Ciara is encouraging young Black girls to get into tech.
The singer and entrepreneur has partnered with Black Girls Code, a nonprofit dedicated to making CS education more accessible for Black girls for “Build a Beat Challenge with Ciara,” a contest aimed combine music and science. Youths aged 13-18 can enter the competition by coding their own song for the chance to meet global superstar Ciara via a video call and other tech prizes. Watch Ciara’s announcement video and sign up for the contest HERE.
“I am proud to be supporting this initiative and empowering young people to take their passion for music and use it to develop technology skills that can give them a leg up in life,” Ciara said in a news release. “I’m excited to team up with Black Girls Code because their mission aligns so perfectly with the charitable work Russell and I do at our foundation, Why Not You, which lifts students out of poverty through education and inspires them to lead with a Why Not You attitude. I look forward to seeing the incredible submissions and meeting with the winner in February!”
Submissions will be accepted until December 31, 2023. Applicants are encouraged to join Infosys Foundation USA’s Pathfinders Online Institute to utilize its tools for the coding process.
The selected winners will be judged by MC Lyte, music producer and entrepreneur Craig King, TikTok creator The BoykinZ, GRAMMY Award-winning artist and producer Bosko Kante, Rock the Bells President James Cuthbert, and others. The prize includes a live video call with Ciara, and $10k in tech items.
“Black Girls Code is for those who dare to build the world they imagine,” said Cristina Jones, newly-appointed CEO of Black Girls Code. “The “Build a Beat Challenge with Ciara” is a chance for Black girls and gender nonconforming youth of color to meet relatable role models and code something that is original and dope. This experience is about increasing learning and a sense of belonging. Solving for both will bring about more opportunities in tech for the girls we serve.”
“The Foundation is committed to delivering equitable STEAM opportunities for those most under-represented. We are honored to partner with Black Girls Code and GoldieBlox to reach the next generation with a cool and relatable contest to experience computer science and build digital skills. Without a doubt, the creations of these 13-18 year old students are going to be chart-topping!” says Kate Maloney, Executive Director, Infosys Foundation USA.
More information about the challenge can be found at wearebgc.org/buildabeatchallenge.