ACT-SO – The NAACP’s Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) is a yearlong achievement program designed to recruit, stimulate, and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students.
ADA Developers Academy – is designed to increase the number of underrepresented skilled software developers while redefining and reinventing the way we prepare individuals to be successful in information technology careers. With an intensive, inclusive, and positive learning community, we aim to directly address both the information technology labor shortage in Washington and the lack of diverse experience, thought, and background in the software industry.
Backstage Capital – Backstage invests in overachieving underrepresented founders and accelerates them on their path to success. These founders represent the future, yet receive little to no funding and support. We exist to change that.
Better Man Movement – The Better Man mission is to contribute to the development of more inclusive, supportive leaders who show up as allies and use their power and privilege to transform corporate culture. Better Man provides challenging learning environments, stimulating thought engagement and opportunities for learning, focusing on healthy and inclusive masculinity. Men are often not comfortable participating in diversity events because they are unsure about their role or concerned of saying something wrong. Better Man believes in promoting heart-based leadership to get the most out of a team. That means leading with emotional literacy, vulnerability, authenticity, accountability, inclusivity, and love. Our content focuses on engaging men and the unique male perspective in inclusion and hierarchy. However, individuals who do not identify as men are invited to gain perspective on engaging men as allies.
Black Founders Matter – will provide a direct funding path for Black led enterprises. Creating access to not only to funds but critical resources thru our network of diverse mentors and partners. We are currently raising $10,000,000 as part of the Black Founders Venture Fund. You can support our efforts to change the entrepreneurial landscape by purchasing our Limited Edition Black Founders Matter apparel. Each sale directly supports our cause and raises awareness for this very important movement.
Black Founder Startup Grant – Black women entrepreneurs receive less than .5% of venture capital funding. We are standing up to help change that by providing at least (3) $10K and (6) $5K cash grants to Black women or nonbinary entrepreneurs.
Black Innovation Alliance -an entity comprised of support organizations that serve Black innovators. We are on a mission to ensure that Black ownership is increasing through equitable participation in the innovation economy. BIA exists to strengthen the ecosystem that cultivates Black entrepreneurs, innovators, and creative technologists. It brings together support organizations leading work in this space and is the first of its kind. We are experts on what our community needs in order to obtain fair and equitable access to the innovation economy, and we enlist those who wish to direct resources towards Black economic empowerment to trust our collective voice and invest in OUR VISION for what is necessary and sufficient.
Black Women in STEM – BWiSTEM is dedicated to supporting, promoting, and inspiring Black Women in STEM careers, as well as advocating for equitable and inclusive workplace environments that nurture diverse talent. BWiSTEM encourages the engagement of all women who want to share professional perspectives, gain cutting-edge industry information, enhance leadership and communication skills, participate in partner programs, and build meaningful networks with peers.
Black Women Talk Tech – Black Women Talk Tech helps black women founders create the next billion dollar tech companies by providing knowledge, promotional opportunities, research and funding. We do this through our annual conference, various localized events, a membership platform, programs and original content.
Catalyze Seattle – Our study, the first of its kind, revealed fascinating insights into what contributes to gender inequities in Seattle startups. As an all-volunteer project, we are thrilled to share this data with the public. The startup industry is full of talented, innovative people. We invite you to use this information to create groundbreaking new companies that are inclusive from inception. Let’s do this right.
Code : Debugging the Gender Gap [Award-Winning Film] – CODE documentary exposes the dearth of American female and minority software engineers and explores the reasons for this gender gap. CODE raises the question: what would society gain from having more women and minorities code?
Code 2040 – is a nonprofit organization that creates pathways to educational, professional, and entrepreneurial success in technology for underrepresented minorities with a specific focus on Blacks and Latino/as. Code2040 aims to close the achievement, skills, and wealth gaps in the United States. Our goal is to ensure that by the year 2040 – the start of the decade when the US will be majority people of color – we are proportionally represented in America’s innovation economy as technologists, investors, thought leaders, and entrepreneurs.
Companion Coding – A non-profit program based in Seattle. Companion Coding introduces low-income minority youth to careers in tech by training them to build websites for real small businesses* in their own communities. During 4-8 week “bootcamps,” young people gain valuable hands-on experience, build a portfolio, and learn about opportunities in the tech industry, as well as building critical technical, leadership, entrepreneurship, and life skills with mentorship from staff and tech professionals working in the field.
Cover – is an independent non-profit organization, which allows us to accept tax-deductible donations from anyone who believes in our mission to extend access to more people. After receiving a modest estate inheritance, Arlan decided to gift $500 to 10 people to support them in their efforts to achieve something meaningful in their life. The response was overwhelming and beautiful. The experiment inspired us to model Cover around the idea of gifting $500 to recipients to help them reach their goals. With this new approach, Cover will seek to allow access to knowledge (books, courses…), networks (introductions, memberships…), and opportunities (events, job applications…) to those who are working hard to achieve great things. For Cover 3.0, Arlan is including the Covid crisis in the mix to include Covid-related help. For example, PPE–especially for high-risk, low-resourced places like prisons and other non-profits, higher education and experiences for Black women, and resources for displaced Black students.
The Cru – The Cru is a constellation of women committed to helping each other thrive. We match circles of ten women in a city based on their personality, values, demographics and life goals. Crus coach one another online and in person to accelerate their personal and professional growth.
Dev Color – Our mission is to empower Black software engineers to help one another grow into industry leaders. We believe the world is a better place when we get the most out of each individual. Software engineers are uniquely positioned to improve the world—one programmer can design products that change millions of lives. Black software engineers have historically faced challenges in reaching their full potential. We ensure Black engineers fulfill the promise of their talents, transform the industry, and use their resulting skills and position to give back to their communities.
Diverse City – Seattle’s premiere DEI training organization. Diverse City is a Minority Women’s Business Enterprise Certified diversity and equity consulting firm specializing in diversity and equity assessments, training, coaching, and consulting. Diverse City offers its clients a solutions oriented approach to helping companies assess, and solve issues of growth and development in the areas of diversity and equity. Diverse City provides more balanced high quality service delivery than its competitors. We strive to create long term sustainable diversity and equity practices within companies.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Seattle – We’re establishing and enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion practices within Seattle area organizations, through community and collaboration. We aim to foster greater diversity, equity and inclusion practices among local non-profit, private and public sector professionals and community members located in the greater Seattle area through shared best practices and strong collaboration.
Entelo Diversity – allows companies of all sizes to reap the benefits of building strong, diverse teams.The proprietary algorithm lets you find candidates from underrepresented groups based on gender, ethnicity, and veteran status — right within our recruiting platform. Since this information is layered on top of a candidate’s skills and qualifications, the solution provides a level of objectivity as it relates to your hiring practices. It also helps organizations demonstrate good faith efforts and comply with regulations.
Entrepreneurship for All – is accelerating economic and social impact in communities nationwide through inclusive entrepreneurship. I believe that one of the best ways to help close the opportunity inequality gap and create employment in cities that are economically challenged is to change from the inside. The people who live in these communities know what kinds of businesses will work there. And it turns out that in every community, there are would-be entrepreneurs. EforAll was founded to support these entrepreneurs on their journey.
Ethical Design Guide – Tech is all around us, developing fast, and not going away. Which is why ethics should be a part of the design and engineering curriculum, and a focus for everyone working in the industry. Without it, we risk creating products that cause harm, often against people from minoritized groups, who already face a lot of injustice. Think of the predictive policing software that’s biased against Black people, products that reinforce gender stereotypes or exclude non-binary folks, or all the websites that are not accessible. Ethical Design Guide is made to share resources on how to create ethical products that don’t cause harm.
Fearless Fund – Fearless Fund invests in women of color led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed level or series A financing. Our mission is to bridge the gap in venture capital funding for women of color founders building scalable, growth aggressive companies. Fearless Fund is built by women of color for women of color.
Find My Flock – a tech job board that is enthusiastically open to all. What isn’t obvious is that they did 100% of their product research, design, and UX testing with developers who happen to be women and/or people of color. This led to some very specific features:
- You can filter jobs by benefits like maternity leave, trans-inclusive healthcare, or visa sponsorship.
- You get a personal interviewing coach.
- If a company wants a premium posting, Find My Flock has an off-the-record phone call with two developers in the company to make sure they’re happy.
If developers most likely to experience unconscious bias feel this process is effective, supportive, and fair, then they believe everyone else will also have an outstanding experience as well. “This is not about handouts,” Kate says. “No one I know wants a job they haven’t worked for. It’s about a level playing field.”
Founders Unfound [Podcast] – a media project created to tell the stories of exceptional entrepreneurs and tech founders from underrepresented backgrounds – starting with founders of African descent. We have a regular podcast and complimentary blog created to shine a light on the broad spectrum that reflects all the diversity in entrepreneurship today. We spotlight black entrepreneurs working on venture-worthy, big opportunity ideas. We know behind every founder team is an origin story that deserves to be boldly told.
Future For Us – A strong, purposeful community where womxn of color feel empowered to pave the way forward through opportunities to network, connect with individuals and resources, mentor and support one another, and create a powerful personal brand.
Gap Jumpers – Great talent is everywhere, but in an instant culture, we tend to only judge by a cover (letter). GapJumpers changes that. Our tools interrupt hiring bias to impact diversity, talent and business goals. Our first product blocks implicit hiring bias through blind auditions. We’ve scaled the proven blind auditions method from the orchestra stage to the business world. When employers value job applicants for their work performance rather than static background info on résumés, incredible things happen. Committed and highly qualified talent is found in unexpected places. Diversity is no longer a myth, but becomes a reality at the workplace.
Greater – Through the power of sports and technology, Greater is aimed at redefining education so that all students from all backgrounds are equipped for 21st century opportunities. Our approach focuses on leadership, entrepreneurship, and technology in underserved areas to transform today’s workforce into one of equality, inclusivity, and innovation.
HERE Seattle – fostering a community that supports a diverse and inclusive culture in technology. We formed in 2014 as a group of guys who wanted to create a forum for underrepresented minorities in the tech industry. But we soon learned that this wasn’t something that only we wanted, but it’s something that many people wanted. People expressed their desire to see a place where tech and creative professionals were celebrated for their differences.
We seek to grow, empower and inspire the community through social events, mentoring and crafting engaging programming around business and culture. We are experiencing lots of growth and it’s been a major motivator for us to continue to grow a community that exemplifies diversity and is driven by its members.
How to begin designing for diversity– a guide to get you started in building equitable products, services, and content.
Hispanic Professional Engineers – UW Chapter – our goal is simple: facilitate the path to a science or engineering career for Hispanic and other underrepresented students through a network of support, encouragement, and development.
Include Seattle – Growing more inclusive communities and companies in Seattle.
The Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion – The Institute for Sustainable Diversity and Inclusion (ISDI) is a non-profit organization established for the purpose of educating, supporting and collaborating with key stakeholders on ways to leverage differences and practice inclusion to enhance individual and organizational success.
iUrban Teen – a nationally recognized program focused on bringing career focused education to underrepresented teens ages 13 to 18. Youth receive hands-on exposure to a variety of careers and civic engagement that step them outside of their current boundaries. Our target demographics are African American, Latino and Native American males, however, the program is inclusive of all youth. We have almost equal parity of girls that participate in our programs and also youth with special needs. iUrban Teen programs are now in Washington, Oregon, California, Texas and launching in New York in the Fall of June 2016.
Kal Academy – Our mission is to make it easier for women to build a career in the tech industry and increase diversity which is critical for innovation. We do that by providing women with affordable, accessible, and relevant training and certification, that offers lucrative career growth opportunities. Become a Software Developer in 5 months.
Ladies Get Paid – When you sign up for Ladies Get Paid, you’ll be invited to our private online network where thousands of women from around the world share advice, resources, and job opportunities. You will also receive our weekly newsletter with upcoming events, workshops, webinars, blog articles, job postings, and more.
LaunchCode.org -offering a free alternative pathway to full-time tech employment. If you are an aspiring developer, LaunchCode can help you get to where you want to be. Watch the video of President Obama telling the story of one of their students successes.
Lean In – We help women achieve their ambitions and work to create an equal world.
We want a world where people of every gender can pursue their dreams without bias or other barriers holding them back. Where girls grow up to be confident, resilient leaders. Where more women run companies and countries. We are driven by the belief our society and economy would be better if women and girls were valued as equal to men and boys.
Lesbians Who Tech – connecting lesbians and building a network of colleagues, associates and friends in the industry. There are so many groups who are fighting for our rights, and they need our support. Lesbians Who Tech provides a platform to raise awareness of their work and connect these organizations to queer women in the tech community. Women are some of the most gifted folks in technology, yet there are far fewer of us than there should be (women account for 1 in 15 people in STEM fields). Because there aren’t enough women, women are rarely quoted as experts by the mainstream media and blogs, on panels, etc. And add the element of being lesbian, it’s equally important for us to represent women, and out women, for our communities.
Mesa – MESA stands Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement and has been committed to building a pathway to college and careers in science, technology, engineering & mathematics (STEM) since 1982. We develop programming and initiatives to improve diversity and retention with an emphasis on traditionally underrepresented students in STEM fields, including African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Pacific Islanders and women.
National Center for Women & Information Technology -NCWIT is a non-profit community that convenes, equips, and unites change leader organizations to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women — at the intersections of race, ethnicity, class, age, sexual orientation, and disability status — in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. Before NCWIT was chartered in 2004 by the National Science Foundation, programs focusing on women and computing existed mostly in isolation — without the benefit of shared best practices, effective resources, communication with others, or national reach. Today, these programs are part of the NCWIT community, creating a far greater impact than if institutions acted alone.
National Society of Black Engineers – a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is owned and managed by its members. With more than 30,000 members around the world, NSBE is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. NSBE’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community”. The organization is dedicated to the academic and professional success of African-American engineering students and professionals. NSBE offers its members leadership training, professional development activities, mentoring opportunities, career placement services and more.
Northwest Mountain Minority Supplier Development Council – a nonprofit organization certifying, developing, and connecting Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) with major corporations and public agencies. We are an affiliate of the National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) providing certification, membership and subscription services to the Pacific Northwest Mountain region which includes Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.
NPARC: Nonprofit Anti-Racism Coalition – NPARC is committed to ending racism. We act as a forum to share information, resources and best practices, and encourage other non-profits to work together to eliminate institutional racism and understand its connections to all other oppression.Our next meeting is on Thursday, February 27th from 10:30am to noon at 818 Stewart. See you then.
Opportunity Hub – the world’s first inclusive technology, startup & investment ecosystem building platform to ensure shared prosperity and multi-generational wealth creation for all.
Out in Tech – meeting the third Friday of each month along with other events (national) focussed on the LGBTQ+ community in tech.
ParentPreneur – providing money, tools, resources, and social capital for Black ParentPreneurs. So they can be the best parent and entrepreneur possible. So they can be great spouses/partners and raise delightful children. Being a parent + entrepreneur is hard, especially if you have young children and are trying to grow revenue to support a family. Being a Black ParentPreneur is even harder. Black people don’t have the same resources as many of our white ParentPreneur counterparts. Many of us are first-generation college graduates and we don’t have a relative we can call to give us money to hold us over until we are able to get enough traction with our business.
The Plug – Smart reporting on the Black innovation economy. The Plug humanizes Black people’s engagement in technology related markets and industries one investigative narrative at a time. Our work moves beyond popular deficit narratives to show the substantive ways that Black people are affected by and engaged with the innovation economy, including analyses of modern technologies, how and by whom they are developed, and the structures and cultures of related ecosystems.
Seattle BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates) – For 40 years, BDPA has enabled the upward mobility of African Americans and other minorities in the Information Technology (IT) and STEM fields. Through its 40+ local community chapters in major cities across the United States, BDPA has been at the forefront of promoting the minority agenda within the IT profession since 1975.
Seattle Urban Academy – is a positive, educational community where students at risk develop academic, social, and spiritual maturity to graduate from high school and transition to higher education and sustained employment.
SkillSpire – a coding bootcamp on a mission to empower people to pursue the work they love. We serve adult age students (18+) who are looking for a faster and more affordable path to a new career or career advancement. Our goal is to level the playing field by providing training and mentorship to those from under-represented populations. We provide a welcoming environment for everyone, including low-income students, women, and minorities.
Society of STEM Women of Color — An organization dedicated specifically to helping women of color get into and stay active in STEM careers.
SoGal – is the largest global platform for the education and empowerment of diverse entrepreneurs and investors. Our mission is to close the diversity gap in entrepreneurship and venture capital.
StartOut Pride Economic Impact Index (SPEII) – focuses on the impact of high-growth entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented populations. Research has shown that female, Black, and LGBTQ+ founders, among many others, experience systematic barriers to founding new companies. The SPEII measures both their existing contributions to their home cities as well as the achievement gaps caused by those barriers.
Startup Success – Microsoft for Startups and Create33 are grateful to launch the Startup Success Program, designed to support and accelerate the progress of tech startups founded by entrepreneurs of color. The program, which will provide content, connections, coaching and community for 27 BIPOC-led technology startups, launched virtually on June 10. Online programming includes interactive workshops, 1:1 office hours, mentorship, and peer support and accountability groups, and will culminate in a demo day for financial institutions and investors: angel and venture capital, lenders, community capital and credit unions.
Techtonica FREE virtual full-stack program – Techtonica’s full-time software engineering training program is a free, virtual year-long program that provides the opportunity for women and non-binary adults with low incomes to learn technical skills and start their first job in tech.
Tech Workers Coalition – Guided by our vision for an inclusive & equitable tech industry, TWC organizes to build worker power through rank & file self-organization and education.
Technology Access Foundation – Every student deserves access to a high-quality public education, regardless of race, neighborhood or income. That’s why TAF (Technology Access Foundation) has worked to improve access to STEM and technology fields for students of color and underrepresented communities for the past twenty years.
Unloop – Providing a pathway to a career in software development for people marginalized by a conviction. Education. 1 year college certificate in software development. Full stack JavaScript. Professional & soft skills. Learn More. Support. 1:1 re-entry navigation. Mentors from the industry.
Valence Funding Network – a collection of the world’s best venture capitalists representing various stages and sectors of focus. If you are a founder who is at the stage where you are ready to pitch for an investment, please connect directly with any of these investors by requesting a boost from a VC’s Valence Profile. Please be specific with what you are pitching and feel free to include links to decks you may have prepared. Some investors also may specify they are open to a general 30 minute mentorship boost. Kobie Fuller at Upfront Ventures started Valence in the fall of 2019. Valence launched our beta platform to provide a digital home for Black talent to connect, access opportunities, and aggregate their power. Valence exists to change the dynamic where Black founders receive a disproportionately low amount of venture funding (today – just 1 percent).
Venture Inclusion Network – Sexual harassment a serious, systemic, societal issue. The power dynamics in the male-dominated venture industry are particularly problematic. This issue is not new, but is (finally) receiving significant attention thanks to several brave women who put their reputations and careers on the line to publicly shed light on this reality. Many in the industry are launching initiatives to create positive change.
Washington State Black Angel Network – is a growing group of Angel investors focused on supporting Black startups with access to capital and mentorship. Our mission is to build and train a network of investors to co-create the future of business in the African Diaspora.
WomenHack – Promotes gender equality in tech and helps people get hired at companies committed to diversity in the workplace. We take a unique approach by vetting the companies we work with to ensure we’re presenting companies who are committed to things such as equal pay, career advancement, and leadership opportunities.
Women of Color in Tech – a catalyst for the advancement of womxn, grrls, and communities of color through technology. Embodying the mantra; for us, by us- Womxn of Color in Tech cultivates spaces and programs that explore and design a world of technology that centers us. We envision a society where technology empowers our communities; providing spaces where belonging, self & social awareness, and agency are the foundations of our work.
Women of Color Speak Out – We are a collective of Seattle activists working to educate and inform our communities on the climate crisis. Our presentations connect global warming to the systems of oppression. We are focused on shifting the narrative of the climate movement to one that is beyond the superficial causes (fossil fuels) to the deeper injustices of the world by decolonizing our minds and our audiences’. We speak from our personal truths and share unique perspectives on demanding climate justice and collectively creating a new, just future for us all.
Y’all Hiring? Podcast – Conversations that lead to strong takeaways for folks in the recruiting profession. No matter if you are just starting out, moving into leadership, or chilling at the executive level, this podcast was designed with you in mind. Tune in to check out Roz and her industry colleagues, as they discuss all the things that you have been dying to know. Nothing is off limits and nothing is sugar coated. The goal is to inform those thinking of joining the profession and to validate and inspire those that are already amongst us.
YearUp – envisions a future in which every urban young adult will have access to the education, experiences, and guidance required to realize his or her true potential. Our mission is to close the Opportunity Divide by providing urban young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education.
