Title
Honoring and recognizing Coded by Kids for preparing underrepresented people for leadership roles within the tech and startup space.
Body
WHEREAS, Coded by Kids was founded in June 2014 with a mission to change the face of tech by helping underrepresented young people springboard into the tech and startup space. Over the past decade, they have provided tech education to over two thousand children across thirty locations in three states, including right here in Philadelphia. In 2023 alone, they provided programming to three hundred and fifty youth and over six hundred adults; and
WHEREAS, The Economy League of Greater Philadelphia found that the tech industry in Philadelphia displays stark inequities, where only 7.3% of those employed are Black, 6.6% are Hispanic and 19.6% are Asian, compared to the 64.1% who are white. Through its programs, internship and competitions, Coded by Kids is doing the critical work of opening the tech industry to young Black and Brown Philadelphians; and
WHEREAS, Coded by Kids accomplishes their goals by providing free programs to students, teaching them a variety of skills in the tech industry, from the basics of coding to incorporating a startup, to empower students to become leaders in the tech space; and
WHEREAS, Their programs currently include: Ctrl+Shift, which is a competition where high school students showcase their web-development skills; CBK Classroom, which shows students the foundations of web-design, problem-solving and business creation; a paid Tech and Innovation internship; and an Innovation league, which engages high school students to learn how to build businesses by attending weekly meetings led by Innovation Coaches and competing for a five-thousand dollar cash prize; and
WHEREAS, Coded by Kids has served over two thousand youth and one thousand adults in the City of Philadelphia, proving its commitment to making the pipeline to careers in tech more equitably accessible.
WHEREAS, Students who have successfully completed their programs and internships are making impactful contributions to the Philadelphia tech scene, working for highly respected employers, and building their own companies; and
WHEREAS, Coded by Kids’ citywide initiative, 1Philadelphia, is a coalition of thirty plus local partners that seeks to make Philadelphia a model for equitable tech and innovation by building critical partnerships, informing Philadelphians about opportunities in tech and innovation, facilitating and launching new programs and initiatives through operational support, and providing actionable date to drive change and inform state and local policies that are supportive of equitable innovation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby honors and recognizes Coded by Kids for preparing underrepresented people for leadership roles within the tech and startup space.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to Coded By Kids as a sign of the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
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