Debugging the Code: How To Rewrite Tech’s Playbook with Cristina Mancini, CEO of Black Girls Code

Superwomen with Rebecca Minkoff

Rebecca Minkoff

Society & Culture

4.8 • 543 Ratings

🗓️ 5 June 2025

⏱️ 32 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week on SUPERWOMEN, I’m joined by Cristina Mancini, CEO of Black Girls Code, the nonprofit on a mission to change the face of tech. Before joining Black Girls Code, Cristina built a career in film and television, where her curiosity about how to reach audiences between releases led her into the world of technology. What began as a quest to better engage fans soon evolved into a passion for using tech to drive impact and inclusion. Cristina is leading a powerful expansion of the organization’s focus: beyond teaching girls to code, she’s focused on launching them into the rooms where decisions are made. With her, Black Girls Code has grown to include not just education, but inspiration and real-world opportunity, ensuring that girls and women of color not only learn the skills, but build the confidence and community to thrive in tech. Mancini’s vision is clear: access isn’t enough, especially in a society in which “people are developing technologies that are not built with inclusion in mind.” Under her leadership, Black Girls Code has evolved beyond education, expanding into college campuses and adult programs that inspire, equip, and launch talent into real-world careers. Whether it’s helping a girl build her first app or ensuring she lands a paid internship, Cristina is building a future where representation is the rule, not the exception. In a world where AI and emerging technologies are shaping everything from healthcare to hiring, Cristina is clear: inclusion isn’t optional, it’s crucial. From building out summer camps and national programming to creating pathways for paid internships and leadership, she’s working to ensure no girl is left behind just because the tech world wasn’t built with her in mind. Thank you for listening! Don’t forget to order my book, “Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success.” Follow SUPERWOMEN (@rmsuperwomen) and Cristina (@crisbmancini) on Instagram. Support this podcast: https://bit.ly/rmsuperwomen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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0:00.0	Project Hail Mary is an extraordinary cinematic experience. You're a great scientist, Dr. Grace. The world is counting on you. Starring Ryan Gosling. So I met an alien. Two worlds, one impossible mission. We're going to save the stars. Project Hail Mary. Amaze, amaze, amaze. See it first March 14th and 15th in Cinemas Everywhere, March 19th. Do you ever see a successful woman on your feed or in a magazine and think, wow, it must be
0:25.6	nice to have it so easy.
0:27.8	Well, think again.
0:29.3	Behind that glossy cover or smiling face is a ton of hard work, countless failures,
0:33.9	and endless learning experiences.
0:36.0	I'm Rebecca Minkoff, and I'm here to tell you that success
0:38.4	isn't a walk in the park. It takes grit, resilience, and a willingness to take risks. That's why I
0:45.2	created superwoman. A podcast that peels back the varnish and gets into the nitty gritty of what it
0:50.0	takes to make it as a woman in today's world. From luminaries and game changers to women you've
0:55.3	never heard of but should, this podcast is here to inspire you to take your next leap, no matter
1:00.4	how daunting it may seem. We'll explore the sacrifices these women have made, the highs and loaves
1:06.2	they've experienced, and the lessons they've learned along the way. So if you're ready to be
1:10.6	inspired and
1:11.4	learn from some of the most successful women out there, join me on Superwomen. Together, we'll
1:16.6	uncover the stories behind the successes and prove that with hard work, determination, and a little
1:22.0	bit of luck, anything is possible. Hey, everyone, you're listening to Superwomen. Today's guest is Christina Mancini, the CEO of Black Girls Code.
1:31.4	In this conversation, we talk about how incredibly important it is to have more than one
1:36.2	color, one gender in the room showing up, creating our future, what inspires her to keep
1:41.3	showing up, and the silver lining in her career.
1:44.0	Take a listen.
1:44.8	Christina, welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited to have you on today. Thank you for having me.
1:50.3	Well, I know of Black Girls Code. Yes. Because within fashion industry, we have always, you know,
	...

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