LA Tech Cares Powers The Next Generation of Tech Leaders
By Team Kwanza Jones
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on a lot of people around the world. It has also exposed and exacerbated the deep-rooted inequities and disparities that exist in our society, especially in the field of education.
The pandemic widened the opportunity gap for students from low-income families and underserved communities. These students faced multiple challenges during the lockdown, such as the lack of access to resources, less experienced instructors, and reduced funding opportunities. As a result, they have fallen behind their peers in academic achievement, social-emotional development, and career readiness.
Fortunately, Kwanza Jones noticed this problem back in 2020 and has been taking consistent action to bridge the opportunity gap and elevate underserved students in Los Angeles.
As Kwanza puts it, “Education is for everyone… regardless of your ethnicity or socioeconomic status; no child should ever have limited opportunities to learn AND grow.”
As a catalyst for positive change with a mission to boost a billion lives, Kwanza Jones partnered with Brett Brewer (of CrossCut Ventures), Brian Lee (of BAM Ventures), and the newest addition - Nick Kim (of Upfront Ventures), to create LA Tech Cares.
As a collective, their goal is to break the digital divide by providing more opportunities and creating a more equitable and inclusive future for underserved students in Los Angeles.
LA Tech Cares: The Journey So Far
Since 2020, LA Tech Cares has partnered with different organizations every year to support various aspects of education for underserved students in Los Angeles.
- In 2020, LA Tech Cares partnered with Alliance College-Ready Public Schools to provide Wi-Fi hotspots and broadband access to 3,000 students who lacked reliable internet connectivity at home.
- In 2021, they partnered with LA Education Recovery Fund to provide academic resources, enrichment programs, and mental health services to students.
- In 2022, LA Tech Cares partnered with 9 Dots and provided support for rigorous, engaging computer science education to over 8,000 Title I students across the Los Angeles area.
LA Tech Cares Partners With LA-Tech.org
This year, LA Tech Cares is partnering with LA-Tech.org, a nonprofit coalition founded by the Los Angeles area tech community to expand economic opportunities for underserved students in Los Angeles. They work to create a long-term impact by supporting underserved students who are breaking into the tech industry, thereby creating a brighter future for low-income communities across Los Angeles.
LA-Tech.org is helping students learn tech through the LA Tech IT Career Academy. These students will also have opportunities to work as interns to boost their knowledge and give them access to a tech career.
By partnering with LA-Tech.org, LA Tech Cares is supporting their transformational work and amplifying their impact.
Here's What You Can Do
LA Tech Cares aims to raise at least $250,000 to support LA-Tech-org. If you are inspired by the work that LA Tech Cares and LA-Tech.org are doing, you can support by making a donation today.
Inspired by the work that LA Tech Cares and LA-Tech.org are doing? You can take action by making a donation today. Your donation will go directly to supporting LA-Tech.org’s programs and services that provide underserved students with access to a tech career.
Beyond the donation, you can also make an impact by sharing this article with your friends, family, and network to spread the word about this important cause.
Join LA Tech Cares in supporting LA-Tech.org and BOOST the next generations of tech leaders. Together, we can boost a billion lives.
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