We can expect Donald Trump to be re-elected as president backlash against racial equality Gains after the 2020 uprisings will grow exponentially. When it comes to nonprofit work for racial equity, political And economic Conditions that sanction white supremacy inhibit capital investment in equity and further entrench systemic racism. Data shows philanthropic commitments for racial equity rose to 16.5 billion in 2020, more than double that in 2019 and 2018. decline in philanthropic support for racial equalityTech industry giants have gutted DEI in the last two years.

Over the past year, we have felt the effects of a strategically orchestrated network of attacks on racial justice work across the country. This backlash is reflected in the results of this election and will continue to gain momentum, increasing attacks on our society’s most marginalized communities. Make no mistake: White supremacy and Fascism is on the rise and it is urgent that we recognize the technology industry as a critical area in our fight for the future. There is a need now more than ever to work for racial equity in technology.

On: Code2040, The non-profit organization that I lead, We approach our work towards racial equality as racial justice, movement-oriented work. 2040 will be the year Black and Latinx people come Became the majority in the USAAs technology profoundly impacts every aspect of our lives, racial equity in technology is not just about access to jobs, but also access to power. We’re trying to change not just who works in technology, but how people work in technology and how technology works. We envision a world shaped by collective human needs, where life is more important than profit. We aim to shape a tech industry that strives to create life-affirming technology where the well-being of our collective humanity is centered above profit motives.

Since our founding in 2012, Code2040 has supported one of the largest networks of Black and Latinx tech professionals in the industry. We have served as the gateway to technology for hundreds of Computer Science students and supported more than 250 technology companies in redesigning their workplaces to center racial equity. Last year, our Member Program The ten-month racial equity advocacy training expanded into skills development, industry networking and community building.

Currently, the tech industry is driving us towards a future defined by ecological destruction, racial violence, and ongoing violence. accumulation by dispossession. Because it is developing rapidly Artificial intelligence destroys ecological resources, Artificial intelligence-supported genocide continues in Palestine. We live in a moment technological military expansionand we must reject War as the driving force of the innovation economy. Without security supervision, Artificial intelligence will continue to threaten our communities And destroying our ecologies. Over the past year, we have seen tech workers organize and stand up against the use of their labor to fuel genocide; A growing number of AI experts are calling for security protocols to guard against the dangers of disconnected AI development. In response, Big Tech fired workers And shed more than a billion dollars We are bringing technology into this election cycle to keep it unregulated and innovation to recklessly advance towards disruptive futures.

This presidential election cycle we saw: Technology used to undermine democracy and I witnessed Venture capital and Big Tech’s influence on voters. If we are to combat white supremacy and racism in this country, we must advance racial equity in technology.

The tech industry enables the proliferation of white supremacist ideology and is run by corporate executives with vested interests. growth of authoritarianism in technology. Before joining Trump on the campaign trail, open eugenicist and tech billionaire Elon Musk already had white supremacist X accounts reactivated and benefited Platform to spread misinformation and AI deepfakes. Besides rebooting White Supremacist Nick Fuentes’ account in May 2024The person who shared this on November 5th said, “Your Body, My Choice. Forever,” to X, X’s chatbot Grok is also working to power MAGA messaging. Grok noted that proliferating artificial intelligence with little security guidance produced deepfakes and was also used to spread misinformation about voter registration deadlines until election officials sent a letter of complaint.

In the days leading up to the election, Musk offers cash ‘rewards’ to undecided state voters. This clearly undermines democracy and looks like bribery: dollars are exchanged for votes. Musk’s lawyers moved the case from local court to federal court.

Technology shapes democratic discourse, and in this moment of political turmoil, we must guard against it. Using digital tools for increased authoritarianism.

Consider the leading venture capital firm, Andreessen and Horowitzor a16z. A16z provides an excellent case study in the use of diversity reduced to the headcount project to advance undemocratic gains. when running a16z Cultural Leadership Fund, A fund for black startups, Andreessen and Horowitz donated $2.5 million each Trump Super PAC shortly after Kamala Harris Became the Democratic presidential candidate.

When the election was very close to being held in early October, Ben Horowitz pledges significant donation to support Kamala Harris’ campaignfired reporters for covering this remarkable financial move. Among Horowitz’s numerous works, his somersault Technology executives call Trump What happened in the days before the election shows that the technology industry is primarily driven by profit. Horowitz is a former board member. Code2040 It shows how diversity can be used in the service of capital expansion and maintaining the status quo.

The ideological foundations of a16z by Marc Andreessen Techno-Optimistic Manifesto, is the harbinger of fascism. Manifesto by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti Futurist Manifesto, A catalytic text glorifying war and speed, foreshadowing Marinetti and Alceste de Ambris’s 1919 Fascist Manifesto. In fact, the Techno-Optimist Manifesto directly quotes the Futurist Manifesto and lists Marinetti as one of the “Patron Saints of Techno-Optimism.”

As we face technology-fueled genocide and growing global war, we cannot ignore the material influence of venture capitalists and technology executives driving the innovation economy.

We need racial justice advocates in the tech industry who can advance racial equity as an internal strategy to dismantle systemic racism and create radical change in the innovation economy. Advocacy for racial equality includes highly publicized activities such as Google employees who were fired, arrested, and ultimately terminated for their insistence that Google be responsible for the use of their technology to support genocide in Palestine. However, less publicized interventions can also have long-lasting effects; As the Code2040 alumna expressed her observation that women of color at her job were less likely to receive coaching and feedback from their managers, and helped design and implement new standards for employee development. The company still uses it today.

When we face Existential risks of uncontrolled growth of artificial intelligence, technologically supported genocidal warfareand the degradation of our planet, the congressionally empowered right wing, and another Trump presidency, it is no exaggeration to say that our future literally depends on technologists committed to racial equality.

For the past 10 years, Code2040 has built a community with Black and Latinx technologists and led the fight for racial equity in tech. Each year, we run a Fellow Program that offers training in job skills, internship connections, and racial equity advocacy along with a strong community of Black and Latinx technologists.

This year, we are hosting more than 100 scholars from all over Turkey. They will join more than 1,000 Code2040 alumni and community members shaping the future of technology. We build power with Black and Latinx technologists and industry change-makers because we know technology needs a redistribution of power.

As we confront the dangers posed by Donald Trump’s return to the presidency and the rise of fascism, we must deepen our commitment to racial justice in every aspect of our lives and work. As an organization dedicated to advancing racial equity in the innovation economy, we affirm our commitment to racial and economic justice. We will continue to support tech workers everywhere who are excited by the promise of creating technology for collective, societal good.

Code2040 is committed to leveraging the power of our community to be part of the movement to democratize knowledge, provide full access to technology for all, and create technological solutions that fuel social justice movements around the world. As we face white supremacy and deep-seated systemic racism across the country, our work towards racial equity in technology is needed more than ever.

The next four years promise little regulation, accountability, or consequences for the way tech companies use their power or the impact their choices have on our local and global communities. We must use this moment to regroup, re-evaluate, and re-strategize, but if we are isolated from each other, we cannot build forces and movements that will create radical social change. In the midst of endless loss and prolonged grief, we must return to the basics: human connection, preparedness, and action.

Meet your neighbors, connect with your co-workers, and organize together. To join Code2040’s email list To sign up to mentor 2025 Fellows, Donate to support racial equity efforts in techstart a reading group on Palestinian occupation resistance, Connect with organizing efforts against police brutality, including local Police Cities and pressure supporting companies to divest. There are so many valuable actions to take, so many ways to make an impact. The only requirement is action.

Code2040 addresses the racial inequities and unbalanced distribution of power that black and Latino people face in technology. They are committed to building a reality where Black and Latinx people in technology can lead and thrive in an ever-growing economy shaped by the digital revolution.