Black Girl Magic Deserves A Seat At The Tech World Table

Last year, Black women across America beamed with pride as the movie Hidden Figures told the true stories of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson—NASA employees who exuded the brilliance and resilience of Black women and helped send John Glenn into orbit.

This award-winning film resonated with millions of African-American women because it affirmed a truth that we all know too well: No matter how smart or qualified you are, neglect and hostility can be expected.

Yet, despite these obstacles, Black women not only accomplish the goals set before them, but they also exceed expectations. Harlem Renaissance novelist Zora Neale Hurston once said, “Sometimes I feel discriminated against, but it does not make me angry. It merely astonishes me. How can any deny themselves the pleasure of my company? It’s beyond me.”

My mother taught me how to have this same confidence in the face of discrimination. My generation labeled this inner pride Black Power. Today we call this uncanny ability to excel and thrive Black Girl Magic.

As we look toward the future of our communities, it is important that we spread Black Girl Magic far and wide across industries and disciplines. During this back-to-school season, my hope is that every Black woman and girl has the ability to expand her core, expertise, style and spirit into technology.

“It is not enough to pay lip service to the ideal of inclusion.”

If African-American women are to succeed in a twenty-first century economy, we must be empowered with the tools to join the tech industry and given the support for career development.

This is why I introduced the Computer Science for All Act to expand access to computer science education for all children in pre-K to 12-grade, with a particular focus on girls and students of color. In my district, programs like Black Girls Code provide young women an opportunity that they otherwise might not have because our public schools are not adequately funded to make sure all students can learn to code.

In an effort to decrease the reliance on extracurricular programs to equip children with skills necessary for their future, I introduced a bill that would grant public institutions $250 million to invest in teachers and curricula so that computer science can be offered as a class. Educators shouldn’t have to choose between teaching English and computer science to their students. However, ensuring that …

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