Appendix A

Alliances Focused on Women of Color and Underrepresentation in Tech

The appendices list alliances, professional organizations, and programs that focus on women of color and underrepresentation in tech. The alliances listed here are focused on broadening participation in computing.

CENTER FOR MINORITIES AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES IN IT (CMD-IT)

CMD-IT is comprised of corporations, academic institutions, government agencies, and non-profits with a mission to ensure that underrepresented groups are fully engaged in computing and information technologies, and to promote innovation that enriches, enhances, and enables these communities, such that more equitable and sustainable contributions are possible by all communities. Programs include professional development workshops, mentorships workshops, scholarship, and an annual Tapia Conference (created to bring together undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, researchers, and professionals in computing from all backgrounds and ethnicities).

COMPUTING ALLIANCE OF HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTIONS (CAHSI)

CAHSI, an NSF national INCLUDES alliance, is a national network of academic institutions, non-profits, industry leaders, and governmental entities working to advance Hispanics in computing in the workforce and academia. The mission of CAHSI is to grow and sustain a networked community committed to recruiting, retaining, and accelerating the progress of Hispanics in computing.

CAHSI’s programming focused on the advancement of Latinas includes CAHSI Student Advocates—undergraduate students who connect students with CAHSI opportunities and CAHSI leadership; CAHSI Latina Scholars—undergraduate or graduate Latinas who are recognized for their outstanding achievements in the classroom and in the community and who will be the next generation of Latina leaders in technology; and the Peer Allyship program that pairs lower division Latinas with upper division Latina students with the aim of building their networks and success strategies. Other signature practices that impact Latinas is FemProf, a program that prepares junior female students for graduate studies and entry into the professoriate, and the Affinity Research Group model that focuses on the deliberate development of research, professional, and communication skills.

ECEP: EXPANDING COMPUTING EDUCATION PATHWAYS

The ECEP Alliance seeks to increase the number and diversity of students in the pipeline to computing and computing-intensive degrees by supporting state-level computing education reforms. Through interventions, pathways, partnerships and models that drive state-level computing education change, ECEP supports states as they work to align their state efforts with the national vision for computer science for all.

INSTITUTE FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN MENTORING IN COMPUTER SCIENCES

iAAMCS serves as a national resource for all African American computer science students and faculty. It aims to increase the number of African Americans receiving Ph.D. degrees in computing sciences, promote and engage students in teaching and training opportunities, and add more diverse researchers into the advanced technology workforce.

NATIONAL CENTER FOR WOMEN & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (NCWIT)

NCWIT is a non-profit community that convenes, equips, and unites change leader organizations to increase the influential and meaningful participation of girls and women—at the intersections of race, ethnicity, class, age, sexual orientation, and disability status—in the field of computing, particularly in terms of innovation and development. NCWIT uses a three-pronged strategy: (1) NCWIT brings together change leaders who carry out projects and initiatives in support of NCWIT’s mission from universities, companies, non-profits, and government organizations; (2) NCWIT provides free, online research-based resources for reform at every level to help individuals implement change, raise awareness, and reach out to critical populations through outreach events and members’ networks;

and (3) NCWIT develops programs for members to achieve goals focused on policy reform, image change, outreach to underrepresented groups, etc. Such programs include NCWIT Aspirations in Computing (an initiative that provides technical girls and women with ongoing engagement, visibility, and encouragement for their computing-related interests and achievements from high school through college and into the workforce) and Sit With Me (a fun, creative national advocacy campaign that uses an iconic red chair to symbolize the critical need for women’s technical contributions).

STARS COMPUTING CORPS

The STARS Computing Corps is a national alliance with a mission to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in computing within institutions of higher education. In particular, STARS aims to increase computing persistence and promote career advancement for undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty, with a focus on addressing systemic and social barriers faced by those from underrepresented groups in computing.

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