Empowering Indigenous Futures

IndigiGenius is an Indigenous-led nonprofit working to increase the representation of Indigenous people in computer science and emerging technologies through culturally informed curriculum, programs, and initiatives.

The Urgent Need for Change

  • High School

    Only 67% of American Indian and Alaska Native high school students have access to computer science courses, significantly less than other groups.

  • College Enrollment

    In 2020, only 22% of Native Americans aged 18–24 were enrolled in college, compared to 40% of the overall U.S. population.

  • College Graduates

    An average of 42 CS bachelor's degrees were awarded annually to Indigenous students from 2011 to 2022.

  • Graduate School

    On average, only 1.75 CS PhDs (0.11% of the total) were awarded annually to Indigenous students from 2011 to 2022.

Mission

We are Indigenous futurists dedicated to empowering communities through culturally-centered mentorship, education, research, and career development. By advancing Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty in AI, computer science, and emerging technologies, we aim to inspire future leaders and drive innovation that benefits Indigenous peoples.

Vision

We envision a world where Indigenous people have an ecosystem of tools and data created, controlled, and used by Indigenous people to advance their communities. IndigiGenius programs bring AI, machine learning, and data science focused computer science educational opportunities into Indigenous communities. IndigiGenius works with community leaders to develop culturally informed programs to explore, learn, develop, research, teach others, and see themselves as advanced technology professionals and practitioners.

Values

Community

Culture

Sovereignty

Reciprocity

Trust

Respect