Women, coding, gender gap highlighted in Piedmont film offering

Ada Lovelace was the first computer programmer. She designed the first computer algorithm and explained how it would work on a proposed, but not yet invented, Analytical Engine.

Hedy Lamarr, was widely known as a film actress, invented technology during World War II that would become the precursor to wireless technology like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.

But women, who were pioneers in computer technology, are not represented as strongly as men in Silicon Valley and tech careers today. That conundrum is explored, as well as the lack of diversity in tech, through the Oct. 25 and Oct. 28 showings of the “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap” documentary in the Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee’s regular film series.

The film generally speaks to issues in education that have, at least until recently, tended to be that the door for coding isn’t quite as open for girls and young people of color as it is for others,” said Piedmont Appreciating Diversity Committee member Anita Stapen.

Piedmont schools are trying to bridge the gender gap, Stapen said, by offering coding programs for girls. And there are several coding camps just for girls and minorities in the East Bay like Black Girls Code and Girls Who Code.

By 2020, there will be one million unfilled software and coding jobs in the U.S. “CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap” starts the conversation about women in tech and gives hope to all sexes about the possibility of more women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

“Women can be role models to other young women and young minority people and give the idea that this is possible, this is doable, this can be done,” Stapen said. “We’re hoping the program, along with the film, will be inspirational.”

“CODE: Debugging the Gender Gap” was directed by Robin Hauser Reynolds and explores how cultural mindsets, stereotypes, educational hurdles and sexism all play roles in the …

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