Code2040

Celebrating 2025–2026 Fellow Gabriela Araujo ✨ Studying Computer Information Systems at Berkeley City College, Gabriela’s journey into tech is fueled by curiosity, determination, and a commitment to community. “When I entered the tech industry here, the first reality that I saw was that there wasn’t a lot of representation from my community… I felt alone.” Through Code2040, she found community, tools, and confidence — and now she’s paying it forward. Gabriela’s story is a reminder: that representation is transformative. When we build pathways into tech, we expand who gets to create solutions, shape industries, and serve our communities. Read more about Gabriela’s journey on our website: code2040.org/blog

The closing ceremony for Code2040’s Tech for Resistance Hackathon is TONIGHT. After days of collaboration, creativity, and collective imagination, our Fellows are ready to share what they’ve built — projects rooted in resistance, care, and the futures Black and Latinx technologists are actively creating. 🗓 Feb 10 ⏰ 7pm ET / 4pm PT 🔗 bit.ly/hack-to-resist26 Join us to celebrate our Fellows, their work, and what’s possible when technology is shaped for us and by us!

We’re excited to introduce our judges for our upcoming Tech for Resistance Hackathon vol. 2! 🗓 Feb 10 ⏰ 7pm ET / 4pm PT 🔗 bit.ly/hack-to-resist26 From full-stack development and cybersecurity to machine learning and IT infrastructure, these judges bring technical experience and shared commitment to building a just technological future. They’ll be evaluating our Fellows hacks with an eye for innovation, impact, and equity. Stay tuned for part two!

Join us for Tech for Resistance Hackathon vol. 2! Come celebrate our Fellows, the creativity, and the futures they’re imagining and building collectively. 🗓 Feb 10 ⏰ 7pm ET / 4pm PT 🔗 bit.ly/hack-to-resist26 Witness what happens when Black and Latinx technologists imagine and build toward a just technological future!

✨ Celebrating our 2025–2026 Fellow, Grace Pimentel! ✨ Grace is Dominican and grew up in Brooklyn, NY. She’s majoring in Web & Mobile Computing with a minor in Creative Writing at Rochester Institute of Technology, where she brings together technical skill and storytelling. When she’s not coding or writing, Grace enjoys playing the ukulele, reading poetry, and spending time with family and friends. Read more about Grace on our blog: code2040.org/blog

Our first hackathon was so good, we had to bring it back! We’re excited to announce Code2040’s second Tech for Resistance Hackathon, a culminating moment of our 2026 Fellows Program. Rooted in community and innovation, Fellows will work in teams to design technological solutions that respond to the most pressing social issues of our time, and anticipate those that lie ahead. Stay tuned as we share more about the event and how you can get involved!

Meet 2024-25 Fellow Vardaan Kapoor! A multi-disciplinary technologist at UW-Madison, Vardaan is all about curiosity, collaboration, and tech to solve big real-world problems and drive change toward racial equity. “Opportunities, resources & respect should be mutually shared,” he says. From learning Java in 6th grade to today researching intelligent database systems, he’s driven by “ah-ha” moments where complex problems meet elegant solutions. Read more on our blog at code2040.org/blog!

Meet 2024–2025 Fellow Elikem Hamenoo — a first-year CS student at Grambling State University, NVIDIA software engineering intern, and a passionate builder of community. Growing up in Ghana with limited computer access, Elikem’s persistence fueled his journey into tech. From traveling kilometers to school and the library to founding a ColorStack Chapter at Grambling, he’s committed to creating opportunities for himself and others. Elikem envisions a future in international development, leveraging technology to improve digital infrastructure, sustainability, and global connections — and even dreams of working with the UN. His advice to future Fellows: “Find your people. Take it one step at a time. Never let anyone limit or define your path.” Read on our website— code2040.org/blog

Who controls AI—and what could we build if we did? Swipe through and imagine what’s possible when we shape the future of tech together! Join us for “Critical Conversations with Code2040: Artificial Intelligence” as we explore these and many more questions related to AI! Starting August 5. RSVP here: https://lnkd.in/e3siVPbW

📣 Announcing the judges for our inaugural Tech for Resistance Hackathon! 📣 This Sunday, July 27, we’re closing out our first Hackathon, and here are our judges — straight from the Code2040 community of alumni and mentors. The Hackathon is a culmination of the Code2040 Fellows Program and a bold step forward in shaping the future of tech through collaboration, creativity, and justice. Don’t miss our virtual closing ceremony on Sunday, July 27 at 1pm ET / 10am PT, where teams will demo their final projects! Tech can be a tool for resistance. Our Fellows are proving it. 👨⚖️ Judges 👩⚖️ Shane King Zackery (they/them) – Code2040 Mentor & Volunteer Shane is a queer Black technologist, filmmaker, and poet who has lived in the Bay Area for over 10 years, most recently in San Francisco’s Mission District. Shane has been a part of the Code2040 community since 2017, first as a Code2040 Summit attendee, then as a mentor and volunteer. They are currently an Engineering Manager at Intuit Mailchimp, leading the Reporting and Analytics Data Platform team. Shane loves talking shop about the backend, object oriented programming, databases, operating systems, and APIs, and is currently learning Python. Paul Grad (he/him) – Code2040 ‘17 Paul has worked as a software engineer for almost 7 years, first at Autodesk and now at US News. He came back to mentor for Code2040 in 2022 because he wants to help others achieve their potential and break through oppressive systems. Adam Valencia (he/him) – Code2040 ‘22 Adam is a software Engineer at Gusto, a '22 Alum of the Fellows Program, and a member of the Hackathon Advisory Council. He is a first-generation graduate with a B.A. in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics and Education from Hamilton College.