The technology sector continues to be one of the most dynamic and impactful economic forces of our lifetime. We’ve seen recent breakthroughs in areas such as generative AI, gaming, and blockchain lead to experimentation and broad adoption across communities interested in new ways to create, play, and build.The Cultural Leadership Fund (CLF) remains focused on bringing African Americans into technology at the earliest stages of innovation. We continue to explore new approaches for embedding Black perspectives and talent in emerging and expanding areas of technology, while bolstering our support for established strategies of upskilling, training, and career placement so that more individuals can benefit from these high-growth opportunities.In 2024, we partnered with organizations across our nonprofit strategies–ecosystem partners, community partners, and high touch, high impact initiatives. Each partner brings expertise and reach in developing tech skills and creating access points for African American talent to connect with transformative opportunities–from video game design, to internships, to equity-earning positions. These organizations add unique strengths and fresh perspectives to our growing network and we’re excited to collaborate to increase Black participation across the tech ecosystem.Welcome to our newest CLF partners!Black Sisters in STEM: building the largest online career community and talent pipeline of Black college women in STEM.CC:DC: providing opportunities for talented people of color to thrive in the marketing, creative, communication and advertising industries.Develop for Good: empowering the next generation of diverse tech leaders to learn by doing good, all while furthering the digital transformation of the nonprofit sector.Disruptive Technology Index: cultivating an inclusive community that impacts and influences the global space economy.Gameheads: a tech training program that uses video game design, development, and DevOps to engage, prepare, and train low-income youth and youth of color for careers in the tech and video game industries.Inter Astra Institute: creating equitable access and opportunity to the business of space across the STEM talent workforce, small businesses, corporations, and governments.Life Science Cares Project Onramp: sourcing paid summer internships in the life sciences industry for undergraduates who are under-resourced and often from under- represented groups.Mission Bit: inspiring youth of color to explore the world of STEM with project-based computer science education that embraces their identities.PitCCh In Foundation SMASH STEM Program: providing hands-on STEM education and tools for students to succeed in college and beyond.Project54Tour: an AI filmmaking fellowship program, Project Dream, designed as an early support system for storytellers from underrepresented communities providing them with professional development throughout the stages of their creative process.Sport for Impact: a foundation powered by a network of athletes using sport as the catalyst for greater good to advance, accelerate, and amplify athlete impact for social change.STEM Educational Institute: offering free programming in the areas of STEM, financial literacy, and mental health that gives underrepresented high school students the technological skills needed to enter today’s workforce while building generational wealth.Farish Forward Initiative: led by The Willie and Aikisha Colon Foundation, providing opportunities for HBCU students to learn firsthand about entrepreneurship, technology, and business.Thurgood Marshall College Fund: working to transform the lives of students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly Black Institutions.
