Communications of the ACM
Code/Art Paints A More Equitable Tech Future for Miami
Girls learn coding skills and see role models and potential CS careers through Code/Art's programs.
Credit: Code/Art
To tackle the gender disparity in tech, Amy Austin Renshaw founded the Miami-based nonprofit Code/Art six years ago, aimed at increasing the number of girls interested in computer science through art.
With Miami's tech movement gaining steam, Code/Art is helping to build a homegrown tech talent pool that better mirrors the gender, racial, and ethnic mix of the community. This way, not as much tech talent would have to be imported to sustain the movement, says Renshaw, a self-taught coder who earned three MIT degrees.
Among its innovations, the nonprofit trains K-12 art teachers to incorporate Code/Art's creative coding lessons into their existing curriculum and to offer electives and CodeHER coding clubs at their schools. "We want to reach girls with coding lessons without them having to make the leap of faith to first sign up for a CS class/camp/workshop," Renshaw says.
From Refresh Miami
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