DC weekly roundup: Next steps for ‘Fallout’ developer’s historic union; WGXC launches to fill representation void; Appeals court hears TikTok ban arguments; NO FAKES Act introduced

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Women Who Code’s closure prompts new group

When funding concerns pushed the nonprofit, which offered workshops and events for people in tech across the world, to abruptly shut down for good this spring, Mary Gibbs felt the need to act. 

She joined with other technologists in the region to launch Women and Gender eXpansive Coders (WGXC). The group hosts events focused on women and nonbinary technologists at least once a week, including coding workshops, interview crash courses and virtual meets. 

“I wouldn’t have made it to where I am without the help of other people in this field,” Gibbs told me. “I feel this compulsory feeling of, I need to help the community that gave me so much … to keep pushing and helping people where I can.”

➡️ Read more about WGXC and its plans for the future here

‘Happy and healthy devs make better games’

After scoring a historic union win, organizers at Bethesda Game Studios are gearing up for next steps.

Staff at the Rockville-headquartered firm — the home of popular titles like “Elder Scrolls,” “Fallout” and “Starfield” — voted in July to form what became Microsoft’s first “wall-to-wall” union, meaning that most coders and producers who aren’t managers or supervisors can join in studio locations in Rockville, Austin and Dallas.

“It essentially boils down to, frankly, caring about your coworkers,” said Alex Nguyen, a Dallas-based senior artist. “And hoping for a better workplace. I think that’s what we all want.”

The day after this piece published, Microsoft announced layoffs of 650 people in its gaming workforce. No staff at Bethesda Game Studios were affected, Nguyen confirmed.

 ➡️ Learn more about the unionization effort here

Free advice from global business lawyers

Lawyers at Morgan Lewis are back with a new series of webinars that provide practical tips and address topics relevant to entrepreneurs and investors.

The Oct. 10 edition brings a look at IPOs and the path to liquidity for founders. The Nov. 21 session covers legal strategies for fintech and venture capital financing. On Dec. 11, lawyers discuss the trends affecting investing and fundraising for high-growth emergent companies. It’s all available totally free when you RSVP in advance.

➡️ See the full schedule with details and register online

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News Incubator: What else to know

• A panel of judges at the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit is hearing arguments about whether or not the government has the right to force TikTok to cut ties with China. [Wall Street Journal]

•  The Reston government contractor CACI International is acquiring the Fairfax IT firm Azure Summit Technology for $1.275 billion. [Washington Business Journal]

• A Philly startup landed a $2 million grant from Bethesda’s National Institutes of Health. [Technical.ly]

• In Ohio, Big Tech companies are fighting against a power company over being on the hook to pay up for power upgrades due to soaring demand from data centers. It may set a precedent for other regions, including Northern Virginia. [Washington Post/Technical.ly]

 • The digital wallet startup Ansa, headquartered in San Francisco, launched its payment technology in the DC coffee chain Compass Coffee. [Ansa]

• US Representatives introduced the NO FAKES Act, which would establish an individual’s visual likeness and voice as a federal intellectual property right. It aims to protect people from AI deepfakes, an issue of concern in the music industry and beyond. [Human Artistry Campaign/Technical.ly]

•  The software analytics giant FICO is partnering with HBCUs, including  Bowie State University in Prince George’s County, to teach students how to detect financial fraud. [FICO] 

🗓️ On the Calendar

• Client event: The next Tech Summit Series webinar from accounting and advisory firm Withum, held this Wednesday at noon, features JP Morgan’s head of commercial banking talking about key economic trends and interest rates and what it means for the tech industry. [Free RSVP]

• Meet Congressional staff, civic hackers and tech experts in the private sector at the sixth Congressional Hackathon on Sept. 19. Participants will discuss data transparency and constituent services. [Details here]

• Get feedback about your business pitch at the next Unstuck Tuesday event on Sept. 17. [Details here]