February is Black History Month. To celebrate the contributions that the Black community has made to the world of tech (and beyond) we would like to take a moment to highlight some resources we think you might find especially helpful. It was a Black individual who created the world’s first search engine, performed the first open-heart surgery, and created refrigerated trucks, among many more essential tools and services. While Black History Month may be limited to February we at ODLAN aim to uplift Black voices throughout the year.
Black Boys Code – A non-profit with chapters across Canada and the USA. Their mission is to improve the future of Black youth through education in computer science and technology.
Visions of Science Network for Learning – A charitable organization that aims to advance the educational achievements and positive development of youth from low-income and marginalized communities through meaningful engagement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and research.
The Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) – A membership platform that works to bridge the network gap between Black talent and tech career opportunities across North America. They help Black professionals network, connect with one another, share resources, and grow their careers. With over 50,000 Black professionals in their network, they provide members with access to mentorship, skill-building opportunities, and a strong peer network to support professional growth and advancement. They also host events such as a weekly Global Masterclass series, the annual Global BFUTR Tech Summit, and more.
Accelerate Her Future – AHF offers fully-funded 16-week programs for self-identifying Black, Indigenous, and women of colour based in Ontario to accelerate their careers in STEM.
Blacks In Technology – A global platform for Black people in technology. BIT serves members through community, media, and mentorship. They provide resources and guidance and challenge members to establish new standards of innovation./dev /color – A global career accelerator for Black software engineers, technologists, and executives. They have a growing community of over 600 professional members and a global reach of over 20,000. They provide peer mentorships for software engineers.