Overcoming Barriers: Brianna Fugate
It’s no secret that when it comes to getting into the tech industry, there are significant barriers for certain people — a fact that our Fellows know all too well. Whether it be internal, like imposter syndrome, or external, like discrimination or immigration, these Fellows have faced them all and despite the odds, overcome them. The following was written by Sonia Hamilton, our Summer Documentation Intern, and is part of a series on #wethe5th.
Brianna’s pathway to tech began as her high school career came to a close. While searching for ways to enhance her college applications, Brianna stumbled upon a volunteer opportunity at an organization called BlackGirlsCode. “I didn’t know what coding was. I just wanted to help out.” While volunteering, Brianna decided to sit in on one of the classes and was immediately hooked. “I was so inspired. The girls were grasping the concepts so quickly and easily. After that, I knew I had to learn how to code.”
At the time Brianna became interested in tech, Google had just released its numbers, bringing attention to tech’s severe lack of diversity. Further intrigued, Brianna applied and was accepted to Google’s exclusive Computer Science Summer Institute with an essay on why diversity is important and how tech companies can increase their diversity. There, she underwent an “intense and immersive” experience encountering programming languages and completing challenging CS projects for the first time in her life.
By the time Brianna entered her freshman year at Spellman, she was set on a major in Computer Science. However, she discovered that at schools like hers, a historically Black college, the resources to get into tech weren’t readily available and tech companies rarely engaged in recruitment efforts. “Tech companies say there’s a pipeline problem, but that simply isn’t true. They need to divert their attention to what they’re not used to — Black and Hispanic universities. It’s difficult for these students to get to Silicon Valley because they don’t even know where to start.”
Though Brianna has already enjoyed great success during her short career — participating in Google’s CSSI one summer and interning at the White House’s Office of Science and Technology Policy the next — she has faced the difficulties of being a double minority in tech. “Being a black woman in tech is difficult. It’s hard to find people in my field who look like me. You often don’t feel like there are people who can be a mentor or ally to you.”
Brianna’s feeling of isolation has been further aggravated by a number of microaggressions she’s experienced. “The other day at work, I was with some of the other Code2040 Fellows at the cafeteria and a foreman came up to us and asked if we worked there because he couldn’t believe it. I want people to know we’re not just the help. We’re not just here for your benefit. We’re here because we worked hard and we want to be here and we have a place here.” While Brianna has experienced imposter syndrome throughout her time in tech, she is learning to overcome it. “I always have the fear that people look at me and wonder why I’m here. I know to some people, the color of my skin defines my abilities at work. I may be brown, but I’m smart and I’m capable.”
Last summer, Brianna interned at Intel, where she worked on an educational platform that teaches students how to code. “I love the project I worked on because it explored the intersectionality of education and technology. I’m passionate about colored youth getting the resources they need to get into tech.” Despite the hardships she’s faced as a black woman in tech, Brianna cites the next generation as her inspiration to keep fighting. “I’m just fighting for the person behind me. If I can just take those microaggressions, why not do it for the next generation?”
In the future, in addition to challenging herself as an engineer, Brianna hopes to become a role model and mentor to young Black women interested in tech. “I want to be a software engineer but more importantly, I want to do the work of increasing diversity in tech. Whether that’s being a mentor to young Black girls or intellectually challenging myself as an engineer, I want to be the bridge between my community and tech.”
Brianna is a member of #wethe5th, our fifth fellows class.
