The following is a press release from Congresswoman Alma Adams
Today, the Congressional Bipartisan Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Caucus, led by Founder & Co-Chair Congresswoman Alma S. Adams, Ph.D., announced the Inaugural Diversity in Tech Summit. More than 35 major tech companies and 25 HBCUs will attend the summit on the campus of the nation’s leading STEM-degree producing HBCU, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University.
“I am proud to host the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus’s Inaugural Diversity in Tech Summit – a landmark convening of over 150 leaders from government, tech and HBCUs.” said Congresswoman Adams. “The summit is the culmination of more than a year of Caucus advocacy efforts with key industry leaders, HBCUs, and policymakers.”
“Diversity in the tech workforce will strengthen our economy and our state,” said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. “We can recruit more jobs and develop better solutions when we make diversity a priority.”
“Building a more inclusive economy and a more diverse tech sector will require both the humility to listen well, and the audacity to aspire to transform existing approaches. That is why today ITI, along with many of its member companies, are gathering in Greensboro to strategize how we build a more diverse workforce,” said Dean Garfield, President & CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council. “We thank the HBCU Caucus, as well as the HBCUs in attendance, for convening this honest, robust conversation aimed at making real gains.”
“Software.org is honored to be part of this important event,” said Chris Hopfensperger, Executive Director of Software.org: the BSA Foundation. “Software is changing our lives in so many ways, and it’s important that the US software workforce reflect the full diversity of the US population and that the opportunities for software jobs should be available to everyone. Thank you, Congresswoman Adams, for your thoughtful leadership on this issue.”
“Internet Association thanks Congresswoman Alma Adams and the Bipartisan HBCU Caucus for their leadership in building better partnerships between the internet industry and HBCUs to improve the pipeline of diverse candidates who can participate in the internet industry,” said Sean Perryman, Director of Diversity and Inclusion Policy and Counsel for the Internet Association.“The industry recognizes the importance of having a diverse, inclusive workforce that reflects the internet community and society at large and is committed to ensuring HBCU students and graduates are equipped for the 21st century workforce.”
“Despite 200 years of discrimination and inequality, HBCUs still have led the charge to produce some of our nation’s greatest African-American talent. HBCUs are more than their historic wins of the past. Today, these institutions produce 27 percent of all African-American STEM graduates and 40 percent of all African-American engineers,” Rep. Adams continued. “The 38 major tech companies participating in the robust dialogues during this summit have indicated, through their presence, a willingness to expand their current strategies for the recruitment and retention of diverse talent. I applaud their interest in empowering diverse communities and look forward to using this event to craft sustainable partnerships that will make our 21st Century workforce stronger.”
###
The Bipartisan HBCU Caucus is comprised of 76 members from both chambers and both sides of the aisle. Please find the Partnership Challenge criteria attached here.
