Celebrating 5 years of AfroPix
Founded in 2018 by Charlie Helms and Olivia McPhaul, Black in Technology (BIT) is an organization geared towards supporting Black college students pursuing a Computer Science major or tech career pathway. The students recognized a need for the organization as they noticed that in their classes and major tech companies, black students are one of the least represented demographics. They realized that Impostor Syndrome is something many black students face in the technology field and they wanted to help combat this issue. Black in Technology wanted to provide an inclusive environment for people of color from surrounding colleges to thrive in which led to “AfroPix”, which is an inclusive symposium and case competition to celebrate the beauty of people of color in technology. BIT designed this particular event in order to create a more multidimensional space for students to develop their professional and personal goals, which was parallel with the core objective of the organization. "Where you are is where some people want to finish” The first AfroPix, BiT’s annual tech symposium, was held on April 18th, 2020. Created during the early throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, the original in-person format was quickly adopted to be a virtual event in a matter of weeks. Nonetheless, the event proved to be successful, hosting over 100 students representing 50+ universities across the nation. In his powerful speech, Keynote Speaker Devon Rollins encouraged attendees to remember that “where you are is where some people want to finish”. Leaders of BIT took these words to heart as they planned for the next AfroPix. In 2021, AfroPix remained a virtual event as COVID restrictions remained in effect but this did not dampen the joy of those who attended. AfroPix 2022 saw the first in-person event as well as the introduction of the AfroPix AfterParty. The AfterParty was exclusive to students and allowed them to celebrate their achievements in a more social manner, serving as a juxtaposition of the more professional nature of the tech symposium. The AfterParty would continue into 2023. In 2024, leaders of BIT decided to move the event to February to coincide with the celebration of Black History Month. They also added the AfroPix Raffle where participants could win an Apple 4K TV, a VR headset, or a PS5! AfroPix 2025 is the culmination of old and new. We want to respect the hardwork of those who came before us and worked towards making the event what it is. We also want to continue to open doors and opportunities for those who will follow us. In keeping the core tenets and principles of the event intact, we strive to accommodate a landscape that is constantly changing. While we no longer have the AfterParty, we have now been able to introduce BIT's first ever hackathon! We hope that all who attend the event regardless of role thoroughly enjoy all that we have to offer. At the end of the day, this is an event to give back to a community that constantly gives to us. With love, BiT Exec
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