Technology

Pioneering the Future of Gender Equity in Tech: GET Cities Ushers in New Era with Strategic Partnerships

CHICAGO, May 15, 2024 – The GET (Gender Equity in Tech) Cities initiative marks a significant turn in its mission to redress the gender imbalance in the technology sector. As the program approaches the conclusion of its five-year course, it is entrusting its legacy to three dedicated community partners. World Business Chicago, Radical Partners, and the Last Mile Education Fund will be crucial in consolidating the initiative's ethos within local communities, fostering resilience and spearheading transformative alliances that further the impact of the initiative in generating inclusive tech ecosystems.

Carrie Freeman, the visionary leader of GET Cities, expressed enthusiasm for the program's forthcoming journey. She stated, "Our foundational mission was to fuel the engines of change and inclusivity across the technology landscape. Through innovative design, keystone partnerships, and scaled endeavors, we have championed gender-inclusive ecosystems. The time is ripe for our partners to take the helm, driving forward the impactful narrative we began to nurture tech industries that are attentive and adaptive to diverse societal needs."

Collaborative Forces Stepping into the Limelight

Inherent in the transition is the handover of responsibilities to three organizations, all well-entrenched in the GET Cities collaborative. They stand as testament to the program's enduring commitment and the fragmental work each has contributed to the cause thus far:

Last Mile Education Fund: Breaking Barriers and Forging New Paths

The Last Mile Education Fund, a national non-profit, has carved a niche in addressing social mobility and the diversity chasm in technology by directing support to talent that often goes unnoticed. Ruthe Farmer, the trailblazing founder and CEO of Last Mile, emphasized the importance of recognizing the varied experiences at the crossroads of gender, economic status, race, and technological interaction. "Harnessing the insights from GET Cities' research enables us to decode the complexities in reaching gender parity within tech," Farmer elucidated.

Radical Partners: Catalyzing Gender Equity from Miami's Shores

From the vibrant city of Miami, Radical Partners emerges as a social impact accelerator committed to investing in leaders, mobilizing communities, and co-creating solutions to empower local ecosystems. Joan Godoy, Radical Partners' dynamic CEO, reaffirmed their origins with GET Cities and the budding vision ahead. "Having sown the seeds of gender equity since the nascency of GET Cities in Miami, we are now well-positioned to strengthen these efforts, connecting untapped local talents to the burgeoning tech employment sphere," Godoy professed.

World Business Chicago: Envisioning a Tech-Inclusive Windy City

Acclaimed as Chicago's lead advocate for economic expansion, World Business Chicago has accepted the baton with open arms. The agency operates from the intersection of public-private partnerships and has long been a beacon for economic development strategies. Nicole McCarthy, the organization's Vice President of Innovation & Venture, outlined their motivations: "Championing the principles set by GET Cities resonates with our ethos for inclusive growth. Our strategic network aims to magnify the initiative's local and regional resonance, opening the gates wider for marginalized jobseekers in the technology sphere."

Widely held research corroborates the link between diversity and corporate innovation: inclusive companies are poised to be more inventive and financially successful. Nonetheless, the National Center for Women and Information Technology reported a mere 26% participation of women in tech roles as of 2019, a ratio that has stagnated.

Freeman posits, "To advance in earnest, our efforts must be both audacious and deliberate. This transition is an opportunity for our partners to innovate on the foundations laid and broadened by the GET Cities initiative."

For further insights into the GET Cities program and the invaluable work its partners will continue to propagate, interested parties are encouraged to visit GET Cities. Additional information is available on World Business Chicago at worldbusinesschicago.com, Radical Partners at radical.partners.com, and the Last Mile Education Fund at lastmile-ed.org.

GET Cities: The Vanguard of Equitable Tech Influence

GET Cities, a national venture propelled by SecondMuse Foundation and generously supported by Pivotal Ventures with partnership from Break Through Tech, is distinguished for its allegiance to historically marginalized communities within the tech realm. Since its inauguration in 2020, GET Cities has actively championed ecosystem alignment and activation, contributing to a more balanced and thriving economic fabric.

A Beacon of Inclusive Prosperity: The SecondMuse Foundation

The SecondMuse Foundation, a non-profit entity rooted in reimagining societal structures, subscribes to 'relational wealth' as its core operational philosophy. It leverages insights from its multifaceted partnerships and international experiences, striving to propagate the concept to a broader spectrum of practitioners and donors. The Foundation remains dedicated to thought leadership, nurturing field-specific discourse, and engendering public goods centered around relational wealth. Enthusiasts are invited to glean deeper insights at www.secondmusefoundation.org.

World Business Chicago: A Titan in Equitable Economic Development

Reflecting its stature as the economic heartbeat of Chicago, World Business Chicago dedicates itself to equitable economic advancement across the city's vibrant neighborhoods. Functioning with a laser focus on burgeoning sectors, such as transport, healthcare, and startup ecosystems, it acts as the linchpin in fostering a welcoming environment for innovation throughout the city.

Radical Partners: The Lifeline of Miami's Social Innovation

Strategically situated in Miami, Radical Partners has emerged as a stalwart community institution specializing in the advancement of social impact initiatives. With a suite of proactive offerings—coaching, strategic consulting, and the mobilization of community interventions—the organization underpins the aspirations of changemakers at the grassroots level.

Last Mile Education Fund: A Catalyst for Diversity in STEM Education

The Last Mile Education Fund champions social mobility and diversity within STEM fields, aiming to power the dreams of students too often ignored. Since its inception, Last Mile has been a transformative force for students striving toward degrees in vital STEM disciplines, embodying the possibility of a more inclusive technological tomorrow.

For media inquiries and further correspondence regarding this transformative shift in the GET Cities initiative, interested entities are directed to contact Amie Hornbaker, APR, at myWHY Agency, Inc. via email at [email protected] or by phone at 312-291-1099.

GET Cities stands as a beacon of hopeful change, casting a long shadow on the future of gender equity in tech. With the baton of responsibility firmly in the hands of World Business Chicago, Radical Partners, and the Last Mile Education Fund, these champions of change pledge to carry on the compelling work commenced by GET Cities. Standing tall as the initiative's testament to inclusive excellence, they aspire to weave together the fabric of a truly gender-equitable tech industry that not only captivates but also encapsulates the diversity and dynamism of society itself.

With a sense of collective responsibility, the partners of GET Cities engage in earnest with an eye on the horizon, fueling the flames of innovation and inclusion. As Freeman aptly noted, such bold transitions reinforce the initiative’s underlying quest to author a new chapter where technology not only reflects but actively engages with all facets of our richly diverse global community. From the bustling streets of Miami to the towering skyline of Chicago, the resounding echoes of gender equity in tech promise to form the anthem of a new era—an era where gender balance is not an ideal but a lived reality.

In an ever-evolving landscape, the tenacity and collaborative spirit instilled by GET Cities will persist as a heritage that perpetually inspires, promotes, and emboldens gender equity in tech. By embracing the multi-faceted narratives of gender, race, socioeconomic status, and education within the realm of technology, the initiative and its champions are scripting the blueprint for a more equitable and dynamic future—a future where women and all historically excluded individuals flourish in the world of technology.

As we cast our gaze forward, the GET Cities initiative stands not only as a beacon that illuminated the path to gender equity in tech but also as an enduring legacy that has sown the seeds of balance and inclusion. With organizations such as World Business Chicago, Radical Partners, and the Last Mile Education Fund stewarding the cause, the travailed road moves from incremental progress to leaps of innovation. With the support of insightful research and unwavering devotion, the journey toward a diverse and inclusive tech landscape continues, full speed ahead, propelled by the winds of change and unity.

Uniting for a Shared Vision

As the narrative of GET Cities continues, narrated by its prolific community partners, it stands as a living parable to the tenets of cooperation, vision, and unyielding dedication to societal growth. Each partner, instilled with the ideals of the initiative, strides forward with a renewed sense of purpose, fortifying the grounds of equitable opportunities within the tech industry. Now, with the strategic transition of GET Cities into an empowered community-centric approach, the message of inclusion and diversity weaves through the broader tapestry of global technology, elevating the narrative to an anthem of transformation and prosperity.

In conclusion, GET Cities lays down the torch, but its light blazes forth through the endeavors and unwavering commitment of World Business Chicago, Radical Partners, and the Last Mile Education Fund. As these organizations anchor the tenets of GET Cities' profound mission, the path to a harmonized and equal tech landscape is now clearer than ever. Collectively, these entities serve as the bastions of a brighter future, where the full spectrum of human diversity is recognized, celebrated, and essentialized in the shared digital journey ahead.