Coding and Social Justice

Sometimes working in the technology field can seem disconnected from social issues. However, that is not the case, as technology continues to change the social impact landscape, there are many innovative ways to give your tech skills to a cause and make a difference in society.

There are many ways you can use your programming skills for good. In my research, I’ve found that many small nonprofit organizations are in need of tech support. You can lend your programming skills as a volunteer developer to a nonprofit organization or a project. This move is a huge benefit for junior developers, who might want to solidify their existing skills further or learn new languages. Additionally, having the tech support can be incredibly impactful for nonprofit organizations in getting their messages to marginalized communities and also bring awareness to their causes.

Here are a few places where software developers can get connected to nonprofits in need of technology support:

Code for Social Good is a resource for matching volunteers of all technical levels with projects that align with their interests and expertise.

Interested in contributing to an open-source project that improves government services to communities all over the United States, find your nearest Code for America chapter.

Finally, as new programmers, the best way to learn is by teaching others. In the tech community collaboration is not only important for productivity but for learning how to become better coders as well. One way to give back to society is teaching those who might not have the resources to learn to code. The tech field has a big problem with diversity. This is a big problem because, without diversity, companies cannot be inclusive in creating their products which leads to the increased marginalization of communities.

You can teach others how to code! Volunteer as a coding teacher or mentor with the following organizations

Teens Exploring Technology and Girls Who Code. Both groups seek to empower young men and women through technology.

Black Girls Code a nonprofit that seeks to introduce a new generation of young Black girls to technology in general and programming specifically.

These are just a few ways you can begin your social justice and coding journey. Remember, no matter how small or big, paying forward with your tech background is the best way to help society.