What's Your 'Becoming HER' story?

THIS ISSUE AT A GLANCE

• Women's HERstory: Dr. Joy Buolamwini → The researcher who changed the entire industry when she proved facial recognition couldn't see Black women

• International Women's Day + Demo Day → Join Demo Day March 8th. Sign up to Demo by March 6 @ 11:59 PM EST. Everyone who demos live receives a special prize 🎁

• BuildHER Parade: Starts March 8th → Custom graphics, community celebration, your builder story all month long

• What's Next: Viva Resilience XR Awards → March 8th | 2:30–4:30 PM EDT with The Diamond Resilience, right after Demo Day wraps

• Upcoming Webinars with JPMorgan Chase → Three business workshops: Business 201, Access to Capital, and Supplier Diversity & Certification

• Resource Drop 📚 → Harvard Digital Thriving Fellowship, Mozilla Democracy x AI Cohort ($50K), Carnegie Ethics Fellowship, All Things AI Scholarship (Durham, March 23–24), Anthropic Academy (free AI certs)

Happy Women’s History Month!

March is Women's History Month — and this year, we're not just reflecting on the women who came before us. We're becoming the history.

Women have always been builders. From Ada Lovelace writing the world's first algorithm to the Black women mathematicians who powered NASA to the researchers, engineers, and founders quietly reshaping AI, AR/VR, and Blockchain today — women have always been at the frontier.

This Month's HERstory Maker is Dr. Joy Buolamwini!

When facial recognition software couldn't see her face, Dr. Joy Buolamwini didn't just get frustrated — she got to work.

Her Gender Shades research became one of the most important AI audits in history, exposing error rates of up to 34% for darker-skinned women in commercial facial recognition systems. The result? Every major U.S. tech company she studied stopped selling facial recognition to law enforcement. From there, she founded the Algorithmic Justice League, authored the national bestseller Unmasking AI, and built a global movement proving that the fight for fair technology is a fight for civil rights.

She hasn't slowed down. In the past year, Joy joined the NAACP Legal Defense Fund board to advise on AI's impact on Black communities, became an Inaugural Accelerator Fellow at Oxford, and wrapped a world tour for the 5th anniversary of Coded Bias — including a stop in Durham at Duke.

Why she matters to us: Joy's story is the CreateHER blueprint. She saw a gap, built the skills, created the solution, and took it to the world stage. Every builder in this community learning to audit bias, design inclusive AI, or ask "who does this leave out?" is walking in her footsteps.

Know someone making HERstory? Reply directly to nominate her today! →

International Women’s Day - Demo Day

It's been an incredible journey — and we're closing it out in the best way possible. Live Demo Day!

We kicked off with our Learn-a-thon, where builders dove hands-on into AI/ML, AR/VR, and Blockchain through expert-led workshops and hands-on tutorials. Then came the Idea-thon — where raw skills met real problems, and participants shaped their concepts with mentor feedback and peer collaboration, all grounded in UN Sustainable Development Goals. And now? We're in the final stretch of our Hackathon, where those ideas are being built into working prototypes ready to ship.

We're hosting a live Demo Day to celebrate every builder who showed up, stayed the course, and created something you feel proud of. You'll present your project to judges and the community — 3–5 minutes to demo with 2 minutes of live Q&A.

Everyone who demos live receives a special prize. We're keeping it a surprise — but trust us, it's absolutely worth showing up for 👀 .

But the prize is just the beginning. Pitching live is one of the most valuable things you can do as a builder. You’ll:

• Practice your story — articulating what you built and why it matters is a skill that pays off in job interviews, investor conversations, and beyond

• Get real feedback — judges bring industry expertise across AI, AR/VR, and Blockchain; their insights can shape your next iteration

• Get seen by the community — this is a global audience of builders, mentors, and supporters who want to celebrate your work

• Build your portfolio narrative — a live demo is proof. Not just that you built something, but that you can stand behind it and present it with confidence

• Create connection — some of the best collaborations, opportunities, and friendships start with "I saw your demo and..."

To claim your spot:

• ✅ Sign up by March 6 @ 11:59 PM EST

• ✅ You don't need to be finished — just commit to showing up

• ✅ Slots are limited, so don't sleep on it

👉 Reserve your Demo Day presentation slot →

Just want to cheer the builders on? We'd love to have you there too. Come watch the demos, support your community, and witness what 75 days of discipline looks like in action.

BuildHER Parade: Starts March 8th 🎉

Starting March 8th (Demo Day + International Women's Day), we're launching the BuildHER Parade — a month-long community celebration of your builder journey. We've created custom social graphics you can personalize and share across your platforms.

Think about your HERstory through emerging tech discovery and building. What have you learned? What have you built? What’s surprised you? Who’s inspired you? This is your parade moment.

How to join: 

• Grab your custom BuildHER Parade assets from the IWD 2026 Kit

• Prep your profiles — launch day is March 8th

• Share your story using #IWD2026 #75HER #BuildHERParade #HERstory and tag @CreateHERFest — we'll be amplifying you all month!

What’s Next?

After you join us for Demo Day, keep the celebration going! Join our partner community, The Diamond Resilience, at the Viva Resilience XR Awards — honoring women pioneering in immersive technology.

📅 Sunday, March 8th | 2:30 PM - 4:30 PM EDT (right after Demo Day wraps!)

Upcoming Webinars with JPMorgan Chase

This month, JPMorgan Chase is bringing three workshops to CreateHER Fest designed for builders ready to think beyond the demo — whether you're exploring turning your hackathon project into a real venture or strengthening a business you already run.

• Business 201: Your Next Level Business Move beyond survival mode. This session helps you shift from running a business to thinking like an entrepreneur — building the mindset, structure, and people-first practices for sustainable growth. Includes a guided workbook. Register →

• Access to Capital: Power of Capital Capital isn't just "money to get." Learn how cash actually moves through a business, what lenders look for, and how to decide if, when, and why borrowing makes sense. Covers credit options, SBA loan programs, and financial readiness — no finance background needed. Register →

• Windows of Opportunity: Supplier Diversity & Certification Ready to expand into government or corporate contracting? This workshop demystifies supplier diversity certification, eligibility requirements, and how to position your business for larger markets and structured revenue. Register →

COMMUNITY SURVEY

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THIS WEEK’S RESOURCES

• Digital Thriving Fellowship (Harvard GSE)

  • Harvard's Digital Thriving Fellowship supports educators, researchers & creatives building resources for youth in digital spaces. Apps open now — due spring 2026!

    Learn More →

• Democracy x AI Cohort

  • Mozilla's Democracy x AI Cohort funds technologists using AI to strengthen democracy — $50K grants for 10 projects. Apps due March 16!

    Learn More →

• Carnegie Ethics Fellowship

  • Carnegie Ethics Fellowship is a 2-year program for values-driven leaders (ages 25–35) in business, gov't & nonprofits. Apps for 2027–28 cohort due April 24!

    Learn More →

• All Things AI Scholarship Tickets now Available!

  • One of the East Coast's largest AI events is happening in Durham, NC on March 23–24 at the Durham Convention Center. Grab your free scholarship registration before spots close on March 10!

    Choose the option that works for you — but please register for one only:

    • Conference Only (Tue, March 24) →

    • AI for Business Workshop + Conference (Mon–Tue, March 23–24) →

• Anthropic Academy — Free AI Courses & Certificates

  • Just launched this week. Anthropic's free learning platform with 13 courses across three tracks: AI Fluency, Product Training, and Developer Deep-Dives. Complete courses and earn official Anthropic certificates.

    Start Learning →

Until next time,

Discover \ Design \ Deliver