I was in sixth grade when I received my first computer
first computer
first computer it was the 1999 white Dell desktop
it was the 1999 white Dell desktop
it was the 1999 white Dell desktop computer that I knew would not fit in
computer that I knew would not fit in
computer that I knew would not fit in the tiny desk base
the tiny desk base
the tiny desk base I had living in my small New York City
I had living in my small New York City
I had living in my small New York City apartment but man that computer is set
apartment but man that computer is set
apartment but man that computer is set the tone for years to come and it began
the tone for years to come and it began
the tone for years to come and it began my love affair with technology when the
my love affair with technology when the
my love affair with technology when the world of social media became a thing I
world of social media became a thing I
world of social media became a thing I was one of the first people I knew to
was one of the first people I knew to
was one of the first people I knew to open up in me gente and a black planet
open up in me gente and a black planet
open up in me gente and a black planet comicon I connected with people all over
comicon I connected with people all over
comicon I connected with people all over the world and we created these shared
the world and we created these shared
the world and we created these shared experiences through cyberspace i
experiences through cyberspace i
experiences through cyberspace i leveraged search engines to educate
leveraged search engines to educate
leveraged search engines to educate myself about populations of people in
myself about populations of people in
myself about populations of people in places I thought were inaccessible to me
places I thought were inaccessible to me
places I thought were inaccessible to me living and coming from the community I
living and coming from the community I
living and coming from the community I was from and then where myspace.com came
was from and then where myspace.com came
was from and then where myspace.com came around I taught myself how to code
around I taught myself how to code
around I taught myself how to code simply because I wanted to have an
simply because I wanted to have an
simply because I wanted to have an awesome MySpace page layout but I spent
awesome MySpace page layout but I spent
awesome MySpace page layout but I spent hours learning this skill and so you
hours learning this skill and so you
hours learning this skill and so you would think that when my senior year in
would think that when my senior year in
would think that when my senior year in high school would come around I would
high school would come around I would
high school would come around I would naturally want to go into a computer
naturally want to go into a computer
naturally want to go into a computer science a computer engineering or an
science a computer engineering or an
science a computer engineering or an information technology program but I
information technology program but I
information technology program but I didn’t a degree or career and technology
didn’t a degree or career and technology
didn’t a degree or career and technology was far from my radar my parents moved
was far from my radar my parents moved
was far from my radar my parents moved here in the 1960s from Puerto Rico with
here in the 1960s from Puerto Rico with
here in the 1960s from Puerto Rico with their idea that they would grant me
their idea that they would grant me
their idea that they would grant me their American dream that I would get a
their American dream that I would get a
their American dream that I would get a good education become a lawyer buy a
good education become a lawyer buy a
good education become a lawyer buy a house get a good job find love and leave
house get a good job find love and leave
house get a good job find love and leave a legacy for what the Santana family
a legacy for what the Santana family
a legacy for what the Santana family name would mean and if I’m being honest
name would mean and if I’m being honest
name would mean and if I’m being honest no one in my family up to that point had
no one in my family up to that point had
no one in my family up to that point had even graduated from college or pursued a
even graduated from college or pursued a
even graduated from college or pursued a career in professional services
so if I’m even being more honest of
so if I’m even being more honest of degree in a career in technology was
degree in a career in technology was
degree in a career in technology was probably far from everyone in my
probably far from everyone in my
probably far from everyone in my community’s radar all low-income people
community’s radar all low-income people
community’s radar all low-income people of color living in some of the most
of color living in some of the most
of color living in some of the most under-resourced neighborhoods and
under-resourced neighborhoods and
under-resourced neighborhoods and attending some of the most
attending some of the most
attending some of the most under-resourced schools the high school
under-resourced schools the high school
under-resourced schools the high school I went to had outdated software programs
I went to had outdated software programs
I went to had outdated software programs outdated laptops a shrug lling Wi-Fi
outdated laptops a shrug lling Wi-Fi
outdated laptops a shrug lling Wi-Fi system and a really broken computer
system and a really broken computer
system and a really broken computer cluster but how could the school
cluster but how could the school
cluster but how could the school actually prioritize a technology or a
actually prioritize a technology or a
actually prioritize a technology or a computer science education when they
computer science education when they
computer science education when they felt they have more pressing issues they
felt they have more pressing issues they
felt they have more pressing issues they needed to take care of student that my
needed to take care of student that my
needed to take care of student that my school dropped out very often left
school dropped out very often left
school dropped out very often left school faced violence on the streets and
school faced violence on the streets and
school faced violence on the streets and even at home sometimes many of them work
even at home sometimes many of them work
even at home sometimes many of them work before school started and a bunch of
before school started and a bunch of
before school started and a bunch of them worked after school and on the
them worked after school and on the
them worked after school and on the weekends to provide supplemental income
weekends to provide supplemental income
weekends to provide supplemental income for their families well then surely the
for their families well then surely the
for their families well then surely the parents could mobilize and organize to
parents could mobilize and organize to
parents could mobilize and organize to make sure this was a priority for the
make sure this was a priority for the
make sure this was a priority for the school well no the parents in the
school well no the parents in the
school well no the parents in the community that I was from they worked
community that I was from they worked
community that I was from they worked multiple jobs they were just trying to
multiple jobs they were just trying to
multiple jobs they were just trying to survive it was hard for them to get to
survive it was hard for them to get to
survive it was hard for them to get to parent-teacher conferences and even
parent-teacher conferences and even
parent-teacher conferences and even parent-teacher Association meetings well
parent-teacher Association meetings well
parent-teacher Association meetings well what about the administrators the
what about the administrators the
what about the administrators the principal’s the teachers
principal’s the teachers
principal’s the teachers well no teachers were overworked they
well no teachers were overworked they
well no teachers were overworked they were underpaid and severely
were underpaid and severely
were underpaid and severely under-resourced administrators were just
under-resourced administrators were just
under-resourced administrators were just trying to figure out how they could keep
trying to figure out how they could keep
trying to figure out how they could keep math reading and writing standards up to
math reading and writing standards up to
math reading and writing standards up to par when I entered college my love for
par when I entered college my love for
par when I entered college my love for technology continued even though I was
technology continued even though I was
technology continued even though I was majoring in accounting but my web
majoring in accounting but my web
majoring in accounting but my web development skills they became a side
development skills they became a side
development skills they became a side hustle for me but I was finally in an
hustle for me but I was finally in an
hustle for me but I was finally in an environment where I realized that the
environment where I realized that the
environment where I realized that the technology industry and a career in this
technology industry and a career in this
technology industry and a career in this field
field
field something that I could actually pursue
something that I could actually pursue
something that I could actually pursue so with a job offered to one of the most
so with a job offered to one of the most
so with a job offered to one of the most prestigious accounting firms globally in
prestigious accounting firms globally in
prestigious accounting firms globally in my senior year I turned it down and I
my senior year I turned it down and I
my senior year I turned it down and I went straight into grad school and got
went straight into grad school and got
went straight into grad school and got my degree in technology and entered the
my degree in technology and entered the
my degree in technology and entered the field my starting salary as a
field my starting salary as a
field my starting salary as a technologist coming straight out of grad
technologist coming straight out of grad
technologist coming straight out of grad school was more than four times and my
school was more than four times and my
school was more than four times and my family’s annual household income
family’s annual household income
family’s annual household income something that I didn’t learn until I
something that I didn’t learn until I
something that I didn’t learn until I was an adult because my family and my
was an adult because my family and my
was an adult because my family and my parents they never told me and even
parents they never told me and even
parents they never told me and even though I was no longer living in my
though I was no longer living in my
though I was no longer living in my community in Brooklyn New York I would
community in Brooklyn New York I would
community in Brooklyn New York I would still frequently visit because I still
still frequently visit because I still
still frequently visit because I still had family members there and during
had family members there and during
had family members there and during these times I thought about the
these times I thought about the
these times I thought about the information and the opportunity gaps I
information and the opportunity gaps I
information and the opportunity gaps I had growing up that delayed my career in
had growing up that delayed my career in
had growing up that delayed my career in technology in the first place today
technology in the first place today
technology in the first place today technology companies are just a few
technology companies are just a few
technology companies are just a few blocks away from struggling schools from
blocks away from struggling schools from
blocks away from struggling schools from overworked teachers from community that
overworked teachers from community that
overworked teachers from community that they surround technologists get off the
they surround technologists get off the
they surround technologists get off the same train stops as students do and then
same train stops as students do and then
same train stops as students do and then they divergent paths as they enter into
they divergent paths as they enter into
they divergent paths as they enter into their buildings and then students go off
their buildings and then students go off
their buildings and then students go off to meet their friends before the school
to meet their friends before the school
to meet their friends before the school bell rings two people so close in
bell rings two people so close in
bell rings two people so close in proximity to each other before and
proximity to each other before and
proximity to each other before and projected life outcomes this is the
projected life outcomes this is the
projected life outcomes this is the system that we’ve created where more
system that we’ve created where more
system that we’ve created where more than often low-income students of color
than often low-income students of color
than often low-income students of color are prevented from having the
are prevented from having the
are prevented from having the opportunities to create to build to
opportunities to create to build to
opportunities to create to build to innovate to tinker ultimately shutting
innovate to tinker ultimately shutting
innovate to tinker ultimately shutting them out of opportunities that have the
them out of opportunities that have the
them out of opportunities that have the ability to drastically shift economic
ability to drastically shift economic
ability to drastically shift economic mobility and the kind of resources they
mobility and the kind of resources they
mobility and the kind of resources they can provide themselves their communities
can provide themselves their communities
can provide themselves their communities and their families in 2014 I co-founded
and their families in 2014 I co-founded
and their families in 2014 I co-founded new
new
new our contact with Evan Floyd Robinson a
our contact with Evan Floyd Robinson a
our contact with Evan Floyd Robinson a nonprofit organization on a mission to
nonprofit organization on a mission to
nonprofit organization on a mission to prepare the next generation of
prepare the next generation of
prepare the next generation of technology leaders emerging from New
technology leaders emerging from New
technology leaders emerging from New York City our goal is to provide the
York City our goal is to provide the
York City our goal is to provide the development the mentoring the networks
development the mentoring the networks
development the mentoring the networks and the access students need to thrive
and the access students need to thrive
and the access students need to thrive in technology and an innovation this is
in technology and an innovation this is
in technology and an innovation this is a social justice issue and our vision is
a social justice issue and our vision is
a social justice issue and our vision is that every student that graduates from
that every student that graduates from
that every student that graduates from our program not only obtains a career in
our program not only obtains a career in
our program not only obtains a career in this industry but brings back the skills
this industry but brings back the skills
this industry but brings back the skills to their communities and paved the way
to their communities and paved the way
to their communities and paved the way for other students to do the same
what would the world look like if users
what would the world look like if users were creators and designers of their own
were creators and designers of their own
were creators and designers of their own problems and products and services what
problems and products and services what
problems and products and services what would our world look like if we equipped
would our world look like if we equipped
would our world look like if we equipped people to go back to where they’re from
people to go back to where they’re from
people to go back to where they’re from and tap into the problems that
and tap into the problems that
and tap into the problems that oftentimes are overlooked and the good
oftentimes are overlooked and the good
oftentimes are overlooked and the good thing is is that we don’t need to do
thing is is that we don’t need to do
thing is is that we don’t need to do this alone but before I even provide
this alone but before I even provide
this alone but before I even provide solutions my goal today is to get you to
solutions my goal today is to get you to
solutions my goal today is to get you to understand that our next tech geniuses
understand that our next tech geniuses
understand that our next tech geniuses they’re sitting in our classrooms
they’re sitting in our classrooms
they’re sitting in our classrooms they’re working in bodegas they’re
they’re working in bodegas they’re
they’re working in bodegas they’re playing ball on the courts and they’re
playing ball on the courts and they’re
playing ball on the courts and they’re dancing on New York City trains
dancing on New York City trains
dancing on New York City trains one way that we can help them realize
one way that we can help them realize
one way that we can help them realize their potential is to find them fun
their potential is to find them fun
their potential is to find them fun community organizations that are already
community organizations that are already
community organizations that are already doing the work they have curriculum that
doing the work they have curriculum that
doing the work they have curriculum that you can implement they have curriculum
you can implement they have curriculum
you can implement they have curriculum that you can bring into and outside of
that you can bring into and outside of
that you can bring into and outside of the classroom they have industry
the classroom they have industry
the classroom they have industry connections they have resources that you
connections they have resources that you
connections they have resources that you can use to make sure that you’re
can use to make sure that you’re
can use to make sure that you’re creating an equitable playing field for
creating an equitable playing field for
creating an equitable playing field for our students to innovate we can use our
our students to innovate we can use our
our students to innovate we can use our time to teach classes have one-on-ones
time to teach classes have one-on-ones
time to teach classes have one-on-ones with students in the community who just
with students in the community who just
with students in the community who just want to learn a little bit more than
want to learn a little bit more than
want to learn a little bit more than what their schools are teaching them we
what their schools are teaching them we
what their schools are teaching them we can host company visits and then bring
can host company visits and then bring
can host company visits and then bring them along to see what’s behind the four
them along to see what’s behind the four
them along to see what’s behind the four world walls of the come of the
world walls of the come of the
world walls of the come of the organizations that they aspire to work
organizations that they aspire to work
organizations that they aspire to work in before I leave here today I want to
in before I leave here today I want to
in before I leave here today I want to share with you a quote that Mark
share with you a quote that Mark
share with you a quote that Mark Zuckerberg shared in his 2017
Zuckerberg shared in his 2017
Zuckerberg shared in his 2017 commencement speech at Harvard
commencement speech at Harvard
commencement speech at Harvard University he said if I had to worry
University he said if I had to worry
University he said if I had to worry about having if I had to worry about
about having if I had to worry about
about having if I had to worry about taking care of my family and not having
taking care of my family and not having
taking care of my family and not having time to having the time to code if I
time to having the time to code if I
time to having the time to code if I didn’t know I’d be okay if Facebook
didn’t know I’d be okay if Facebook
didn’t know I’d be okay if Facebook didn’t work out then I wouldn’t
didn’t work out then I wouldn’t
didn’t work out then I wouldn’t here where I’m standing today this is a
here where I’m standing today this is a
here where I’m standing today this is a privilege that low-income students of
privilege that low-income students of
privilege that low-income students of color in our country currently do not
color in our country currently do not
color in our country currently do not have and that prevent them from creating
have and that prevent them from creating
have and that prevent them from creating the next innovation we can all play a
the next innovation we can all play a
the next innovation we can all play a role in leveling the playing field for
role in leveling the playing field for
role in leveling the playing field for our children to innovate and to compete
our children to innovate and to compete
our children to innovate and to compete fairly not for the opportunities of
fairly not for the opportunities of
fairly not for the opportunities of tomorrow but the opportunities of today
tomorrow but the opportunities of today
tomorrow but the opportunities of today thank you
thank you
thank you [Applause]
”
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