Per Scholas Chicago’s Post

Ladies and Gentlemen, Today, I want to talk about the incredible potential of our youth—the innovators, the dreamers, and the leaders of tomorrow. In an ever-changing world, young people possess unique perspectives and skills that are essential for addressing the challenges we face. Their energy and creativity drive innovation across industries, from technology to social change. They are not just consumers of information; they are creators, problem solvers, and advocates for a better future. However, with this potential comes responsibility. It’s crucial that we provide the support, mentorship, and opportunities necessary for our youth to thrive. By investing in education, fostering entrepreneurship, and encouraging civic engagement, we can empower the next generation to make meaningful contributions. Let’s also recognize the importance of inclusivity. Every voice matters, and diverse perspectives lead to richer solutions. As we cultivate a future that welcomes all, we strengthen our communities and industries. In conclusion, let’s commit to championing our youth. Together, we can create an environment where their ideas flourish and their impact is felt far and wide. The future is bright, and it starts with us investing in our young leaders today. Thank you.

This really hits close to home! 🙌 As a woman in tech, I know firsthand how important it is to have platforms like the Youth Tech Panel to elevate young voices, especially women, as they navigate the challenges and triumphs in our industry. Can't wait to hear the incredible stories and insights from these talented high school women! #WomenInTech #VoicesOfTomorrow #MentorshipMatters

Out of 500 applicants, two out of 10 organizations selected for this national accelerator to address the racial wealth gap are COOPERATIVES. 👀 Wishing much success to Cooperation New Orleans and WisConnect Holding Cooperative, I hope this program unlocks many doors for you! ________ #cooperatives #workercooperatives #employeeownership #solidarityeconomy #wealthgap #economicjustice #businessaccelerator #bipoc #womeninbusiness #socialenterprise #socialimpact

At CapTech, Empowering Youth is one of our impact focus areas, investing time and resources to create opportunities for youth to learn, grow, and build confidence to become future leaders. Learn more about how we partner with organizations like Road to Hire to support youth in STEM. https://lnkd.in/eJz7HDQ4

[ARE YOU JOINING US ONLINE TOMORROW? | THERE'S STILL TIME!] At tomorrow's online member meetup, we're talking about access to technology and digital literacy. We'll be joined by Karen McCloskey, director, corporate social responsibility at NETSCOUT, and Renee Fancher, corporate social responsibility and philanthropy at Texas Instruments! Not all communities have equal access to the hardware, connectivity, or digital literacy that is essential for learning and thriving in today’s society. Tomorrow's member meetup will share some examples of companies offering solutions. If your CSR team is invested in quality education (SDG 4) or reduced inequalities (SDG 10), you’ll want to join this event. Bring your questions, ideas, and goals for helping to bridge the divide. Next week BCCCC members will bring questions and ideas surrounding this important topic. Want to join us? If your company is a BCCCC member, you can register via the link below. And if your company ISN'T yet a member of BC's Center for Corporate Citizenship, we really should talk about that... You're missing out! Drop us a line at ccc@bc.edu; we'll be happy to outline member benefits. https://lnkd.in/eKcRcuuj #equity #technology #digitalliteracy #sdg10 #sdg4 #equitable #education #corporate #communityinvolvement #communityengagement #communityrelations #publicaffairs #corporategiving #philanthropy #grantmaking #communityinvestment #communitypartners

Amid a broad backlash against DEI programs, universities and companies nationwide have scaled back their efforts in driving greater diversity in the past year. Instead of backing down, however, this is the time to double down. Fundamentally, I believe that businesses can be an important force to drive societal change. Our world is becoming more diverse — and the only way to survive, and thrive, is to change along with it. Who we include in our journey matters. Getting to true diversity and inclusion is a goal that we must hold ourselves accountable for. Enough with the small wins. Simply aspiring to be better is not enough. And please do not pat yourself on the back for “trying” and shrug your shoulders because you have done “enough”. “You tried your best” is what teachers tell kindergarteners. That’s a tiresome excuse for grown-ups. My latest ... via FinTech Futures —  "When goals become aspirations, where does that leave us?" https://lnkd.in/eAS6ZVWv #FinTech #FinancialServices #DEI #Diversity #Inclusion | Katie Gwyn-Williams | Choir | Liv Gagnon | Sonya B. Dreizler | Brian Lee | Paul Hindle | Tanya Andreasyan | Barb MacLean | Stephanie F. | Leda Glyptis PhD | Mary Wisniewski | Unconventional Ventures

I want to unequivocally apologise for the post where I asked ‘Does Blackbird hate women’. The intention was not to suggest that Blackbird hates women or are working to conspire against women. The choice of words was to be intentionally rhetorical and provocative to ignite a conversation on a pattern of inequality really in the broader ecosystem. Feedback and reflection has made me see that it was not conveyed in this way, and is not just offensive to the people who work in Blackbird who actively work towards bringing women into the ecosystem, but to our broader tech community. It was unthoughtful and untrue. There are more productive ways to address founder inequality, and think what is missing from the conversation is women’s and non-binary peoples experience of fundraising and running our companies in early stage. Telling our stories is compelling enough, even when you have raised capital there are nuanced differences between gender that create prodigious roadblocks that aren’t visible unless brought to light through story telling. Id like to bring that conversation forward and encourage anyone who falls into a group that experiences ineuqality to share their experiences. Perhaps I’ll offer this in a more structured way in the future. If anyone has feedback on this, or anything else - you are always welcome to hit me in the DM. I love our tech community in ways I cant really put into words, although that doesnt always look like it when it is being criticised. Here is to more productive and meaningful conversations and working together towards a better ecosystem - individually and as a collective.

April is National Second Chance Month so I’m kicking off April early with a career highlight I'm humbled to share with you all! R3 Score Technologies is featured in a new report “Innovating for Equity: Unlocking Value for Communities and Businesses” with the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship, which curates a global network of social innovators alongside The World Economic Forum, as well as my beloved Echoing Green, Dalberg Advisors, and GHR Foundation. This report comes at a time when discussions around equity, equality, inclusion, and belonging are front and center so being elevated as a global social innovator of color can’t be taken lightly because of the corporate/institutional courage it takes to release this work. This moment amplifies the body of work that is R3 Score and how we support our customers to take a more holistic review of talent and consumers with records. I do this for a living but in case anyone needs to know - right now 70+ million Americans, and soon to be 100 million Americans, have an arrest and/or conviction record. This means national and multinational corporations who want to remain competitive must partner with companies like R3 Score to screen 1/3 of all working age adults today. In this report, we had a chance to share the innovation that is R3 Score so if you’ve ever wondered what we do I encourage you to download the report. We are featured alongside Jehiel Oliver from Hello Tractor, Donnel Baird from BlocPower, Joseph Kenner from Greyston Foundation, Rebecca Hui from Roots Studio, and Adriana Barbosa from PretaHub. Each of us had a chance to share our approach to economic inclusion and how we unlock the vast potential of marginalized communities worldwide. You can review the report here: https://lnkd.in/gM7BFhRq For over a decade I've been committed to the social entrepreneurship pathway through Mission: Launch, Inc. and R3 Score Technologies with my Co-founder and mother, Teresa Y Hodge. In fact, the hybrid model is possible because of our 2018 Black Male Achievement Fellowship with Echoing Green (EG) so it is an extreme honor to be invited into this platform by way of EG. This will always be my beloved community and these are my people.

We Black people are geniuses, we are so creative, we have so many different skills but when you talk about unlocking your genius and in the way we light up, we have to let AI and other technology tools help us with the rest,” said Alexa Turnage. A futurist technology movement is gaining momentum, one Saturday at a time in Detroit’s start-up community. Alexa and Johnnie Turnage, co-founders of Black Tech Saturdays, have made it their mission to bridge the gap in tech education and access. The innovative husband-and-wife duo is helping redefine how technology intersects with community empowerment for Black and Brown users. The development of a tech-focused meeting space addresses the digital divide across underserved communities, where access to high-speed internet and STEM education remains a challenge. "Technology is crucial to closing these gaps," Johnnie Turnage noted. "It's not just about catching up, it's about leading and innovating." In a world driven by technology, initiatives like #BlackTechSaturdays are not just transforming communities but also inspiring a new generation of tech leaders who are unapologetically Black and brilliant. As Johnnie aptly put it, "We're not just building businesses, we're building a legacy of innovation and empowerment." Kianga J. Moore EBONY Media 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽 https://lnkd.in/gdHXtK8x #BlackTechSaturdays #keepgoing #strongertogether #togetherwecan #Bridgethedivide #ClosetheGap #creativeeconomy #Ebony #Detroit #Baltimore #Houston #Miami #Lansing #BlackExcellence #BlackLove #BlackJoy #BlackInTech #LatinxInTech #WomenInTech #DiversityInTech #Entrepreneurship #Founders #tech