Brave, Not Perfect: Closing the Gender Gap in Tech with Girls Who Code CEO Tarika Barrett

In this episode of “B The Way Forward,” host Brenda Darden Wilkerson is joined by Girls Who Code CEO, Tarika Barrett. Tarika took over the helm at Girls Who Code in 2021 and has been the driving force behind the nonprofit that aims to close the gender gap in technology careers by inspiring, educating and equipping students with computing skills to take on 21st century opportunities. Since Girls Who Code was launched in 2012, they have reached over 600,000 young people with their educational programming – and Tarika is continuing to expand that reach.

A proud daughter of Jamaican immigrants, Tarika’s mother instilled values of equality and positive change in her life. Since then, Tarika’s career has been dedicated to addressing education inequities, in terms of race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Brenda and Tarika discuss the importance of diversity in the tech space and why giving equal representation inspires the next generation to see themselves in the tech industry, too. With women comprising only roughly 25 percent of computing roles, and Black and Latinx women just a little over 5 percent of that, Tarika and Girls Who Code are working to change those statistics.

“When we see our women, our girls, our people of color seek out tech jobs, they become the creators and the change makers. They can advocate for the kinds of tech that keeps our needs and our safety and our interests top of mind.”

For more, check out Tarika and her work…

On LinkedIn – /tarikabarrett & /girlswhocode

On X – @DrTarikaBarrett & @GirlsWhoCode

On Instagram – @GirlsWhoCode

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

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Our guests contribute to this podcast in their personal capacity. The views expressed in this interview are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology or its employees (“AnitaB.org”). AnitaB.org is not responsible for and does not verify the accuracy of the information provided in the podcast series. The primary purpose of this podcast is to educate and inform. This podcast series does not constitute legal or other professional advice or services.

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B The Way Forward Is…

Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson

Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 

Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 

Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki

Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 

Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org

Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org

Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org