Congrats to the 2021 Cohort

An end to our 2021 cycle —our fifth and largest yet!

To the Hack.Community —

THANK YOU for the important role you have played in another year of furthering Hack.Diversity’s mission to build a more inclusive, innovative, and prosperous Boston —especially in light of another year packed with COVID uncertainties, remote work orientation and life balance challenges, and continued racial and social injustices.

Highlights of 2021 include:

• our 3rd de.Hackathon Showcase
• 50+ professional development events offered — including Career Readiness Week presented in collaboration with Learn to Scale and Summer Wellness Series with workshops featuring community partners Lit2Lift, Michelle Garcia (wellness and self-care), Dr. Kiera Penpeci (yoga), and Turnstyle Cycle and Bootcamp
• 97% of interested and eligible Fellows placed into software engineering, IT, data analytics, and UX roles across 27 employers, and the remainder of Fellows left clear on their next steps for the summer and beyond.
• Currently tracking 56% of Fellows on track for a positive outcome as measured by their own goals — including full-time conversion, deferred conversion, return internship, or part-time role. (Full data pending, including those who are finalizing school plans)

With the conclusion of the 2021 cycle, we have a 260-rich Alumni pool, and aim to grow that to 380+ by end of 2022!

Jody Rose, Hack.Diversity President and Co-Founder, giving remarks at a networking dinner for Fellows, Alumni, and local tech professionals hosted by Paul English — the first in-person event held in nearly a year and a half

2021 Wrap Party and Mentor Appreciation

Our annual Wrap Party celebrated the hard work of our Fellows AND dedicated Mentors. This year, we brought in Wall Street Journal bestselling author, local career counselor, and first-generation college student Gorick Ng for inspiring and relatable keynote remarks, paired with an engaging reflection and future visioning exercise.

To help foster the feeling of togetherness, we turned the event into a remote pizza party — courtesy of the unique services provided by Pizzatime. (Check them out; you’ll be supporting another small team that takes all of the logistics out of getting a meal all together, all at once, all over the country!)

The Hack Fellows shared a Kudoboard with notes of appreciation to their Mentors, and Mentors came together to create a send-off video for 2021 Fellows on Tribute. Check it out:

Host Company Updates

We’re excited to announce that we are well underway in solidifying our 2022 partners, of our renewing Host Companies along with new partnerships in the works! Follow us on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Our Website) to stay tuned for an announcement in later fall 2021.

Now, it’s time to get ready for our 2022 cycle!

Are you passionate about increasing representation for Black and Latinx/e/a/o technologists within software engineering, data analytics, or mechanical engineering? Or know someone who is? If so, Hack.Diversity may be just the right professional development program! Our 2022 Cohort application is now LIVE (click here to apply)! Application closes on Nov. 1, 2021.

OR, are you a professional who is passionate about diversifying the tech + innovation economy and enthusiastic about learning from and contributing to the future of tech and the Hack.Community? Apply to serve as a 2022 Mentor (click here to express interest)! Application will close in early November 2021.

Want to partner with us for an event? Let us know at info@hackdiversity.com. Engage with us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Our Website — and Support Our Work!