Former Executive at Salesforce and 20th Century Fox Leading Tech Future
If the next generation is not taught to create future tools, they risk falling behind. Cristina Mancini, CEO of Black Girls Code (BGC), has long been preparing for this reality. Job security skills are becoming outdated as technology advances rapidly, reshaping industries and raising questions about readiness for the future of work.
Being tech-savvy is now essential, extending beyond coding to understanding cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and ethical frameworks shaping tools that impact our lives.
Reports from PwC, McKinsey, and the World Economic Forum predict that AI will transform the global workforce by 2050, displacing jobs and requiring new skills. Those who can harness this evolution will lead, while others risk being left behind in a world being reshaped without their input.
However, access to such preparation is unequal. AI tools can automate workflows, screen job candidates, and power hiring portals that may discriminate based on gender, age, or name. These systems can perpetuate existing inequities without input from affected communities.
Mancini leads efforts to ensure technology's future is driven by innovation and inclusion. BGC aims to increase representation by empowering young people to see themselves as innovators in tech education programs. The organization has already trained over 40,000 students in STEAM fields, offering programs in AI, computing, gaming, and more to bridge the opportunity gap and cultivate future tech leaders.
Mancini, who became BGC's CEO in late 2023, plans to help one million girls of color enter the tech industry by 2040. Her career has been marked by a commitment to storytelling and inclusivity, influenced by her multicultural upbringing and family background in engineering and entrepreneurship.
She emphasizes the importance of listening to real people in innovation, ensuring that technology is inclusive and equitable. Mancini challenges traditional notions of success in tech, advocating for a more diverse and sustainable approach to building platforms and creating opportunities for underrepresented voices in the industry.