Photo by Demarcus Bowser
Brit Fitzpatrick
When Brit Fitzpatrick started her tech company MentorMe a few years ago, a couple points stuck with her. First, she was on her own as far as learning how the business went. Second, Silicon Valley seeks diversity by reaching out and bringing in.
Fitzpatrick’s latest venture, Geeked Memphis, seeks to address these matters. The nonprofit launches Thursday at the New Dizzy downtown. (The event is sold out.)
“Tech is not just coding,” says Fitzpatrick. “There are all kinds of applications.”
She sees a community forming — one that can feed Silicon Valley’s need to bring in talent and one that can build its own enterprises right here in Memphis. She sees a future of tech that is not only diverse but dedicated to inclusion.
At Thursday’s event, two initiatives will be announced: a networking and peer mentorship community for women and a coding workshop aimed at under-represented youth. Also in the works is an upcoming Hackathon with a focus on criminal justice.
“There will be monthly programs on education, conversations around entrepreneurship. I’ll be inviting in speakers,” Fitzpatrick says. “We’ll connect quarterly in a social setting, but it’s not just series of parties or happy hours.”
