Serena Williams teams with Karat to launch program for aspiring black engineers

Karat, the world’s largest interviewing company, today announced a strategic investment from Serena Williams to significantly scale Brilliant Black Minds, a program that improves access and inclusion across the technology industry.

By opening the program to all current and aspiring Black software engineers and serving as Karat’s “Champion of Brilliance,” Serena will support Karat’s call on the industry to help add more than 100,000 new Black engineers to tech in the next decade.

“The tech industry is the biggest opportunity generator of our lifetime. And yet, those opportunities have not been distributed equally. People who look like me have been mostly kept out of the highest levels of tech,” said Williams.

Many Black software engineers face multiple barriers to entry for jobs in the tech industry, from structural inequities that delay early exposure to computer science to limited information about how the industry hires, fewer connections in their professional networks, and less opportunities to practice technical interviews.

As a result, just 5 percent of all software engineers in the U.S. are Black. Karat launched Brilliant Black Minds to close the Interview Access Gap that disproportionately impacts Black software engineers.

“The technology industry is focused on solving some of the world’s biggest challenges. My focus is ensuring the solutions to those challenges are developed by all of us,” added the 23-time Grand Slam champion. “There has never been a shortage of brilliance in Black America; only limits to the access and opportunities extended to our community. That is why I am proud to team up with companies like Karat who are taking actionable steps to bring more diversity and equity to the industry, as well as call on others to be part of the change.”

With this investment from Serena Williams, the Brilliant Black Minds program is now open to all current and aspiring Black software engineers in the U.S. who want the opportunity to make progress on their technical interviewing skills. In Serena’s role serving as a “Champion of Brilliance,” she will teach the importance of practice and building a championship mindset to help participants land their dream job in tech.

To get involved in Brilliant Black Minds and join the movement to double the number of Black software engineers in the U.S., visit www.karat.com.