Tech Geniuses Can Come From Anywhere | Jessica Santana | TEDxWilmingtonED

I was in sixth grade when I received my

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]