Code for Progress launched in DC two years to teach minorities to be full-stack web developers during a four-month paid residency. Its first cohort graduated and is now placing the 11 people in jobs with for profits and nonprofits. The organization announced this week that it will move to Ward 8 in October to work on coding initiatives with the DC government at the R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center. Program director Aliya Rahman (left) says Code for Progress’ work is necessary to address the lack of diversity in tech and the lack of access minorities have to computer science education.

The organization also helped develop an app that will be announced this week called Buscando that helps connect families and volunteers with programs that are helping undocumented immigrant children. Aliya joined the organization earlier this year after working as a field director for Equality Ohio. Her grandfather was a mechanic and she grew up with a love for machines and travel. She studied astronautical engineering at Purdue but took a computer science class. Ever since she’s been teaching and working on social justice issues and trying to solve diversity problems through technology.