Silicon Valley considers itself to be a leader in more than technology. It is also a force of social change. Laura Weidman Powers says that in a time when the United States elected and reelected an African American President, only one in 18 technology firm leaders is Black or Latino. She is cofounder and executive director, along with Tristan Walker from her Stanford MBA class of 2010, of Code2040open in a New Window. This nonprofit organization works to open doors in Silicon Valley for Black engineers and Latinos.

Code2040 has placed five fellows in paid internships with Silicon Valley companies in its first year. These include Jawbone opening in a new window, Tumblropen opening in a new window, Rockmelt, and Cirle opening in a new window. It expects to place fifteen this summer. The Code2040 fellowship requires applicants to pass an exam in coding, a phone screening, and a matching process.

Weidman-Powers, who is only 30, has a long list of accomplishments. She holds degrees from Harvard and Stanford (MBA, J.D.), as well as stints working for two tech startups in the roles of product development executive and producer. While an undergraduate at Harvard, she served as co-director of CityStep – a community service organization. She was awarded a Social Innovation Fellowship in 2013 by Stanford GSB Center for Social Innovation.

Weidman talks to Bill Snyder about the startup that she cofounded and how it came to be.

What is the meaning of the code “Code2040?”

Our country is experiencing a major demographic shift. Census projections indicate that the U.S. will be dominated by people of color in 2040. The leadership and ranks of innovation hubs such as Silicon Valley must reflect this shift. We hope to be out of work long before that.

How does the program function?

It’s called a fellowship. We invite the best Black and Latino students in computer science to join our fellowship program. They are placed in a tech internship at a leading company. We provide mentors to the students, have a speaker series, and conduct workshops on leadership, coaching, and skill-building.

Silicon Valley considers itself to be at the forefront of technology but also in social matters. Women and minorities, however, are underrepresented.

It is my opinion that it is a very innovative and entrepreneurial environment. But there’s absolutely an under-representation, and that’s what we are working to correct. The system is not balanced. Only 1 in 14 Silicon Valley tech employees is Black or Latino, and only 1 in 18 are in leadership positions [according to the Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology].

Why is it still so?

Many people are currently trying to solve this puzzle. Many people have discussed pattern matching and how it can be a factor. Entrepreneurs and executives tend to invest in those who remind them of their success and the people they have seen do well in the past. It’s a kind of closed-loop. We’re trying a different approach: here’s a group of students who are very smart and successful. It makes sense to invest in them.

Do you think that race relations will improve in the United States?

I am. I am.

What motivated you to create Code2040?

Tristan Walker was a classmate of mine at the Business School. We had coffee together in late 2011, just after I quit my job as a product developer at a startup. Tristan presented his idea in order to convince me that I should be the person who leads the project.

Why did you accept the pitch?

I never thought of myself as a business owner, but I saw the enormous potential in Silicon Valley. At the same time, I didn’t know the diversity that I had seen growing up in New York and working in West Philly. Then I realized, “Hey, I can do this.”

In the past ten years, you’ve worked with a variety of nonprofits. What could they do better as a group?

The nonprofits that I have worked with in the past seemed to be too risk-averse, and their revenue was too disconnected from their programmatic work. I am excited to build Code2040, an organization that is responsive and agile to the market. It will also be innovative and thoughtful about how it generates revenue. But, most importantly, Code2040 will remain mission-driven.

You must have put in a lot of time and effort to be a Stanford student. What did you take away from your time at Stanford?

Business school stresses that it’s important to consider your strengths and passions, as well as professional and organizational goals. Leadership is a tool to achieve something bigger than yourself. Stanford doesn’t aim to have a leader. It aims to make an impact through leadership. I found the emphasis on self-awareness and intentionality and the message that these things shouldn’t be optional or an afterthought but should be core components of success to be really powerful.

What motivates you to get up in the morning?

There is so much to be done. There’s a lot to do. We are currently evaluating three programmatic extensions in addition to expanding our fellowship programs. I need to get going and finish everything.

What is the best piece of advice you have ever received as an entrepreneur?

The best coaching or advice I have ever received has revolved around listening carefully to others and relying on your judgment. Everyone has an opinion on what you should do with your time or your business, and no one knows the full story like you. I use this advice every day, sometimes even hourly.

Code 2040 doesn’t focus on this issue. Women are underrepresented in Silicon Valley. Why not?

I want to emphasize that we work with women every day and a specific subset of women — minorities. We collaborate with organizations that support women. It’s just that I don’t think one issue is better than another. There aren’t as many groups that are focused on Code2040, but there are some amazing groups that are working to improve the underrepresentation of women in technology.