While the technology community continues to change the course of our lives with the latest innovations, progress, at least in terms of a more racially diverse workforce within the tech field, hasn’t been so rapid. Now Intel, one of the world’s largest semiconductor chip producers, is hoping to break new ground in leveling the field for women and people of color.

On March 4, Intel awarded Code Fever with a donation of $10,000 at the Future Shock: A Look Ahead session during BET Networks’ Leading Women Defined conference in Miami. Code Fever's goal is to teach young people of color in the South Florida community to code and expose them to opportunities and careers in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields. Intel served as sponsor of the session, which focused on the future of technology, and has sponsored Leading Women Defined Mentoring Sessions for the past six years.

The chipmaker recently announced that it has earmarked $300 million for a new Diversity in Technology initiative, the goal of which is to bring more female and underrepresented minorities on board as engineers and computer scientists, Intel President Renée James told Fortune following the announcement.

Intel also plans to collaborate with higher education institutions to teach STEM to young people in underserved communities, invest in minority-owned businesses and ramp up hiring and retention programs aimed at bolstering diversity within the company itself. It’s a huge first step to bring more inclusion into the largely white, male presence in Silicon Valley.

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(Photo: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images)