About

OUR MISSION

Our mission at Black Girls Code (BGC) is to ensure that Black girls* believe they belong in tech and launch them with the skills, opportunities, and resources to lead. We partner with schools, companies, local organizations, and dedicated volunteers to offer a range of in-person and virtual learning opportunities that build the skills and relationships our girls need to thrive.

*Identity is a spectrum of color and gender. If you want to learn tech and rectify that only 2% of tech jobs are held by Black women, then BGC is for you.

Our Values

BELONGING

for Black girls, where they can be themselves and expect nurturing and acceptance.

INNOVATION

beginning with the verve and imagination of Black girls and ending with pioneering tech that helps everyone live better.

JUSTICE

through active solidarity with Black girls to fully access and seize resources and opportunities to thrive.

IMPACT

that propels and affirms individual lives and communities, thereby sharpen industries to do the same.

JOY

that beckons, connects, and surges us toward excellence and possibility.

Board Members

Black Girls Code is guided by a dedicated Board of Directors, whose expertise across sectors advances the organization’s legacy of extending chances and dissolving barriers for girls of color in tech.

Damier Xandrine

Chief Legal Officer of Tala.co

Damier Xandrine has 20+ years of experience advising tech and financial services companies. She has held senior roles at Wells Fargo, Silicon Valley Bank, and Marqeta, before Tala.co. She is a graduate of UC Berkeley, UC Hastings College of the Law, and has an MBA in International Business. She is passionate about advancing education and wealth opportunities for girls and the Black community.

Lisa Serwin

Corporate Executive and Entrepreneur

With over 25 years of experience, Lisa Serwin has successfully led both start-ups and established organizations in the healthcare, consumer products, and retail sectors. She has held various executive roles, including CEO, COO, and CFO, and serves as BGC's Treasurer.

Lisa is actively involved in mentoring and guiding future leaders; she co-founded C-Sweetener, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting women in C-suite positions and 2009, authored "So Many Shoes, So Little Money: A Girl’s Guide to Finance." Other previous roles include CFO at VentureBeat, CEO and board member at AppMedicine, and COO and CFO at the online gaming company Xfire. She also served as CFO for The PlumpJack Group and held senior positions in strategic planning at 20th Century Fox, corporate development at TicketMaster Online-Citysearch, and corporate finance at UniMed Management Company.

Lisa holds an M.B.A. from Loyola Marymount University and a B.A. from UCLA.

Selina Suarez

Global Head of NextGen ServiceNow Professionals

Selina Suarez is an accomplished tech professional and the force behind PepUp Tech, a transformative nonprofit organization that supports people from underrepresented communities to pursue careers in tech. By actively advocating for diversity, her thought leadership and commitment to equality have earned her recognition as a prominent voice in the tech community. Prior to launching PepUp Tech, Selina gained invaluable experience working for several renowned companies, most recently Salesforce. She holds the MBA  in Executive Management from  St. John's University in New York City.

John Herbert

CIO & EVP, Enterprise and Media Technology Fox Corporation

John Herbert is a seasoned executive with over two decades of experience in information technology and media. Currently, he serves as the CIO & EVP at Fox Corporation, overseeing Enterprise, Media, and Digital Platforms. This role places him at the helm of technological strategy and innovation across the company's vast media and entertainment portfolio. Prior to his current position, John was CIO at 20th Century Fox Film. His tenure was marked by significant digital transformations and overseeing global operations and content distribution. Before his career in media, John spent more than a decade in the automotive industry.

Neeracha Taychakhoonavudh

Board Director and Advisor to Nintex

Neeracha is a Board Director and Advisor to Nintex, an automation management software company. She has built a 25 year career at blue-chip companies such as Salesforce, Asana, Oracle and smaller startups - leading diverse go-to-market functions including the largest Customer Success and Renewals organization in the technology world. She holds B.A. and M.B.A. degrees from Stanford. On the philanthropy front, she currently serves as the First Vice President on the board of Girl Scouts of Northern California, and is passionate about empowering girls and women of diverse backgrounds with the tools and confidence to lead.

Mashea Ashton

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Digital Pioneers Academy

Mashea Ashton is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Digital Pioneers Academy (DPA), a charter middle and high school in Southeast Washington, D.C. focused on empowering students with essential skills for the future.

A dedicated advocate for educational equity, Mashea has spent her career advancing opportunities for young people. Mashea began her journey in education as a special education teacher at Anne Beers Elementary in Ward 7 of Washington, DC.
She previously served as the CEO of the Newark Charter School Fund, leading a $48 million initiative to enhance the quality of charter schools in the area. She also held senior leadership roles at New Leaders for New Schools, the New York City Department of Education, and the KIPP Foundation.

In 2023, she was appointed to the Virginia Board of Education. Additionally, she serves on the boards of Black Girls Code, the William & Mary Foundation, the Center for Learning Equity and Washington Leadership Academy.

She is a graduate of William and Mary in Virginia. Mashea and her husband are the proud parents of twins currently in middle school.

Board Conflict of Interest Policy

OUr Partners

Partner with us to shape a brighter future for Black Girls and gender-expressive youth of color. Together, we can build an inclusive and innovative tech landscape.

For example, check out our partnership with Verizon, designed to inspire and support future leaders in STEAM.

Would you like to partner with BGC? Email us at future@wearebgc.org for more information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you require a certain level of technical experience to attend a Black Girls Code workshop?

No. Everyone is welcome, regardless of skill level.

How can I register for a Black Girls Code program?

Parents, guardians, or community members can register youth for upcoming workshops, programs, and events at Eventbrite.

How much do Black Girls Code programs cost?

All of our programming is free except for bootcamps ($30) and summer camps ($100). If a program requires a fee, it will be listed on the Eventbrite event registration page.

We also offer scholarships for every paid program we offer. Parents, guardians, and community members can apply for scholarships using the link listed on the Eventbrite page for each program.

Do you offer scholarships or financial assistance for your programs?

Yes, we offer scholarships and financial assistance for our programs to ensure that cost is not a barrier to participation. We are committed to making our programs accessible to all girls who are interested in learning about technology.

Parents, guardians, participants, and community members can apply for scholarships using the link listed on the Eventbrite page for each program.

Do participants need to bring their own laptops?

No. All participants are provided a laptop or computer to use during Black Girls Code programs.

I don't live in one of the cities where workshops are being offered. How can I participate in Black Girls Code programming?

We regularly offer a variety of free virtual workshops and courses which you can see on our website and Eventbrite. We also offer an online coding academy, Code Along on Youtube, where you can learn tech skills at your own pace.

We are continuing to expand our programming to communities around the country, so check our website to see if there are upcoming events in your city or sign up for our newsletter to get updates directly in your inbox.

How can I stay updated on upcoming events and programs?

Sign up for our newsletter to receive updates about upcoming events, programs, and opportunities to get involved with Black Girls Code.

You can also sign up for our donor newsletter to learn about our impact.

I’m a parent. May I attend a Black Girls Code program with my daughter?

We like to have the support of parents at our events, but do not welcome parents in the classroom unless they have signed up to volunteer to preserve a learning environment free from additional distractions. For most workshops, parents and guardians are invited to stay through the opening welcome at the start of the day and asked to return for presentations at the end of the day.

Some of our hosted events are designed for full family participation, welcoming parents, guardians, siblings, and other loved ones. Check out our upcoming programs to learn of any events for the whole family coming to your city.

My son is interested in participating, do you have programs for boys?

Our mission is to address the alarming underrepresentation of women of color in tech and business. We are dedicated to providing safe, culturally relevant, and supportive learning environments for our community.

While we occasionally offer co-ed events and workshops, our core programming is designed specifically for girls and gender expansive youth.

Do students have to be Black to join a program?

Our programs are open to all girls and gender expansive youth of any race and color. Our focus is to create a community that welcomes young women of color, particularly Black and Latina.

How can I become a Black Girls Code volunteer?

If you would like to volunteer to support our programs, please fill out a volunteer registration form at the following: link.

We are seeking technologists, media makers, storytellers, organizers, educators, and logistic whizzes of all kinds! We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

How can my company get involved with Black Girls Code?

We are always looking to collaborate with partners in the industry. Please email future@wearebgc.org to open the conversation.

Our high-touch programming equips participants with the tools for success while also offering industry partners unique opportunities to contribute to a more diverse and innovative tech landscape.

We customize engagement with partners to ensure aligned achievement of goals. A relationship may involve sponsorship of youth programming, workshops hosted in your offices to provide visibility to our participants, volunteer opportunities for your staff at events or through mentorship of a young person, to industry-defining training and talent recruitment.

We’re excited to work with motivated organizations to cultivate a dynamic force of innovators and leaders who want to build a brighter and more inclusive future that drives transformative change for the entire industry.

How can I make a donation to Black Girls Code?

There are many ways to support Black Girls Code, including making a donation. Black Girls Code can accept donations online through credit card or bank transfer. Checks can be made payable to Black Girls Code and sent to PO Box 845949 Los Angeles, CA 90084-5949. BGC can also accept gifts through Donor-Advised Funds, stocks, and crypto.

For more information please contact fundraising@wearebgc.org.

Is my donation to Black Girls Code tax-deductible?

Yes. Black Girls Code is a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. To claim a donation as a deduction on your U.S. taxes, please keep the emailed receipt of your donation for your records.

Connect WitH Us

Reach out to learn more about Black Girls Code and how you can journey with us.

Updates: newsletter & text messaging
General: future@wearebgc.org
Donations: fundraising@wearebgc.org
Marketing: marketing@wearebgc.org
Press: press@wearebgc.org