Miami Dade College to Host First Code Art Miami: Inspiring Girls to Code

Miami Dade College (MDC) invites South Florida students, parents, educators, and members of the local tech community to attend the first-ever Code Art Miami beginning at 4 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 6, at MDC’s Miami Animation & Gaming International Complex (MAGIC). Code Art Miami, a digital art exhibition and speaker symposium, is a collaborative effort between local Girls Who Code Clubs and Miami‐based CODeLLA, a non‐profit organization committed to teaching coding and tech skills to Latina girls from underserved communities. This event is free and open to the public. “With the ever‐changing dynamics of technology and the way gaming and coding has been evolving, it is becoming a major, major industry,” said Mauricio Ferrazza, MAGIC chairperson. “We know entertainment software companies are growing as a source of employment across the country and locally. We applaud the initiative of the local Girls Who Code clubs and CODeLLA, and welcome them at MAGIC.” Code Art Miami seeks to inspire more girls to code and to foster community among participating student groups. The event is sponsoring a competition for girls in grades 4‐12 to enter their digital and 3D‐printed art created through coding. All area students are welcome to submit their “art created through code” for display at the event. The art will be displayed digitally on several flat screens throughout MAGIC’s state‐of‐the‐art industry facility and winners will be announced at the event. One lucky raffle winner will receive an one‐week summer camp scholarship at MAGIC for ages 14‐19 in either animation or gaming. Net event proceeds will go toward funding a scholarship for women enrolled in one of MDC’s gaming or animation programs. There will also be a silent auction with art and tech‐related items including two NEW art pieces created just for this event, a painting by internationally‐acclaimed South Florida native Ahol, and a limited edition print created by London‐based artist Ryca. “Women today represent only 18% of all computer science graduates and just 22% of gaming developers. My hope is that events like Code Art Miami will help increase those numbers,” said Maria Mejia, Code Art Miami student founder. “Coding is the language of tomorrow, and I want all girls to feel like they can be a part of the future.” To learn more and reserve tickets, visit www.codeart.miami, or email us at info@codeart.miami.