ColorStack is excited to announce that it has received a grant of $1.2 million from Reboot Representation, which will be awarded over the next two years. 

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Reboot Representation is a coalition of 21 leading tech companies that are committed to doubling the number of Black, Latina, and Native American (BLNA) women receiving computing degrees by 2025. The organization aims to do this by way of targeted, philanthropic investments in often overlooked programs and institutions — especially those that support BLNA women at the college level.

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With this generous contribution from Reboot Representation, ColorStack is poised to make major strides toward the shared goals of both organizations. ColorStack is a robust online and in person-community of over 4,500 Black and Latinx computer science students and industry professionals committed to supporting one another. Given that college women with a “good image” of tech workers are 27 percent more likely to look for a job in tech, ColorStack’s focus on connecting members with lifelong friends, mentors, and role models will prove instrumental in increasing the number of women in tech in the years to come. 

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“ColorStack has created a vibrant, rapidly growing online community where Black and Latino computer science graduates are gaining access to meaningful support systems, resources, and opportunities that are often hard to come by in this competitive industry,” says Dwana Franklin-Davis. “While we know community plays an essential role in retaining BLNA women in this sector, there are few that exist on this scale. Through our grant, we are confident that ColorStack will be able to help even more Black and Latina women across the country find their place — and their people — in tech.”

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The impact of this grant cannot be overstated. “Women have been at the heart of ColorStack since its founding. From our staff being majority women, to some of the most active members of our community being high achieving female college students. I’m thrilled to be able to further invest in the Black, Latina, and Native American women that fuel the strength of our community at a time where many external forces are working against that," says Jehron Petty, founder and CEO of ColorStack. 

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Over the next two years, the ColorStack team will mobilize the Reboot Representation grant to ensure Black and Latinx college women have the support and resources they need to pursue careers in tech. With these developments on the horizon, ColorStack is excited for the impact Black and Latinx women in computing will make in the tech industry and beyond.

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