(February 28, 2023 — New York, NY) — Code Nation will present at this year’s SXSW EDU on how public-private partnerships that bring access to coding to marginalized communities can create pathways to careers in tech. The panel includes Josh Silverman, CEO of Etsy and Board Chairman of Code Nation; Shawntee Reed, head of Inclusion and Diversity at Block; Cara Tait-Fanor, principal with NYC Public Schools; and Abdoul Barry, software engineer at Bloomberg, LP. Together, they will discuss how a community model that engages industry professionals to teach high school students can expand social capital and make a positive impact for those historically under-represented in tech.

“We’re thrilled to share our innovative work with the SXSW EDU community,” said Ron Summers, CEO of Code Nation. “For too long, our systems have excluded young people growing up in low-income circumstances, Black and Latine/x students, and women and non-binary people from pathways to careers in tech. We know that public-private partnerships can make a real difference and chip away at this inequity, and we also know that we can do more. I’m excited that we have an opportunity to sound the alarm at such a prominent and respected conference.”

When: Thursday, March 9, 2023; 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM CT

Where: SXSW EDU, Hilton Austin Downtown, Salon H

About the session — Beyond Tech Skills: Community Through Coding: Exposure to coding in high school in a community model that engages industry professionals makes a powerful difference far beyond technical skills. Access to engineers through coding classes, immersive field trips, and internships empowers young people to expand their networks and sense of belonging. We’ll discuss why this exposure is especially impactful for historically excluded and under-represented groups in tech — those who often lack access to coding and computer science in high school.

About Code Nation

Code Nation equips students with the skills, experiences and connections that together create access to careers in technology. With a volunteer teaching corps of nearly 350 professional web and software developers and a network of school and company partners, we provide coding courses and work-based learning programs to students who attend under-resourced high schools. For more information, visit www.codenation.org.

About SXSW EDU

The SXSW EDU® Conference & Festival is a reflection of the world’s most critical social issues as seen through the lens of education. This year’s event will bring together the learner, the practitioner, the entrepreneur, and the visionary to share their groundbreaking stories, tackle complex issues, and build reimagined paths forward. As a community of diverse people who are united around a like-minded vision for the future, SXSW EDU serves as a place for attendees to renew their purpose in practice from both a personal and professional perspective. It is a place to reinforce the core principles of teaching and learning as well as an opportunity to express your creativity and passion for education. SXSW EDU is a component of the South by Southwest® family of conferences and festivals that has grown from 800 to over 8,000 registrants in the last decade. Join the passionate and innovative community at SXSW EDU, March 6-9, 2023.