, we're not 385 00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,800 Speaker 1: doing this us. We are going to double down. We 386 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:07,440 Speaker 1: were already deeply committed. We've already named this our tenure anniversary. 387 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 1: We intend to teach a million girls. We are not 388 00:23:10,240 --> 00:23:13,080 Speaker 1: scared because we know that they're the ones who are 389 00:23:13,119 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: going to change this world. And every program that we 390 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:22,840 Speaker 1: have focuses on sisterhood and you know, values, the skills 391 00:23:22,880 --> 00:23:26,359 Speaker 1: and relationships that our students are building that carry them 392 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,760 Speaker 1: through our program and long after the programmatic work with 393 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 1: US ends, and so for us, it was all about 394 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:36,919 Speaker 1: sort of reinforcing. We were able to double down on 395 00:23:36,960 --> 00:23:39,879 Speaker 1: our commitment to prepare young people for the jobs of 396 00:23:39,880 --> 00:23:44,119 Speaker 1: the future, and especially young women of color, because they're 397 00:23:44,119 --> 00:23:47,320 Speaker 1: the ones who are going to shape industry right. They 398 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:52,000 Speaker 1: are the ones who are going to really disrupt the 399 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:55,480 Speaker 1: status quo. And for folks who don't know about girls 400 00:23:55,520 --> 00:23:59,720 Speaker 1: who code, you know, we are all about closing the 401 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: gender gap in new entry level tech jobs. By and 402 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:07,600 Speaker 1: for us, we start as early as third grade and 403 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:12,560 Speaker 1: go all the way through college and even workforce programming. UM. 404 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,120 Speaker 1: And you know, there's so much that I can talk 405 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:18,240 Speaker 1: to you about being our you know, summer immersion program, 406 00:24:18,320 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: we even have self paced programming during the summer or 407 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: free after school clubs. We are getting you know, we're 408 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:29,400 Speaker 1: reaching girls at every stage of the pipeline, driving their interest, 409 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 1: keeping them excited, and ensuring that they persist. And I'll 410 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,040 Speaker 1: point to a couple of things that we've done, you 411 00:24:37,080 --> 00:24:40,240 Speaker 1: know that just bring me so much hope and excitement. 412 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,280 Speaker 1: So during the pandemic, we had to pivot so much 413 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: of our programming and I can you know, spend forever 414 00:24:46,080 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 1: bridget telling you about this. But one of the things 415 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:51,480 Speaker 1: that was really striking for me, especially as CEO, is 416 00:24:51,520 --> 00:24:55,000 Speaker 1: that when we survey our alumni community, we learned that 417 00:24:55,080 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: thirty of them had had a job offer or internship rescinded, 418 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:04,040 Speaker 1: and that our seniors were still looking for work. And 419 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:08,280 Speaker 1: while we were not experts in workforce development, we had 420 00:25:08,359 --> 00:25:11,520 Speaker 1: just started to see our cohorse move into that older 421 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:16,160 Speaker 1: domain of going into the workforce. We knew we couldn't 422 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 1: sit by on the sidelines and watch all this progress 423 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:22,360 Speaker 1: that these young women and non binary students had made 424 00:25:22,440 --> 00:25:27,400 Speaker 1: fall to the wayside, and so we launched programming that 425 00:25:27,840 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: just met these needs. We had hiring summits where we 426 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:33,800 Speaker 1: had more than a thousand students participate in each one, 427 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:38,600 Speaker 1: with really strong numbers of students being hired from those experiences. 428 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:42,359 Speaker 1: We launched Girls to Code Work Prep, you know, which 429 00:25:42,359 --> 00:25:46,320 Speaker 1: is like an internship program giving young women exposure to 430 00:25:46,800 --> 00:25:49,600 Speaker 1: you know, corporate partners and careers and women in tech. 431 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:52,800 Speaker 1: But two programs that I really want to double click 432 00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:56,760 Speaker 1: on our our Leadership Academy. We just launched this. It's 433 00:25:56,760 --> 00:26:00,000 Speaker 1: a four month pilot program with a hundred students from 434 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: eight universities who are majoring in everything from computer science 435 00:26:03,800 --> 00:26:08,640 Speaker 1: to apply mathematics. Of the Leadership Academy. Students come from 436 00:26:08,680 --> 00:26:12,760 Speaker 1: historically underrepresented groups, and we are giving these students a 437 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: chance to experience these dynamics sessions and events and projects. 438 00:26:17,520 --> 00:26:19,760 Speaker 1: They work in small groups. They're going to be meeting 439 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,680 Speaker 1: with career advisors who are going to help them explore 440 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 1: and prepare for their path forward. We have you know, 441 00:26:26,560 --> 00:26:29,440 Speaker 1: hiring fares that they're going to participate in speed networking 442 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:32,639 Speaker 1: events with you know, technologists. They're even going to be 443 00:26:32,640 --> 00:26:35,919 Speaker 1: a part of a Technical interview UM Prep boot camp. 444 00:26:36,600 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: But the thing that really, you know, the icing on 445 00:26:39,080 --> 00:26:42,080 Speaker 1: the cake for me, is that these students are also 446 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,400 Speaker 1: going to work with an advisor to design and propose 447 00:26:45,520 --> 00:26:49,040 Speaker 1: and execute a give back project that's going to strengthen 448 00:26:49,080 --> 00:26:53,960 Speaker 1: their skills, boost their resume, you know, elevate education career 449 00:26:53,960 --> 00:26:57,480 Speaker 1: opportunities for their community as well, which I think is 450 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,160 Speaker 1: just so powerful. And then another program that I'll briefly 451 00:27:01,200 --> 00:27:04,480 Speaker 1: mention is that we just launched our Technical Interview Prep 452 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:08,199 Speaker 1: last month, and in this particular program, we're working with 453 00:27:08,240 --> 00:27:11,240 Speaker 1: thousands of students who are interested in breaking into the 454 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:14,399 Speaker 1: tech for workforce every day, and we know that for 455 00:27:14,440 --> 00:27:16,639 Speaker 1: a lot of young people, especially on people of color, 456 00:27:17,440 --> 00:27:20,640 Speaker 1: the technical interview is the most challenging and daunting part 457 00:27:20,640 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 1: of the hiring process. And we've also known that the 458 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:27,800 Speaker 1: folks who succeed at the technical interview always have some 459 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,879 Speaker 1: quote insider access to give them a leg up. And 460 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,080 Speaker 1: we know that there aren't very often affordable and accessible 461 00:27:34,119 --> 00:27:37,879 Speaker 1: resources to help students prepare. And you know, our students 462 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,639 Speaker 1: don't have thousands of dollars to spend on, you know, 463 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:43,320 Speaker 1: this one step in the job seeking process to get 464 00:27:43,680 --> 00:27:45,800 Speaker 1: and they also don't always have the social capital right 465 00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: in terms of who they can turn to to find 466 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: out more about what these technical interviews entail. And so 467 00:27:52,880 --> 00:27:55,320 Speaker 1: we just felt it was way past time to level 468 00:27:55,359 --> 00:27:58,320 Speaker 1: the playing field, you know, for everyone, regardless of background. 469 00:27:58,840 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: And so I'm so excited that these programs are just 470 00:28:03,240 --> 00:28:06,120 Speaker 1: a couple of the many ways in which we are 471 00:28:06,560 --> 00:28:10,960 Speaker 1: determined to reach our students are most marginalized students at 472 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,919 Speaker 1: every point in the pipeline, you know, starting as early 473 00:28:14,400 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: as elementary school and all ways all the way through 474 00:28:17,000 --> 00:28:33,720 Speaker 1: college and beyond. More. After a quick break, let's get 475 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,600 Speaker 1: right back into it. Something that you said earlier. There 476 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:41,400 Speaker 1: is no opting out of tech making sure that particularly 477 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:43,840 Speaker 1: students and young people who are the most marginalized have 478 00:28:44,080 --> 00:28:47,600 Speaker 1: access to you know, the technical preps. God, I've I've 479 00:28:47,640 --> 00:28:50,520 Speaker 1: been in some tech interviews and I know what you mean, 480 00:28:50,560 --> 00:28:55,480 Speaker 1: Like that technical skills assessment is like I'll just say 481 00:28:55,520 --> 00:28:59,640 Speaker 1: I agree and I know what you mean. And you know, 482 00:28:59,800 --> 00:29:02,160 Speaker 1: I think just for the kind of world that we're 483 00:29:02,160 --> 00:29:07,680 Speaker 1: living in, technology from its it impacts everything from how 484 00:29:07,920 --> 00:29:11,320 Speaker 1: our candidates are elected, how folks run for office, how 485 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: people vote, how you get your groceries, whether or not 486 00:29:14,440 --> 00:29:17,360 Speaker 1: you wind up being criminalized by the state or over surveilled. 487 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:20,160 Speaker 1: Like there is no way to opt out of this. 488 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,760 Speaker 1: And yet if if people who are marginalized, I feel 489 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,480 Speaker 1: like that they are like shut out of those conversations. 490 00:29:26,480 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: They don't have a uh you know, I don't feel 491 00:29:29,360 --> 00:29:30,960 Speaker 1: like they should be able to take up space there. 492 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,120 Speaker 1: We are just saying like, okay, well this is going 493 00:29:34,160 --> 00:29:36,560 Speaker 1: to be happening to you. You will not have the 494 00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:40,040 Speaker 1: tools and know how the that that you know the 495 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,680 Speaker 1: skills to even participate in this thing that we know 496 00:29:42,960 --> 00:29:44,280 Speaker 1: is going to be such a big part of all 497 00:29:44,280 --> 00:29:47,520 Speaker 1: of our lives exactly. And you know, Bridget, I don't 498 00:29:47,640 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: know how I can possibly add more that what you 499 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:55,200 Speaker 1: just said was so astute. We refuse to accept that notion, right, 500 00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,200 Speaker 1: that our young people are going to be, you know, 501 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 1: on the sidelines, that they're only going to be users 502 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:03,560 Speaker 1: or consumers, and that they're going to watch this tech 503 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:07,400 Speaker 1: you know, world unfold around them. That's just not what 504 00:30:07,480 --> 00:30:11,080 Speaker 1: we believe in. And everything we've done has positioned them 505 00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:14,960 Speaker 1: front and center and demanded, frankly, that the tech industry 506 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:17,440 Speaker 1: give them a seat at the table we are in. 507 00:30:18,560 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 1: And we are still talking about women holding roughly somewhere 508 00:30:22,560 --> 00:30:27,240 Speaker 1: around of all computer science jots, right, and when you 509 00:30:27,280 --> 00:30:30,360 Speaker 1: look at black and Latin X women, we're talking about 510 00:30:30,400 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: that roughly being about five for those groups. You know, 511 00:30:36,080 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: more than half of the students in our Girls who 512 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:43,600 Speaker 1: Code community come from historically underrepresented groups. These are young 513 00:30:43,640 --> 00:30:47,120 Speaker 1: women who are motivated, right, They're ready to learn, but 514 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: don't often have the same resources or opportunities as their peers. 515 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:58,800 Speaker 1: And everyone needs to acknowledge that circumstances are different. Their 516 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:02,080 Speaker 1: circumstances might calls them to work multiple jobs while carrying 517 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:06,280 Speaker 1: a full college course load, balancing homework and caregiving responsibilities. 518 00:31:06,840 --> 00:31:10,640 Speaker 1: They don't always have access to the resources they need 519 00:31:10,680 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: to succeed. And the thing that I have to underscore 520 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:19,920 Speaker 1: is that these young women often embody bravery and resilience, 521 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: the very equalities that companies are falling over themselves to 522 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:28,200 Speaker 1: identify in their workforce, but at the same time are 523 00:31:28,280 --> 00:31:33,080 Speaker 1: not at all reflected in conventional academic credentials that these 524 00:31:33,120 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 1: tech firms overwhelmingly rely on. And this can be so 525 00:31:38,160 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 1: discouraging for our students. You know, computer science, as you said, 526 00:31:42,960 --> 00:31:47,120 Speaker 1: it touches our lives at every intersection. You know, we're 527 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:54,320 Speaker 1: talking about the fastest growing, highest paying sector in our economy. 528 00:31:54,800 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 1: Employment is expected to grow by eleven between and that's 529 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:04,120 Speaker 1: going to translate into a half a million new jobs. 530 00:32:04,720 --> 00:32:07,479 Speaker 1: And you know, there's no world where we can just 531 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:12,200 Speaker 1: sit here and tell our girls are young people, are 532 00:32:12,240 --> 00:32:16,600 Speaker 1: black and brown people, that the best jobs out there, 533 00:32:16,640 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: the highest pain, the fastest growing, the ones that are 534 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:23,680 Speaker 1: actually going to shape the future of our world, aren't 535 00:32:23,720 --> 00:32:27,160 Speaker 1: for them. And so, you know, part of what I 536 00:32:27,240 --> 00:32:29,560 Speaker 1: try to do a Sea of Girls Who Code is 537 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:33,880 Speaker 1: constantly remind any of the tech companies with whom I 538 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:37,920 Speaker 1: come in contact, that they need to shift their mindset 539 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:42,680 Speaker 1: around talent, around academic credentialing, around how they think about 540 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: you know, the young people that are sitting in front 541 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:47,800 Speaker 1: of them, you know, knocking at that door, and that 542 00:32:47,920 --> 00:32:51,080 Speaker 1: they can't afford to leave a single ounce of tech 543 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:55,560 Speaker 1: talent on the table. And so you know, everything we 544 00:32:55,640 --> 00:33:01,680 Speaker 1: design at girls who code contemplates this and sure that they, 545 00:33:01,840 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 1: you know, are young people are equipped with the tools 546 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:07,400 Speaker 1: they need to be able to succeed um And of 547 00:33:07,400 --> 00:33:11,920 Speaker 1: course I talk about, you know, the really punishing work 548 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: cultures and you know, difficult environments that also cause you know, 549 00:33:17,560 --> 00:33:19,280 Speaker 1: of women to leave the tech field by the age 550 00:33:19,280 --> 00:33:23,000 Speaker 1: of thirty five and bridget They're just so much complexity there. 551 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 1: But for me, you know, my work is twofold. It's 552 00:33:27,720 --> 00:33:31,560 Speaker 1: teaching girls computer science, but also holding industry to account 553 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: and making sure that we are constantly pushing this culture 554 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:39,280 Speaker 1: that tells our most marginalized young people that they don't 555 00:33:39,320 --> 00:33:43,720 Speaker 1: belong in tech. I am so grateful that you're doing 556 00:33:43,760 --> 00:33:46,280 Speaker 1: the work of pushing back against that culture and really 557 00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:49,080 Speaker 1: shaking up the status quo. And honestly, part of me 558 00:33:49,120 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 1: feels like if someone is trying to ban your books 559 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:56,760 Speaker 1: because you're you're taking that table kind of doing something right. 560 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:01,520 Speaker 1: Thank you, Bridget. I appreciate that. So let's say that 561 00:34:01,600 --> 00:34:04,200 Speaker 1: someone listening they have a young person in their life, 562 00:34:04,200 --> 00:34:06,920 Speaker 1: a young woman or a young non binary person, and 563 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:09,480 Speaker 1: they want to get involved with Girls who Code. How 564 00:34:09,480 --> 00:34:13,120 Speaker 1: can folks listening get get involved? Thank you so much 565 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:16,479 Speaker 1: for that question, anyone who's listening. You know, I always say, 566 00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:18,600 Speaker 1: first and foremost, go to Girls who Code dot com. 567 00:34:18,680 --> 00:34:21,520 Speaker 1: Check out our website because we do list all of 568 00:34:21,560 --> 00:34:24,880 Speaker 1: our programs. There are so many entry points, Bridget, and 569 00:34:24,920 --> 00:34:27,840 Speaker 1: that's something I'm deeply proud of. You know, we started 570 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:31,320 Speaker 1: with that flagship, you know, seven weeks summer immersion program 571 00:34:31,360 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 1: with twenty girls in a borrowed conference room in New 572 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,759 Speaker 1: York City learning how to code from nine in the 573 00:34:36,800 --> 00:34:40,799 Speaker 1: morning until four in the afternoon, and we've expanded so 574 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:43,920 Speaker 1: much since then. This past summer, I think we taught 575 00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:49,800 Speaker 1: over six thousand girls computer science during our summer programming alone. 576 00:34:49,920 --> 00:34:52,880 Speaker 1: So if there are girls or non binary students, female 577 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,040 Speaker 1: identifying folks who want to be a part of that 578 00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:00,759 Speaker 1: kind of experience, that is fantastic. In certain that will 579 00:35:00,800 --> 00:35:04,560 Speaker 1: come around, come summer, but are free after school clubs 580 00:35:05,320 --> 00:35:09,600 Speaker 1: from grades three through twelve. Those are absolutely available in 581 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 1: your community. And if your parents thinking, or a librarian 582 00:35:12,760 --> 00:35:16,560 Speaker 1: or community leader or someone else thinking I don't have 583 00:35:16,640 --> 00:35:18,839 Speaker 1: this at my school or I don't have this, you 584 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: can actually start one. And we always encourage folks to 585 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,000 Speaker 1: do that, and you can look for that information on 586 00:35:24,040 --> 00:35:28,720 Speaker 1: our website. And then beyond that, I mentioned our technical 587 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:31,600 Speaker 1: interview preps. So if you're a young person thinking about 588 00:35:32,040 --> 00:35:34,960 Speaker 1: entering the sector and wanting to sharpen your skills for that, 589 00:35:35,320 --> 00:35:38,759 Speaker 1: you know, Dreadedge Technical Interview, we have something for you. 590 00:35:39,560 --> 00:35:43,279 Speaker 1: Um and you know all of this, we have so many, 591 00:35:43,320 --> 00:35:47,960 Speaker 1: so much programming. We have college loops across college campuses, um, 592 00:35:47,960 --> 00:35:50,840 Speaker 1: you know, across the country, and you know, there's so 593 00:35:50,880 --> 00:35:54,200 Speaker 1: many entry points. I'm hopeful that your listeners will think 594 00:35:54,239 --> 00:35:58,280 Speaker 1: about how they can, you know, encourage a young person. 595 00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:02,680 Speaker 1: Ask a girl, you know, a daughter, a niece, an intern, 596 00:36:02,880 --> 00:36:06,800 Speaker 1: a mentee, whether she's considered you know, a career in tech. 597 00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:09,680 Speaker 1: And all of us have a rule to play because 598 00:36:10,080 --> 00:36:13,319 Speaker 1: we can also push back when we hear stereotypes about 599 00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,920 Speaker 1: who belongs in the sector, and we can keep pushing 600 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:20,440 Speaker 1: a conversation that says that more folks should have a 601 00:36:20,480 --> 00:36:27,200 Speaker 1: seat at the table. Got a story about an interesting 602 00:36:27,239 --> 00:36:29,279 Speaker 1: thing in tech, or just want to say hi? You 603 00:36:29,280 --> 00:36:31,480 Speaker 1: can reach us at Hello at tang godi dot com. 604 00:36:31,520 --> 00:36:33,880 Speaker 1: You can also find transcripts for today's episode at tangdi 605 00:36:33,960 --> 00:36:36,000 Speaker 1: dot com. There Are No Girls on the Internet was 606 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:38,640 Speaker 1: created by me Bridget Tod. It's a production of iHeart 607 00:36:38,719 --> 00:36:42,080 Speaker 1: Radio and Unboss creative Jonathan Strickland as our executive producer. 608 00:36:42,360 --> 00:36:45,640 Speaker 1: Tara Harrison is our producer and sound engineer. Michael Amato 609 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:49,239 Speaker 1: is our contributing producer. I'm your host, Bridget Todd. If 610 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 1: you want to help us grow, rate and review us 611 00:36:51,000 --> 00:36:54,200 Speaker 1: on Apple Podcasts. For more podcasts from I Heart Radio, 612 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:56,600 Speaker 1: check out the iHeart Radio app, Apple podcast or wherever 613 00:36:56,600 --> 00:37:03,480 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts. And then I have to him 614 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:10,440 Speaker 1: with and then I have to m it