Standing Firm in Our Mission: Equity, Access, and Opportunity for All

Across the country, organizations committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion are facing increasing scrutiny. Terms like equity, justice, and even representation have become flashpoints in a national conversation that often obscures their meaning and intent. We have seen public attacks on DEI initiatives, mischaracterizations of inclusive practices as “reverse discrimination,” and even the quiet suppression or shadow banning of words and concepts connected to equity and access.

Urban Coders Guild is not immune to these headwinds. As a nonprofit that exists specifically to expand equitable access to computer science education for underserved, underrepresented, and under-resourced students, we know that clarity of purpose has never been more important. We also recognize that some potential funders and partners, locally, regionally, and nationally, may weigh our commitment to equity as a factor in their decisions to support us. While we respect differing perspectives, we will not compromise our mission or our values.

Our Mission

Urban Coders Guild exists to provide equitable access to computer science education for underserved, underrepresented, and under-resourced students. Our mission is rooted in a belief that access to technology education is both a right and a necessity in today’s economy. Our work is especially urgent because access to computer science education across Tulsa-area schools remains neither equal nor equitable, regardless of a student’s race, ethnicity, or zip code. This inequity persists even as Tulsa is recognized by the U.S. Economic Development Administration as one of America’s next-generation Tech Hubs, a designation that highlights our city’s potential but also underscores the urgent need to ensure that opportunity reaches every student.

The reality is that all Tulsa-area students are underserved, underrepresented, and under-resourced when it comes to technology and computer science education. Far too few schools offer structured, consistent computer science courses or pathways that prepare young people for future tech careers. Within that already limited access, racial and ethnic disparities add an additional layer of inequity. These overlapping challenges make our mission to expand access, build capacity, and prepare students for the tech-driven future both necessary and urgent.

Our mission carries additional weight in Tulsa, a city whose history includes the catastrophic destruction of wealth and opportunity in the Greenwood District, once known as Black Wall Street. We see our programs as part of Tulsa’s ongoing journey toward restoration, resilience, and shared prosperity through technology and education.

While Urban Coders Guild’s programs are designed to expand opportunities for Black, Latino, and Indigenous students, groups that have been historically excluded from computer science and technology pathways, our programs have always been open to all students, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender identity, or background.

We do not screen, interview, or preselect participants. Students are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, with no prerequisites or barriers that could intentionally or unintentionally exclude any group. Our outreach, marketing, and recruitment materials are distributed widely across Tulsa-area schools, including those with varied racial and socioeconomic demographics.

Our 2025–26 afterschool program data tells a clear story. The vast majority of our students identify as students of color, including those who are Black, Latino, Asian, or Indigenous. We are also proud that our programs include a number of White students who choose to learn and grow alongside their peers in an environment that values inclusion and shared opportunity. Many of our students come from households that qualify for free or reduced lunch, and more than half entered the program with little or no prior coding experience. This diversity reflects both our intentional outreach and our belief that talent exists everywhere, but opportunity does not. We are not simply teaching computer science; we are opening doors, building confidence, and creating pathways for students who might otherwise be left out of Tulsa’s growing innovation economy.

Urban Coders Guild’s demographic focus reflects a commitment to broadening participation and representation in technology, not exclusion. We believe diversity of race, ethnicity, and lived experience is essential for innovation and problem-solving in computer science. By welcoming every student, we create learning environments where collaboration across perspectives leads to better tools, stronger ideas, and more inclusive technologies for the next generation.

Simply put: we focus on equity AND we practice inclusion. Every student with curiosity, drive, and imagination belongs here.

A Clarion Call for Clarity and Courage

We are aware that in today’s climate, words like equity and inclusion can be twisted into political talking points. Yet for us, these are not political terms; they are educational imperatives. Our goal has never been to divide but to unite young people of every race, ethnicity, and identity in the shared pursuit of knowledge, creativity, and opportunity.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to creating pathways for those who have historically been left behind, while ensuring that every student who wishes to learn is welcome and supported. We do this not in defiance of the moment, but in service to the future.

Urban Coders Guild will continue to build a community where all students can see themselves in tech, contribute to innovation, and shape the digital world that will define tomorrow. That is our promise, and we intend to keep it.

A Call to Action

To our funders, partners, and community leaders: your support has helped us grow from an idea into a movement that changes lives. The work of equity requires courage, and your investment is an act of leadership. Now more than ever, we ask you to stand with us, invest in our mission, and help build the future Tulsa deserves, one where opportunity in technology is open to every student in every neighborhood without exception.

Together, we can ensure that Tulsa’s rise as a Tech Hub is not just about innovation but inclusion. The next generation of coders, creators, and problem-solvers is ready. With your partnership, we will make sure they have the access, resources, and confidence to lead.