Hack.Diversity – Boston, MA and New York, NY
Hack.Diversity is a nonprofit organization focused on transforming the economy and breaking down barriers facing Black and Latine professionals in the technology industry. Hack.Diversity’s program focuses on upskilling both ends of the talent pipeline, employer hiring and retention, and bridging the gap between employers and Black and Latine workers in the field. In doing this, Hack.Diversity partners with employers and companies on their culture and readiness to recruit, retain and accept leaders of color, while focusing on technical talent and ensuring a diverse team. For its fellows, Hack.Diversity provides technical project skill-building, career skill-building, industry social capital building to generate competitive salaries within the tech industry for their future success and ability to generate wealth.
With support from the Fund for Workforce Equity, Hack.Diversity increased the budget for its Alumni Leadership Council (ALC) and developed an alumni-informed curriculum for its newly-launched Fellowship Cohort in New York City. Alumni were compensated for completing an annual survey gathering feedback about the strengths, gaps, and opportunities in the curriculum and were provided stipends for engaging in “instructor” positions for incoming Fellows.
The ALC used its budget to autonomously advance work in three areas. First, it built out its network of alumni into a larger community. By the end of 2023, the network included over 400 Black and/or Latine professionals working as software engineers, data analysts, information technology professionals, and mechanical engineers. Second, ALC amplified the visibility of Hack.Diversity in the larger field by participating in the organization’s five-year quasi-experimental study to understand industry experience and upward mobility among Hack.Diversity alumni compared to two comparison groups. The study’s 2023 findings show that wages for full-time workers were much higher for alumni compared to either comparison group. Wage growth was also higher for alumni, and they continue to have higher rates of health, retirement, and other benefits than the comparison groups. Finally, ALC provided professional development opportunities to alumni through a few dozen community events, including networking and self-marketing opportunities, and in 2024 has plans to offer additional workshops and trainings around strategic planning and technology readiness.
Hack.Diversity also used its grant funding to adjust its curriculum and racial equity, diversity, and inclusion (REDI) upskilling offerings after soliciting alumni feedback. Through listening sessions with alumni, the organization learned that they highly valued financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and networking opportunities, and as such are implementing several activities in 2024 to continue to deepen and expand alumni engagement. Through pre- and post-program surveys, one-on-one meetings between program staff and participants, and group convenings, Hack.Diversity will continue to ground its curriculum and programming in the needs and lived experiences of its primarily Black and Latinx Fellows and alumni.
Looking ahead, Hack.Diversity will continue to center the voices of its alumni to help drive equity in career reentry and retention. Its feedback loops will serve to inform yearly curriculum and program development and ensure that these address and adjust to participant and alumni needs.