There is a serious divide in the booming tech economy and girls – especially girls of colour – are being left behind, said Kimberley Bryant of Black Girls Code. Bryant wants to introduce 1m girls to coding by 2040.
Bryant pointed out that in 2011 when she started Black Girls Code the number of women studying computer science at US universities stood at 35pc.
“That has since plummeted to 18pc. For women of colour, African-Americans account for only 3pc and for Latino women that is less than 1pc.”
Bryant told this morning’s Inspirefest in Dublin that she believes girls should be encouraged to learn code early at six or seven years of age. “We need to have a goal of helping to understand the power of being builders and creators of technology, not just consumers of technology.”
