As we wrap up Black History Month, we would like to highlight individuals who have partnered with Udacity to achieve our mission of radical digital transformation of lives, businesses, and nations.
Black History Month provides the opportunity to hear the stories and experiences of historically oppressed, ignored and marginalized people. We hope you will be inspired after reading more about these remarkable trailblazers.
Greg Greenlee
Founder, Blacks in Technology
Greg Greenlee is the Founder of the Blacks In Technology organization. He is a Systems Engineer and a self-taught technology guru. His love for technology is only surpassed by his desire to create change within the Black culture regarding technology. “The Blacks In Technology (BIT) Foundation’s goal and mission is to ‘“stomp the divide” between Black workers and the greater tech industry. The intent is to fundamentally influence and effect change at both an individual and systemic level.” explains Dennis Schultz, Executive Director of Blacks In Technology.
Udacity first partnered with BIT in 2021 with a scholarship program to increase tech opportunities for the Black community.
Olatunde Sobomehin
CEO, Street Code Academy
Olatunde Sobomehin has made a lifelong commitment to youth and community development. A native of Portland, Oregon, Olatunde grew up in a family dedicated to public service and eventually carried that lens to Stanford University, where he majored in Urban Studies.
In 2014, Olatunde co-founded StreetCode Academy to bridge the digital divide, empowering communities of color to achieve their full potential by sharing the mindset, skills, and access they need to embrace tech and innovation.
Udacity and StreetCode Academy partnered for the first Pledge to Equality Virtual Career Fair. Download the case study to learn how StreetCode Academy collaborated with Udacity in hiring Pledge to Equality Scholarship grads to fill open positions within their organization.
Kimberly Bryant
Founder, Black Girls CODE
Kimberly Bryant was the keynote speaker for Udacity’s STEM Forward with Women conference. Kimberly has dedicated her life to changing the face of technology. Since 2011 she has helped Black Girls CODE grow from a local grassroots initiative to an international organization that has reached over 10,000 students and continues to grow and thrive.
She has been recognized as a thought leader for her work. She has received numerous awards and recognition, including being named on Business Insider’s top 25 “Most Influential African-American in Technology” and a White House “Champion of Change.
Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE
CEO, STEMettes
Following the success of its US-focused STEM Forward with Women conference earlier this year, Udacity hosted an international event targeted at women in the UK and Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA).
Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE was the opening keynote speaker. She spoke about the need for diversification and how those in STEM industries can cultivate and empower the next generation of female tech leaders. From child prodigy to MBE, Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon is Head Stemette and co-founder of Stemettes, the award-winning social enterprise inspiring the next generation of females into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) roles via a series of impactful events and opportunities. In recognition of her significant influence and many achievements, she was awarded an MBE in 2017 for her service to young women and the STEM sectors.
John McCalla-Leacy
Partner & Head of ESG, KPMG
John McCalla-Leacy has been a strong advocate for social change for almost two decades and holds various roles supporting transformation in inclusion, diversity, and social equality.
In 2020, the Queen of England heard about KPMG’s work to promote diversity and inclusion led by John, the firm’s first black partner and board member. John recently joined the Powerlist 2022, honoring the UK’s most influential African, the African Caribbean, and African American heritage across business, science, technology, and the arts.
John was a panel moderator for the Clearing the Hurdles to Success in Your STEM Career for Udacity’s International Women in STEM conference.
Ukinebo Dare
Managing Director, Edo State Skills Development Agency (EdoJobs)
Ukinebo oversees the Edojobs initiative and the Edo State Skills Development Agency. She and her team implement innovative projects to create the demand for and supply highly skilled talent in Edo State.
Having worked in the private sector, civil society, and government, she has implemented programs that have impacted over 179,000 executives, entrepreneurs, and job seekers across multiple disciplines, industries, and countries.
Ukinebo was a panelist on “How Governments and NGOs can Drive Change to Close the Stem Talent Gap” during the International Women in STEM conference.
Closing the Gap Beyond Black History Month
Unfortunately, there isn’t a single solution to provide training resources to level the tech playing field. Going forward we challenge you to take a moment to reflect how to support the creation of radical digital transformation systems of equity and inclusion, within companies beyond Black History Month.
Learn more about how other companies have partnered with Udacity to provide more opportunities for underrepresented groups.
