Planting Seeds of Innovation: Kimberly Bryant at TEDxStLouisWomen

Kimberly Bryant launched Black Girls Code to provide young and pre-teen girls of color opportunities to learn in-demand skills in technology and computer programming at a time when they are naturally thinking about what they want to be when they grow up. After seeing a cultural disparity as a young coder in college, she quickly saw there was a need to provide access to technology to a new generation -- to become builders of technological innovation and of their own futures. So far, her organization has trained more than 1,500 girls to work in technology fields such as robotics, video game design, mobile app development and computer programming, and in July she was one of 11 people to receive the White House Champions of Change for Tech Inclusion.

In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)