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United States Kimberly Bryant is an electrical engineer and social innovator, recognized for her foundational work in increasing diversity and inclusion within the technology sector. Through her visionary leadership, she has established platforms aimed at empowering marginalized communities in STEM fields.
Kimberly Bryant founded Black Girls Code, a non-profit organization focused on providing technology and computer programming education to African-American girls. The organization supports real-world, industry-relevant learning and has partnerships to foster a generation of learners ready to lead and innovate.
Black Girls Code announced a partnership with Lyft to raise funding for young women of color in tech, aligning with what Bryant considered their shared values after rejecting an offer from Uber.
Kimberly Bryant, an American electrical engineer, was born on January 14, 1967, and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Excelling in mathematics and science, she earned a scholarship to Vanderbilt University in 1985. Initially drawn to civil engineering, she transitioned to electrical engineering, motivated by emerging technologies such as microchips and personal computers. She completed her degree in Electrical Engineering with minors in Computer Science and mathematics in 1989. Her early career included roles at Westinghouse Electric and DuPont, followed by professional experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Merck, Genentech, and Novartis. This diverse background in manufacturing and tech-related roles prepared her for a career in social innovation.
In 2011, Bryant founded Black Girls Code, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing technology and computer programming education to African-American girls. This initiative was spurred by her daughter’s interest in coding and the lack of inclusive learning environments available at the time. Under her leadership, Black Girls Code expanded significantly, establishing over 15 chapters across the United States and an international chapter in Johannesburg, South Africa. The organization aimed to teach one million black girls to code by 2040, offering workshops in web development, mobile app creation, game design, augmented reality, virtual reality, blockchain, cryptocurrency, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence. Her efforts have been recognized with numerous accolades, including the Jefferson Award for Community Service in 2012, being named a White House Champion of Change for Tech Inclusion in 2013, and induction into the Women in Technology International Hall of Fame in 2016.
Following her departure from Black Girls Code in 2022, Bryant established the Black Innovation Lab. This new venture continues her mission by focusing on fostering a pipeline of founders and innovators from marginalized communities, particularly in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. The Black Innovation Lab aims to address economic disparities and seed a tech movement by investing in and accelerating companies founded by entrepreneurs from socially and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Her career demonstrates a consistent commitment to social change, leveraging her engineering and entrepreneurial skills to create opportunities and drive greater equity within the technology industry and beyond.
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