Kimberly Bryant, Founder and Executive Director of Black Girls Code

On this episode of Making Ways, the podcast all about the unexpected paths to a creative career, host Rob Goodman is joined by Kimberly Bryant, founder and executive director of Black Girls Code. Kimberly’s path to starting the organization was anything but a straight shot. After an illustrious career in engineering spent working for Genentech, Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics, Merck, and Pfizer, among others, she was drawn to launch Black Girls Code after seeing her daughter face the same challenges Kimberly confronted as a young woman of color interested in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Knowing that she could have a hand in improving the technology sector for her daughter and young women everywhere, Kimberly went all in. Today, Kimberly and Black Girls Code are dedicated to empowering young African American women, ages 7–17, by introducing them to and teaching computer programming and technology. In a wide-ranging, uplifting conversation, Kimberly recounts the twists and turns of her journey, from her upbringing in Memphis to the imposed career move into IT that eventually ignited a passion for technology, discussing the difficult times she went through as one of the only African American women studying engineering in college and the mentorship that got her through those rough times. She also shares the lessons she learned as a female leader in a male-dominated field and why she risked it all—even cashing out her 401(k)—to start Black Girls Code, as well as her advice for anyone feeling marginalized in the classroom or the workplace on how to make it through and thrive. We talk about the roadblocks to getting more women and women of color into the engineering field and the reasons diversity is critical to the world of technology: a broader range of voices at the table creates better products that can improve the lives of everyone. Tune in to the discussion with the incredible Kimberly Bryant for inspiration, motivation, and lessons you can apply to your life and creative work today. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.