Lifting our voices for Black History Month

Black History Month marks a special time each year when we celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black Americans, reflect on the trials and tribulations we’ve overcome and set our sights on making progress on the work that still lies ahead.

I’ve been fortunate to call the Washington, D.C. metro area home for most of my life. I grew up in a little town in Montgomery County, Maryland, went to state school for college, graduated from Howard University School of Law and taught fifth grade at a school in Anacostia. If it weren’t for my connection to these culturally rich and complex communities, I wouldn’t be who I am today. It was these lived experiences that inspired me to pursue a career at the intersection of technology and social justice, and I’m honored to do that work everyday here at Google.

As I reflect on my time at Howard, I am both grateful and constantly reminded of the challenges and inequities Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) continue to face. This especially rings true in light of the deeply concerning threats made against the safety and security of several HBCU campuses across the U.S. over the last few weeks. But Google understands the immense talent and creativity these institutions help foster and want to ensure they continue to thrive for generations to come.

In that spirit, we’re announcing a new $6 million investment in The Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF) and United Negro College Fund (UNCF), building on the momentum of our $50 million grant to 10 HBCUs last year. The unrestricted funding will support scholarships, faculty programs, research grants and curriculum development for their HBCU networks. We’ll also be giving $250,000 in donated search ads to UNCF, which will provide additional support to raise funds for college scholarships and further promote HBCUs.

We know there’s still more work to be done to ensure tech’s workforce better represents the communities that use our products every day. Together with organizations like TMCF, UNCF, NAACP and the National Urban League, we’re eager to continue finding more ways to provide the tools, resources and opportunities necessary to make that goal a reality.

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