A new nonprofit aims to expand artificial intelligence (AI) literacy and prepare the next generation of technology leaders through an integrated ecosystem of virtual and place-based skills-building programs.
Beyond Code Collective, launched on March 9 by the Black Girls Code nonprofit organization, aims to equip learners of all backgrounds and ages with the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving, tech-driven economy.
“For the past year, I’ve been asking leaders, experts, and students, ‘Who is coding your future?’ The answer has not been satisfactory. I founded this new organization to address the growing gap between skills and opportunities across all communities,” said Cristina Mancini, founder and CEO of Beyond Code Collective.
The nonprofit has developed a comprehensive curriculum with input from leading technology companies, academics, and industry experts. Through collaborations with partners such as the Responsible AI for Computational Action design-based research project, it will offer curricula in AI, machine learning, and emerging technologies for middle and high school-aged learners.
Beyond Code Collective also offers participants across age groups the chance to develop practical AI automation skills through Zapier’s AI Builder Path – a leading AI orchestration platform.
Mancini said the organization offers both virtual and in-person programming with live instructors, “providing wraparound support, meeting learners where they are, and supporting pathways to real economic mobility through hands-on training, mentorship, and job placement.”
Beyond Code Collective said its programming centers on three initiatives:
- The Forge: a hybrid intergenerational, place-based hub that blends tech education, community engagement, and workforce development under one roof
- Beyond Code Catalysts: a virtual and physical cohort-based workforce program that creates clear, supported pathways into high-demand tech careers
- After The Game: a national, cohort-based workforce program for transitioning or recently retired professional and National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes. It is explicitly designed for those who are not long-term earners and need structured support to design and enter a second career
“We’re uniting the worlds of emerging tech and human talent to shape a future where innovation is inclusive, responsible, and within reach for all,” Mancini said.
