Empowering Our Future: Encouraging Computer Science Education Among Black, Latino and Indigenous Youth in Tulsa
In the heart of Tulsa, home to the historic Greenwood District, the legacy of the Tulsa Race Massacre and tech pioneers like Emmitt McHenry, lies a community rich in resilience and potential. As Tulsa emerges as an Economic Development Administration-designated tech hub, opportunities in the technology sector are expanding rapidly. For Black, Latino, and Indigenous families, this presents a pivotal moment to guide youth toward computer science education, unlocking pathways to innovation, economic empowerment, and community advancement.
The Benefits of Computer Science Education
Pursuing computer science offers a multitude of advantages beyond immediate job prospects:
Career Opportunities: The tech industry continues to grow, offering lucrative and stable career options. However, Black, Hispanic and Indigenous college students each only made up 3.5% of computer science graduates between 2011 and 2018, highlighting a significant underrepresentation in this field (Code Next).
Problem-Solving Abilities: Computer science education enhances logical reasoning and analytical thinking, skills applicable across various life scenarios.
Critical Thinking: Engaging with complex coding challenges fosters adaptability and innovative thinking.
Creativity: Programming encourages creative solutions, allowing students to bring unique ideas to life through technology.
Resilience and Perseverance: The iterative process of coding teaches students to persist through challenges, building beneficial resilience in all areas of life.
Urban Coders Guild: A Catalyst for Change
Urban Coders Guild stands as a beacon of empowerment, offering:
Culturally Relevant Curriculum: Programs designed to resonate with the experiences and identities of students of color, making computer science education more accessible and engaging.
Mentorship: Connecting youth with professionals who share similar backgrounds fosters a sense of belonging and aspiration.
Community Building: Creating networks of peers and mentors to support and uplift participants, strengthening communal bonds and support systems.
Understanding Reluctance Among Students of Color
Despite the benefits, many students of color hesitate to pursue computer science education due to:
Lack of Representation: The scarcity of role models in tech can lead to feelings of exclusion. In 2017, only 8.9% of computer science bachelor's degrees were awarded to Black students and 10.1% to Latino students, highlighting significant underrepresentation (National Interest).
Systemic Barriers: Underfunded schools and limited access to quality STEM programs disproportionately affect students of color. Schools with 90% or more students of color spend $733 less per student per year than schools with predominantly white students (Diversity Employment).
Cultural Disconnect: Traditional computer science curricula may not reflect diverse cultural perspectives, leading to disengagement. A study found that students of color are often denied access to computer science courses, limiting their exposure and interest in the field.
Conflicting Interests: Economic pressures may lead students to prioritize immediate income over long-term educational goals. Additionally, a lack of awareness about the breadth of opportunities within computer science can deter students from pursuing this path.
The Role of Parents and Families in Advocating for Computer Science Education
Parents and families are instrumental in transforming these challenges into opportunities:
Encouragement: Actively support and motivate children to explore computer science, emphasizing its relevance to their interests and future success.
Advocacy: Engage with local school boards, civic leaders, and community organizations to champion the inclusion and funding of computer science programs in schools.
Community Engagement: Collaborate with initiatives like Urban Coders Guild, which provides culturally responsive computer science education tailored to Black, Latino, and Indigenous youth.
Local Initiatives Driving Change
Several Tulsa-based organizations are actively working to bridge the tech gap:
Black Tech Street: Founded by Tyrance Billingsley II, this initiative aims to rebirth Black Wall Street as a Black innovation economy by securing tech-focused economic and industry development opportunities for Greenwood. The organization has partnered with Microsoft to establish Greenwood as a national leader in cybersecurity, data analytics, and artificial intelligence, to create 1,000 Black cyber professionals in Tulsa by 2030.
Tulsa Innovation Labs: An initiative of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Tulsa Innovation Labs focuses on building a world-class tech hub in Tulsa by investing in sectors such as energy tech, cyber innovation, and autonomous systems. The organization collaborates with groups like Black Tech Street to ensure that economic growth in the tech sector benefits the entire community.
inTulsa: This talent attraction and retention initiative works to match skilled individuals with job opportunities in Tulsa’s growing tech ecosystem, ensuring that local companies have access to the talent they need to thrive.
Atlas School: Atlas is a new high school in Tulsa with a strong emphasis on technology, entrepreneurship, and real-world learning experiences. The school partners with local businesses and organizations to provide hands-on experience in coding, cybersecurity, and other computer science-related fields, ensuring students graduate with the skills needed for success in Tulsa’s growing tech economy.
Tulsa's Tech Job Market and Future Prospects
The technology sector in Tulsa is experiencing significant growth, offering promising opportunities for those entering the field:
Job Growth: Tulsa's tech scene is projected to grow by 12% over the next three years, outpacing the national average.
High-Demand Roles: Positions such as cloud solutions architect, data scientist, and software engineer are among the top-paying tech jobs in Tulsa, with salaries averaging $135,000, $115,000, and $105,000, respectively.
Cybersecurity: The cybersecurity job market in Tulsa is booming, with a 27% increase in job postings projected by 2025 and average salaries of $92,500.
Call to Action
The future of Tulsa's Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities is intertwined with the digital revolution. By embracing and advocating for computer science education, parents and community leaders can equip youth with the tools to innovate, lead, and thrive.
Communities must unite to ensure that children are not just consumers of technology but also its creators, driving forward the legacy of resilience and excellence that defines Tulsa.
Sources
“Five Advantages of Earning a Computer Science Degree,” Concordia University Texas. (concordia.edu)
“Five Ways to Make Computer Science More Racially Diverse,” The National Interest. (nationalinterest.org)
“Transforming Trajectories for Women of Color in Tech,” National Academies Press. (nap.nationalacademies.org)
“The Research Behind ECS,” Exploring Computer Science. (exploringcs.org)
“Diversity in Computing,” Wikipedia. (en.wikipedia.org)
