Designating March 24th, 2024, as National Women of Color in Tech Day.

Designating March 24th, 2024, as National Women of Color in Tech Day Whereas National Women of Color in Tech Day acknowledges the challenges many women of color face in the field of technology (referred to in this preamble as tech (1) Katherine Johnson, a former engineer at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration; (2) Marie Van Brittan Brown, who invented the first home security system; and (3) Patricia Bath, who invented the Laserphaco Probe for the removal of cataracts; Whereas evidence suggests that structural and social barriers in tech education, tech workforce development, the tech workforce, and venture capital investment in tech can disproportionately and negatively affect women of color; Whereas women are underrepresented in tech, and women of color often face additional systemic barriers in the tech ecosystem specifically and in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this preamble as STEM Whereas underrepresented minority students often face an opportunity gap in STEM education in the United States; Whereas women and girls of color often face an achievement gap in science and engineering education; Whereas women and girls overall often face a large opportunity gap in computer science; Whereas the competitiveness of the United States in the 21st-century global economy largely depends on developing STEM-literate citizens; Whereas the demand for professionals in tech and computing fields is expected to increase substantially over the next decade; Whereas, as of March 2023, data showed that there were more than 750,000 open and unfilled cybersecurity jobs in the United States; Whereas increasing the number of women of color in tech will be critical to building and maintaining a competitive tech workforce; Whereas women of color currently make up 41 percent of the female population in the United States and are projected to make up the majority of women by 2060; Whereas, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, women of color in the United States earned 17 percent of bachelors degrees and 7 percent of doctorates in STEM fields during the 20212022 school year; Whereas the low number of women of color in tech positions who have not received a bachelors degree, but who have earned other certificates, demonstrates that women of color may not be taking sufficient advantage of alternative pathways for reskilling in computing-related areas or may not have adequate access or exposure to these pathways; Whereas increasing the inclusion of women of color in the science and tech sectors can provide role models who can inspire students of all backgrounds and identities, including young girls of color; Whereas diversity in any field incorporates different experiences and ideas that can ultimately lead to more creative and pioneering solutions to the current and future problems of the United States; Whereas a May 2020 study by McKinsey and Company shows that companies with a diverse workforce often perform better, hire more qualified employees, have more engaged employees, and are better at retaining workers than companies that do not prioritize diversity; Whereas communities of color are underrepresented in corporate leadership roles, including in the tech sector; and Whereas a pipeline of qualified tech candidates of color is critical for future growth, particularly as the tech industry works to improve the recruiting, hiring, and retaining of candidates and employees of color: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate (1) designates March 24, 2024, as National Women of Color in Tech Day (2) recognizes the celebration of National Women of Color in Tech Day as a time to reflect on the many notable contributions that women of color have made to the field of technology in the United States; (3) urges the people of the United States to observe National Women of Color in Tech Day with appropriate programs and activities; (4) pledges to work to increase diversity and inclusion in the technology sector, including through robust plans to ensure recruitment, training, and retention of underrepresented minorities at all levels; (5) commits to working to eliminate barriers to entering the technology sector faced by women of color and individuals from other underrepresented groups; (6) reaffirms the commitment of the Senate to ensuring that all students have access to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (referred to in this resolution as STEM (7) supports efforts to strengthen investments in, and collaborations with, educational institutions, including community colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, Hispanic-serving institutions, Asian-American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian-serving institutions, and other minority-serving institutions, to sustain a pipeline of diverse STEM graduates ready to enter the technology sector; and (8) urges the President to work with Congress to improve data collection, data disaggregation, and dissemination of information for greater understanding and transparency of diversity in STEM education and across the workforce of the United States.

Summary: This resolution designates March 24, 2024, as National Women of Color in Tech Day to celebrate the contribution to the field of technology made by women of color.