There's a lot of talk about computers and science and a mix between the two in the halls and classrooms of the GDC. And that's expected, computer scientists will naturally talk about computers and the science surrounding them. But at some point, people started talking about social issues, particularly those of inclusion, and even after a number of great programs have been put in place, it's seems that sometimes we still shy away from the discussion.

Despite how often you hear it, there's still to be no easy way to say it: we have a diversity problem in tech. Scratch that. We have diversity problems in a majority of high-paying fields. But unlike banking and finance, the same basic issues get a lot more coverage and have much more of a voiced concern from people in tech. And unlike other fields, there's a lot of mobilization around the country to try and do something about it. Perhaps the hype surrounding computer programming and the size of the projected growth in the field (BLS estimates 1.4 million jobs by 2020) has lead us to believe that there's an opportunity here. That if we're going to grow as a field, we'd like to grow towards equality. That if technology is going to continue to be a more integral part of our lives, we would at least like for everyone to be given an equal chance to involve themselves in building our future.

Needless to say that in today's world, people growing up without regular access to technology are at a significant disadvantage. Formally, this form of inequality in terms of access is known as Digital Divide and is a problem a number of people including Google are cognizant of and are actively trying to solve. But often the problem is more than just access. It's a problem of education and widely held beliefs. As with many people involved in technology today, my father was a white collar professional who didn't work directly with computers but knew how to deal with them. I grew up with a computer at home and access to internet—though it'd often be taken away as punishment. I wasn't incredibly tech-savvy, but I didn't necessary think I was dumb. For the most part, I didn't really care much for computers. But when I look back at some of my time spent in the first 18 years of my life, I realize that I could've, should've, and would've started earlier had I been given some exposure to computer science and a little bit of a push. This regret comes up more often when I come across a programming prodigy or a particularly accomplished programmer who's still in high school. There's now little reason to complain, but it's brought me to the realization that most children, especially those of low income communities, grow up with the mistaken belief that building things and using technology is largely beyond them. Most kids in these communities are raised to believe that computer programming type stuff is not meant for them and never get exposed to the exciting world of technology. This is a problem.

This past month in New York, Mayor De Blasio launched a plan mandating that computer science be taught to all children of all ages within the next ten years. In San Francisco this past summer, I was inspired by the mission of the Black Girls Code. Here in Austin, education and outreach from UT in East Austin has been largely successful, but at times inconsistent. This is an issue that I've thought about quite a bit for the last month and have come to the conclusion that consistency and extensive effort on part of the people involved is the only way to make effective change in our community. That was the motivation behind Code Orange, a new student organization dedicated entirely to enabling UT students to make a positive, lasting impact in the lives of children in underserved communities in East Austin through technical education, mentorship, and outreach. This semester, we've partnered up with our friends at Doing Development to start working with the Pan American Recreation Center in setting up a 6 week after-school creative computing course for a small group of 10-12 year olds. Code Orange relies on the time and willingness of volunteer its teachers, mentors, and people to help build our vision.

In the face of the task at hand, it's easy to believe that nothing will ever change. If it will, it's going to take involvement from more than just the current cohorts of people who believe in "social justice." It's going to take some effort from everyone both locally and globally. And it all starts with you. Find a cause you believe in, get involved, and help make the capabilities we all take for granted accessible to everyone.