Fri Feb 21, 2025 | In News
Black Boys Code Expands To Kitchener-Waterloo, Bringing Tech Education To Black Youth
Free AI and STEM-learning workshops being held across Canada for Black youth aged 8 to 17
Kitchener-Waterloo, ON – 7 February 2025 – Black Boys Code, Canada’s largest non-profit organization dedicated to empowering Black youth through technology education, is thrilled to announce the launch of its newest chapter in Kitchener-Waterloo on Saturday, February 22. Black Boys Code hosts free digital literacy and STEM-learning workshops monthly at chapters across Canada. These workshops are led by Black tech professionals, who provide invaluable mentorship and pathways to careers in technology.
Recognized as one of Canada’s fastest-growing tech hubs, Kitchener-Waterloo is the perfect location for Black Boys Code’s mission: to improve the future of Black youth through education in computer science and technology. This expansion marks a critical step in increasing diversity in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and bridging the racial tech gap in Canada.
“Expanding into Kitchener-Waterloo is an exciting opportunity to equip more Black youth with the confidence and skills to excel in tech,” says Bryan Johnson, CEO of Black Boys Code. “By fostering early exposure to coding and STEM, we’re not just teaching technology—we’re empowering Black youth to become Canada’s tech leaders of tomorrow.”
In celebration of Black History Month, chapters across Canada—including the new Kitchener-Waterloo chapter—will host ImaginIAtion: Celebrating Black Excellence in STEM, an interactive workshop designed to help Black youth develop practical skills in AI literacy and digital storytelling. For more information, and to register, visit: blackboyscode.ca (for boys) and blackkidscode.com (for girls).
Black representation in education and technology remains startlingly low, with Black teachers making up just 1.9 percent of educators in Canada. This underrepresentation deprives Black youth of relevant role models and multiplying systemic barriers to student success. Research shows that Black students who have just two Black teachers by the time they reach third grade are 32 percent more likely to enroll in college.
In the United States, Black Boys Code is pleased to partner with prestigious Morehouse College, the historically Black college in Atlanta, Georgia. On February 22, Morehouse will host the Atlanta chapter of Black Boys Code and the ImaginIAtion workshop, providing space and mentorship to participants.
