All News Volunteer of the MonthNov 14, 2024 Meet Oksana Feterovskaya, CTD’s Volunteer of the Month!CTD’s volunteers can serve as class mentors, lead small groups of students through our capstone practicum project, support apprentices in their career search, contribute to our curriculum, and serve in other areas as well. We could not do our work at this scale without them! Each month, we celebrate one volunteer who has made a […] Volunteer of the MonthSep 17, 2024 Meet Aipu Ameh, CTD’s Volunteer of the Month!Each month, we’re excited to celebrate one of the many volunteers who help make our program possible. Code the Dream’s volunteer of the month for September 2024 is Aipu Ameh, a freelance web developer at ABA Creations. Aipu volunteered as a mentor in our most recent Intro to Programming class. She is great at putting […] May 10, 2024 NC IDEA spotlights partnership with Code the DreamNorth Carolina-based economic development nonprofit NC IDEA highlighted their partnership with Code the Dream in a case study authored by CTD Co-Executive Director Daisy Magnus-Aryitey. Staff SpotlightMay 10, 2024 Staff Spotlight: Ming KingAt Code the Dream, more than 50% of our staff are CTD alums. Our latest hire, Ming King, completed CTD Learns classes and was hired as a junior developer in 2023. In this short Q&A, you can meet one of the newest additions to the CTD team! Career DevelopmentMar 23, 2024 CTD’s Tandem Apprenticeship model benefits employers and apprentices by supporting diverse tech talentA key component of Code the Dream’s unique model is the CTD Labs Apprenticeship program, where students have an opportunity to apply for a paid apprenticeship working in CTD Labs. There, under the supervision of experienced software developers, they work on projects for clients, gaining valuable real-world experience and operating in a professional environment. Over […] Career DevelopmentMar 23, 2024 Transcending Technical Training: CTD works to emphasize career developmentThis blog series will explain our process in expanding and developing our Professional Skills Program. In this first post, we are going to start with the big picture. At Code the Dream, we are committed to creating opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering innovation, and making a positive impact in our communities. But our […] Volunteer of the MonthFeb 20, 2024 Meet Darga Darga, CTD’s Volunteer of the Month!Each month, Code the Dream celebrates one volunteer who has made a special contribution to our community. Our Volunteer of the Month is Darga Darga, a class mentor, practicum project lead, and curriculum volunteer over the past year. Darga also wrote about his experience in a previous blog post, “How CTD Empowers Mentors with Flexibility.” […] Volunteer of the MonthJan 30, 2024 Meet Angel Brown, CTD’s Volunteer of the Month!Each month, Code the Dream celebrates a volunteer who has made a special contribution to our community. We're excited to start off 2024 by thanking Angel Brown, a Software Engineer and Engineering Manager at Calendly. VolunteersNov 20, 2023 How CTD Empowers Students and Mentors with FlexibilityWhen students are able to choose the specific interactions that they find most comfortable and effective, it also creates a clear opportunity for volunteers to do the same. Tandem ApprenticeshipOct 4, 2023 CTD’s Tandem Apprenticeship model highlighted in webinar with partners Cisco and SASCode The Dream's Co-Executive Directors Daisy Magnus-Aryitey and Dan Rearick, and CTD Labs Director Tom Rau discussed the Tandem Apprenticeship model with partners Cisco and SAS during a webinar on September 14th. Tech & Civic EngagementOct 4, 2023 Magnus-Aryitey participates in STEM education panel before Congressional Black Caucus FoundationCode the Dream Co-Executive Director Daisy Magnus-Aryitey took part in a panel discussion on the importance of STEM education and "investments and recruitment of Black creatives through early education pipelines" in Washington, DC, on September 21. Apprentice SpotlightAug 22, 2023 Cohort of CTD Apprentices receive SAS FellowshipsCode the Dream (CTD) and tech company SAS stepped up their longstanding collaboration in 2023, when SAS brought on a cohort of CTD apprentices to undergo training and mentoring and gain real-world work experience addressing coding problems, creating visual examples of user interface components, testing software, and checking design elements. SAS and Code the Dream first worked […] Durham MagazineJun 27, 2023 Magnus-Aryitey featured in Durham Magazine’s Women’s IssueCode the Dream Co-Executive Director Daisy Magnus-Aryitey was interviewed in — and featured on the cover of — Durham Magazine‘s annual Women’s Issue. Jun 13, 2023 Code the Dream Senior Developer Cruz Núñez Wins “NEXT TECH” AwardCode the Dream (CTD) Senior Developer Cruz Núñez accepted an award for “rising stars and tech innovators” at a June 12 ceremony held by non-profit professional organization NC TECH and Business North Carolina in Raleigh. Núñez was part of the inaugural class of NEXT TECH Award recipients. Núñez was selected for the award in recognition of […] Feb 13, 2023 Code the Dream COO Lucy Martinez featured in “Local Limelight”At Code the Dream, we love it when our students and staffers are recognized for their remarkable contributions. So we were proud that our rockstar COO Lucy Martinez was featured in Axios Raleigh for their Local Limelight series. Lucy brings tremendous energy to our team and keeps our fast-growing organization in order so that everyone […] Dec 15, 2022 Magnus-Aryitey on Removing Resumé Requirements: “Tear the paper ceiling”In a Twitter chat hosted by WorkingNation on December 14, Code the Dream Co-Executive Director Daisy Magnus-Aryitey and other stakeholders discussed how traditional resumé requirements block qualified candidates — many from groups that are underrepresented in high-paying professional positions — from good jobs in tech and other sectors. “STARS (workers Skilled Through Alternative Routes) exemplify […] Nov 15, 2022 Rearick discusses need for tech education in underrepresented communities on NC Policy Watch podcastCode the Dream Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director Dan Rearick talked to writer Rob Schofield about the increasing need for access to tech education among communities that have yet to gain a strong foothold in the tech industry. “The tech industry is becoming a bigger and bigger part of our economy, there are so many amazing […] Mar 11, 2022 Magnus-Aryitey speaks about “breaking the bias” at RTP event commemorating International Women’s DayCode the Dream co-Executive Director Daisy Magnus-Aryitey took part in a panel discussion commemorating International Women’s Day at Boxyard RTP on March 9. Aryitey and the other panelists shared their experiences as women in the workplace, their efforts to bring positive change, and their vision of a more equitable future. Magnus-Aryitey said she is proud […] Jan 31, 2022 Magnus-Aryitey: To solve complex problems “we need people from diverse backgrounds deeply involved at every step of the way to help build new technology that makes a difference”Code the Dream’s Daisy Magnus-Aryitey discussed her path to a coding career, her new position as Co-Executive Director, and CTD’s recent growth and exciting future in this Q&A with WRAL’s TechWire. When asked about the importance of diversity in tech, Magnus-Aryitey responded: “We know that if we want to solve complex, real-world problems we need […] Oct 15, 2021 Article in Southerly and Enlace Latino NC features Code the DreamA new article — available in Spanish and English — details CTD developer Kevin Arevalo’s journey to a tech career, CTD’s work creating farmworker outreach apps, and the new tech cooperative Radiate Consulting NC. Read the piece in English here, lea el artículo en español aqui. Jun 17, 2021 The Importance of Public Interest TechnologyRecently, CTD Co-founder and Board Member Daisy Magnus-Aryitey spoke with New America about her origins in technology, her work here at Code the Dream, and why public interest technology is important work for the health and growth of our communities. The potential of technology is colliding at this moment in time with the horrors of […] Jun 7, 2021 “As Apple and Google hire in the Triangle, they should embrace diversity” – News and ObserverOn April 30th, Code the Dream co-founders Dan Rearick and Daisy Magnus-Aryitey shared their thoughts in an op-ed with the News & Observer about what impact Apple and Google will have on the region after both companies announced their plans to expand into the Triangle. Here’s an excerpt: This week, Apple announced plans for a […] Mar 3, 2020 Seattle Times: Can’t Find Tech Workers? You Might Need to Train Them Yourself.Tony Byrd was growing increasingly discontented with his job running the coffee shop in the lobby of IBM’s main building in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. He had been working there since he graduated from high school nearly a decade ago, and with two young kids to provide for at home, Byrd, 27, was itching […] Feb 6, 2020 Athletes Unfiltered: Code the Dream Helps Disadvantaged YouthBack in July, I chatted with then Penn State defensive back John Reid about his experiences with Coding and how I can teach Coding to my students. After digging through the resources he recommended, I came across Code The Dream. Here’s my chat with John Reid about Coding and with four interns from Code The […] Jan 23, 2020 ABC11: Downtown Durham murals transport viewers to an augmented realityDURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) — We’re 20 miles away but murals in downtown Durham are your portal to the North Carolina Museum of Art. “You can walk in and it’ll take you to the exhibition at the N.C. Museum of Art,” said Irene Serrano, Code the Dream. Code the Dream exposes under represented groups to the […] Jan 23, 2020 Grepbeat: New AR App Brings Two Downtown Durham Murals To LifeHave you ever wondered what it’s like to be in Durham, Raleigh and Mexico all at the same time? By simply holding your phone up to two murals in downtown Durham, you can do just that. A new augmented reality (AR) app has the power to transport you through a virtual portal to the inside […] Jan 22, 2020 WRAL TechWire: Durham’s Frida Kahlo murals come to life with new augmented reality appDURHAM – Ever feel the urge to jump into a mural like Mary Poppins and get transported into another reality? Well, now you can. A new augmented reality app called Mariposa AR –commissioned by Google Fiber and developed by Code the Dream — allows visitors to interact with two murals in downtown Durham inspired by artists Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera. “AR […] Dec 19, 2019 WUNC: The Road to Diversity in Tech – Code the DreamPart of the American dream includes a solid education with the promise of a lucrative job down the road. For students in North Carolina who are undocumented or recipients of DACA, that dream is elusive. These facts were part of the impetus for Code the Dream, a nonprofit organization that teaches immigrant and minority youth the […] Dec 18, 2019 ABC11: RTP nonprofit teaches people how to write computer code for freeRALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — Crystal Williams-Brown is the poster child for ‘Code the Dream’. The college graduate couldn’t find work in her first chosen field and decided she really wanted to be a computer programmer. “As I was looking around at a lot of those schools it was very expensive to go and I wasn’t […] Dec 3, 2019 N&O: Give local: 25 big-impact organizations in the Triangle worth your money and timeThis is a season of celebration and reflection: we gather, take stock, feast, give thanks. It’s also a good time to give back, a show of gratitude for all we’ve been given. As you consider how, whether on Giving Tuesday (Dec. 3) or before the end of the year, take a look at these Triangle […] Nov 20, 2019 WRAL TechWire: Durham’s Code the Dream Goes National With Remote ClassesDURHAM – Code the Dream is expanding its footprint, big time. The Durham software development non-profit has launched its first national cohort of remote classes, opening access to its training program. “For the last two years, we’ve turned away applicants from other states,” said its executive director and co-founder Dan Rearick. “So we’re happy to finally be able […] Aug 15, 2019 Software company Pendo invests in developing talent, sponsors new hire to coding schoolby Latisha Catchatoorian | Originally published August 14, 2019 This story was written for WRAL TechWire Advisor partner Momentum Learning. A lot of companies talk about investing in their employees, creating a more diverse work environment, and growing the workforce, but too many times these are just bullet points in a company handbook. That’s not the case […] Mar 27, 2019 TechWire: Code the Dream expands operations to Research Triangle ParkOriginally published March 26, 2019 in WRAL TechWire RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK – Code the Dream, an organization that provides computer programming classes to people from diverse and low-income backgrounds, is opening a second office. Launched in Durham at American Underground, the nonprofit is opening a new office at The Frontier campus in Research Triangle Park. The […] Mar 14, 2019 Indy Week: Advocates Say Durham’s Experiment Could Be a Model for Statewide Justice ReformBy Sarah Willets | Originally published March 13, 2019 in Indy Week Advocates Say Durham’s Experiment to Wipe Thousands of Old Cases Off the Books Could Be a Model for Statewide Justice Reform Linwood Thornton had just accepted that he’d never drive legally again. His license had been suspended since June 2, 1989. A relative used […] Mar 6, 2019 GrepBeat: Code The Dream Is Diversifying Tech With A Focus On Giving Backby Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez | Originally published March 5, 2019 in GrepBeat Sitting in a classroom in the basement of American Underground’s American Tobacco campus, eight of Code the Dream’s young programmers waited to present their apps to an eager audience last Friday. But, something made this event different from most tech demos. In fact, something […] Feb 2, 2019 Upstate opens access to info about state governmentOver the last year, one of the apps Code the Dream has been most proud to develop has been Upstate — a tool that allows users to get immediate updates about proposed new state laws in the issue areas they care about most. Yesterday Upstate founder Kelly Garvy and CTD developer Crystal Williams-Brown were on […] Dec 20, 2018 Code the Dream Featured in Walter MagazineLocal adults and students share a desire to learn the language of computers in hopes for a career or life change. by Addie Ladner | photography courtesy Code the Dream It’s a Thursday night on Fayetteville Street in downtown Raleigh. While many people are drinking and eating their way through downtown, nearly 20 adults and […] Jun 19, 2018 Free ride-sharing app aims to lift needy Triangle residentsBy Mandy Mitchell| Originally published June 18, 2018 on www.wral.com DURHAM, N.C. — A nonprofit group in the Triangle that worked with a technology class in Durham has created a ride-sharing app for families whose relatives have battled homelessness but still need help with transportation. The “Ride Together” app was developed by Crystal Williams-Brown, a student […] Jun 4, 2018 CTD hits the evening news!Code the Dream opens doors, launches careers By Mandy Mitchell, WRAL reporter & Hannah Webster, WRAL.com editor DURHAM, N.C. — A Durham startup is making dreams come true for adults and high school students who want to work in technology. Code the Dream provides free classes for people who are traditionally under-represented in the technology and […] Aug 26, 2017 La Noticia Newspaper: Free programing classes offered for immigrant youthOriginally published on August 30 in La Noticia . by Paola Jaramillo A free program offered by a nonprofit organization that has become a bridge for dozens of young immigrants to integrate into the world of Internet page programming. “The goal of ‘Code the Dream’ is to give immigrants the opportunity to open spaces in […] Aug 1, 2017 N&O: Code the Dream helps immigrant and refugee communities give back and diversify tech worldOriginally published July 29, 2017 in the News & Observer. Anne Blythe ablythe@newsobserver.com With laptops open, rapt students watched as lines of code stretched across their screens. They were gathered in the American Underground, a startup incubator, to take part in classes organized through Code the Dream, a program set up to steer people from […] Nov 1, 2016 CTD grad and instructor Cruz Nuñez featured in the North State JournalAs a graduate of Code the Dream, Cruz Nuñez shared his experience with the North Carolina’s new statewide newspaper, the North State Journal. Cruz describes his experience as a recipient of DACA and the challenges he and other students have in seeking out higher education. Please read the full article here. This article in the […] Aug 14, 2016 CtD Lead Instructor Ramiro Rodriguez honored as Tarheel of the WeekEvery week the Raleigh News & Observer honors one great North Carolinian as its Tarheel of the Week. This week it was our Lead Instructor Ramiro Rodriguez! A well-deserved honor for him, as well as a great recognition of all the hard work and successes of our students, volunteers and everyone who makes Code the Dream […] Dec 1, 2015 Code the Dream on TV…Code the Dream Lead Instructor Ramiro Rodriguez and Executive Director Dan Rearick recently had a chance to talk with the nice folks at Fox 50 about why Code the Dream is so important and how it works. The Hola NC episode aired on Sunday, but you can still catch the interview online. May 31, 2015 CTD in 'Que Pasa' Spanish newspaperOfrecen cursos de programación y desarrollo de aplicaciones a jóvenes hispanos http://raleigh.quepasanoticias.com/noticias/ciudad/local/52953-ofrecen-cursos-de-programacion-y-desarrollo-de-aplicaciones-a-jovenes Programa Code the Dream promueve un mayor acceso de las minorías a la industria tecnológica Escrito por Eloy Tupayachi Durham.- Los jóvenes inmigrantes tienen la oportunidad de aprender gratuitamente programación de computadoras y desarrollar aplicaciones para teléfonos móviles mediante el programa Code the Dream, un […] May 1, 2015 Code the Dream in the Huffington PostThe Huffington Post recently ran a story on some of the great initiatives taking off in the Research Triangle, including Code the Dream. Three Ways Research Triangle Startups Are Tackling America’s Challenges Adam Klein, Chief Strategist at American Underground Jim Whitehurst, President and CEO of Red Hat The startup scene in Raleigh, Durham, and […] Apr 17, 2015 Code the Dream featured in The Indyhttp://www.indyweek.com/indyweek/a-durham-program-helps-immigrants-overcomeobstacles-to-learning-high-tech-skills/Content?oid=4371364 Dreaming in Code By Emily Feng Each weekday, from 9 to 5, Ruben Cruz learns to code. Less than a year ago, Cruz, whose parents immigrated from Mexico, had no programming experience. Now a full-time student at The Iron Yard, an intensive coding academy in downtown Durham, he will graduate with the skill level of […]