BPTN donates $10,000 to two Black-owned nonprofits serving youth in Toronto and Atlanta

TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - The Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) is pleased to reveal the two recipients of its Pay It Forward donations.

The $10,000 donations were awarded to two Black-owned nonprofits serving Black children and youth who are curious about the worlds of tech and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math).

"Countless reports have shown that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the nonprofit sector. They've also shown that the virus has disproportionately affected Black communities," said Lekan Olawoye, BPTN founder and CEO.

"At BPTN, we were particularly concerned about organizations serving Black youth. This is our humble way of giving back and leaning into the commitment we've made to our community. The nonprofits we selected are deeply invested in nurturing the next generation of Black technologists and increasing Black representation across tech. They've held on to their commitment while faced with the challenges of this pandemic. BPTN is proud to support their work."

BPTN received dozens of applications from across North America! Learn more about the recipients of our two Pay It Forward donations below:

Black Mentorship in Technology (BlackMint) - Toronto
BlackMint is an organization that mentors Black youth and provides them with practical skills, career advice, and the help they need to become confident, career-focused and aspire to be leaders in technology.

"The $10,000 donation is actually quite huge to us. It means that we're able to provide programming to our students. It'll also mean that we'll be able to provide devices to some students that might not have a laptop to be able to participate in the program," says Tobi Ogunbiyi, co-founder of BlackMint.

The Next IT Girl - Atlanta
The Next IT Girl helps young women of colour across the United States discover, pursue, and succeed in technology-related careers. They do so through a wide range of activities including workshops and summer camps.

"This donation means so much to us. We are currently in year 5 of our programming, and we're launching new intermediate programming for our older students. This money is able to help us facilitate that program, as well as get the equipment and resources the girls need to help them become the next IT girl," says Napiya Nubuya, founder of The Next IT Girl.

About BPTN
The Black Professionals in Tech Network (BPTN) is bridging the network gap between Black talent and job opportunities across North America. Our rapidly growing network counts over 20,000 Black professionals. We provide them with access to mentorship, skill-building opportunities, and a strong peer network to support professional growth and advancement. We also help tech companies hire and promote Black tech talent through pipeline building and internal culture development.

SOURCE Black Professionals in Tech Network

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