This Women's History Month at Bridging Tech
Our women-led organization is creating the next great push for technology access and sustainability.
To our incredible community:
Thank you for supporting us on our mission to bridge the digital divide. As vaccine distribution increases, along with hope for an improved future, I hope that you have had the chance to reflect on the progress that you would like to see in our society. Meeting with many of you and hearing about your passion for technology access and educational equity has been absolutely incredible, and I would love to continue these conversations that help our team make the greatest impact.
This month, Women’s History Month, has a special meaning for our organization. Bridging Tech was founded by two young women who came together with a passion for social justice and commitment to uplifting each other and our Bridging Tech community. Our team continues to reflect our commitment to diversity as we ensure that over 50% of our team and leadership are women, and over 50% of our team and leadership are people of color. Additionally, we are incredibly proud to have joined forces with with women-led organization Computers 2 Kids through our national refurbishing partnership.
Every month, Ruben Krueger, Donor Relations Associate at Bridging Tech, and I put this newsletter together so that we can directly communicate with you and keep you updated with our team’s progress. If you have any requests, please reply to let us know, and continue reading to learn about the latest Bridging Tech news and special highlights.
Thank you for your ongoing support,
Isabel Wang
Co-Founder, The Bridging Tech Charitable Fund
Spotlight: Septima Poinsette Clark
In the spirit of recognizing the contributions women have had in history, we are highlighting the life of Septima Poinsette Clark, an African American educator and civil rights activist.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to Septima Poinsette Clark as “The Mother of the Movement,” for her pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement, in which she created literacy and citizen workshops to advance the rights of Black Americans. Before she passed away in 1987, she had many other achievements, including fighting for the rights of Black teachers in public schools. Septima is one of the countless women who have changed history for the better.
Our Impact
Since our last update, we have provided over 550 permanent laptops to students affected by homelessness across the country. It is clear to us from communication with the families we serve that the technology access and educational opportunities Bridging Tech provides help our students engage with their education and thrive at school. Through a generous contribution directed toward the Washington, D.C., area in particular, we were able to transform the lives of 200 students affected by homelessness.
We plan on continuing to inspire change in the world by motivating community members to host local technology donation drives on behalf of Bridging Tech. Additionally, we plan on continuing to research ways to effectively impact technology access policy so that technology and education become more equitable. We hope that Bridging Tech will become a platform for change.
Next Steps
April 2021 — Upcoming Earth Day Campaign
Next month, we are hosting our Earth Day Campaign, in preparation for Earth Day on April 22. By collecting used devices and repurposing them, we see our cause as improving sustainability and education at the same time. We are asking all of our volunteers to host local technology donation drives to collect used devices so that we can wipe all personal data, refurbish them, and get devices back out into the hands of students who need them.
We need your help to spread the word about our campaign! If you are happy to host your city’s local technology donation drive, we will send you instructions for how to plan the event, and where to send the laptops afterward. Fill out this form to indicate your interest in hosting a Bridging Tech technology donation drive, and we will reach out to you with more information soon!
Fall 2021 — Upcoming Benefit
Since our launch in April 2020, we have raised over $200,000 in pursuit of our mission. We plan to host even larger fundraising campaigns throughout 2021 to continue providing technology access to as many students affected by homelessness as possible. This fall, we would like to celebrate our progress through a benefit.
Do you know someone who would be a good speaker? Email Ruben at ruben@bridgingtech.org to let our Donor Relations Team know.
Ongoing — Recruiting New Team Members
We always need more help at Bridging Tech, so we are currently recruiting volunteers who can dedicate at least 10 hours weekly for the next year to join our team. If you or someone you know are interested in getting involved on a greater level, please send us a message at humanresources@bridgingtech.org.
What We’re Listening To
We founded Bridging Tech when the COVID-19 pandemic forced school closures nationwide. As case counts drop and more people are able to get vaccinated, when will schools be able to open? This is a complicated question, as we need to balance the safety of students and staff with the tremendous costs of remote education. To learn more about this issue, we recommend this podcast episode by The Daily at The New York Times.
Special Shout-Out: Citrix Systems
Thank you to our incredible friends at Citrix Systems for supporting our cause with another $5,000 grant this year. We are incredibly grateful for your dedication to bridging the digital divide!
Get Involved
Do you want to join the cause?
As the pandemic has forced many schools to continue to operate remotely, the devices that you have provided have gone to help hundreds of students across the country engage with their education.
Please let us know if you would like to work together to magnify our impact. We are always looking for ways to innovate and improve our services to help as many children affected by homelessness as possible.
You can become a volunteer or donate.
Thank you for showing support by giving your time. We will be sure to reach out to you when there are opportunities to volunteer by hosting technology donation drives or helping out our regional teams in a city near you.
If you can, donate devices!
With the help of our refurbishing partner, all personal information will be wiped, and the devices will then be properly refurbished. After cleaning out your closets for extra devices, if your company has cyclical hardware refreshes, please consider motivating your IT or Philanthropy Team to donate old laptops and tablets to Bridging Tech.
Finally, become a Digital Divide Ambassador.
Share this newsletter with ten of your friends, and tell us a bit about you and your community to become a Digital Divide Ambassador at Bridging Tech! Email us at newsletter@bridgingtech.org.