In addition to announcing scheduling details for its WWDC starting on June 22, Apple on Thursday revealed that it has created the Racial Equity and Justice Initiative with a $100 million commitment. In a video statement released on his Twitter feed, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “The initiative will challenge the systemic barriers to opportunity and dignity that exists for communities of color and particularly for the black community, with special focus on issues of education, economic equality, and criminal justice reform.”
Cook also announced that Apple will be holding a new Developer Entrepreneural Camp for black developers. Cook prefaced the camp announcement with a mention of WWDC, but details for anyone interested in the camp have yet to be released.
AppleApple VP Lisa Jackson
Cook said that the company could do more to hire from underpresented groups and that Apple will also be “taking significant new steps on diversity and inclusion.”
The initiative will be led by Lisa Jackson, VP of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. Cook said in the video that, “The effort will build on our longstanding work with historically black colleges and universities, community colleges, STEM education, and under-served students and teachers, and forge new partnerships with organizations like the Equal Justice Initiative.”
Author: Roman Loyola, Senior Editor
Roman has covered technology since the early 1990s. His career started at MacUser, and he's worked for MacAddict, Mac|Life, and TechTV.