Student surveillance technologies disproportionately harm Black, Latine, and Indigenous students, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has revealed. The findings come from the ACLU’s “Digital Dystopia” report examining the EdTech Surveillance (educational technologies used for surveillance) industry in US K-12 schools. Increased surveillance tech in schools Over the last two decades, the EdTech sector that markets student surveillance products to schools has grown into a $3.1 billion-a-year economic market, with a projected 8% annual growth rate. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, almost 80% of elementary schools have
The CSforDetroit Steering Committee has launched its CSforDetroit initiative – a multi-year initiative to provide year-round computer science learning opportunities for Detroit K-12 students. The CSforDetroit Steering Committee is a collective of stakeholders in K-12 Computer Science (CS) education assembled to help school communities create a transformative learning experience in CS classrooms. The Kapor Foundation which works at the intersection of racial justice and technology, and a coalition of stakeholders and organizations will lead the initiative. Other partners include Google.org, Song Foundation, and the CSforALL’s Accelerator Program. Their goal together is to
Seattle-based Young Women Empowered (Y-WE) hosts programmes for diverse young women, including their Y-WE Tech program. Young Women Empowered Y-WE is a youth development organization founded ten years ago in Seattle. Their mission is to cultivate the power of diverse young women, non-binary and gender-expansive youth ages 13-26 to be creative leaders and changemakers through their community programs. They held their first program in 2010, a seven-month pilot leadership program, which led to the organization offering year-round programs for girls and women. They are an intersectional feminist organization for all racial identities,
Minnesota-based non-profit organization 30,000 Feet (30K) is providing young people of color with the opportunity to earn while they learn through its Tech Geeks program. 30,000 Feet Kevin Robinson and Vanessa Young founded 30K to empower African American students in Saint Paul, Minnesota, through technology, culture, art and social justice. Their project-based experiences are intended to reach students in ways traditional learning may not. They aim to inspire African American youth by giving them the confidence to believe in themselves and their endless potential. What do Tech Geeks Offer? 30K’s Tech Geeks program provides practical
21-year-old Yemi Agesin is one of the few students from across the globe who was awarded Apple’s most prestigious award – the 2023 Swift Student Challenge. His baseball game explores the intricate and high-level strategies that go into a batter v. pitcher matchup, incorporating SpriteKit and SwiftUI following his lifelong passion for baseball. His Journey to the Game As a computer science student at Kennesaw State University, he had been coding for many years, beginning in middle school. “During our lunch break in middle school, a few others invited me to come with
Non-profit organization Silicon Harlem has teamed up with AT&T and the New York Urban League (NYUL) to offer opportunities for teens and students to explore tech careers. Silicon Harlem’s new learning lab, which opened Tuesday, invites students to try a new tech-related skill, from augmented reality to creating code. The lab received a major donation from AT&T, allowing them to have the latest technology for the teens in aims to bridge the digital divide and increase diversity. “We want to make sure when it’s time for you all to apply
Coding school, Holberton Tulsa, has partnered with non-profit organization Urban Coders Guild to launch the Black Futures Hackathon. Hackathons are social coding event that brings computer enthusiasts together. The event – usually hosted by a tech organization – plays a massive role in bringing together the tech community to help solve the most technical problems. To celebrate Black history, students and families will have the opportunity to learn and honor Black tech history-makers. In addition, students will have 12 hours to build and code their robots through various challenges. “We’re excited to host
Following the box-office success of Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Disney is donating $1 million to nonprofits providing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and arts education for young people from historically underrepresented communities. The organizations benefiting from this funding include Girls Who Code, Ghetto Film School, The Hidden Genius Project, and DonorsChoose in the US. Through this initiative, Disney hopes Black youth will feel more empowered and inspired to pursue careers in the science and technology sectors. “From its historic casting to advanced technology to culturally relevant storytelling, Black
Southwest Airlines has announced a partnership with Paul Quinn College to become a member of the school’s celebrated Urban Work College Program. Paul Quinn College is the first minority-serving work college in America. The College proudly educates students of all races and socio-economic classes. Besides investing in the future of their students, the establishment is on a mission to provide quality, faith-based education to students to promote academic, social, and Christian development. The Covid-19 pandemic resulted in many employees canceling their internships or making them virtual, reducing access to employment
Elijah Muhammad Jr has officially made history as the youngest Black college student in Oklahoma after enrolling in three courses at Oklahoma City Community College as a freshman. According to KFOR News, Muhammed Jr. isn’t the only person in his family beating records. His older sister, Shania Muhammad, also made history this year as the youngest to graduate from college with two associate degrees from Langston University and Oklahoma City College. Elijah Muhammad Sr, the siblings’ father, revealed that Muhammed used his sister’s success to help motivate him to excel further in his
