Silicon Beach Comes to the Inner City

The Michelson Twenty Million Minds Foundation (20MM), General Assembly and Southeast Community Development Corporation (SCDC) launched Project #CodeTruck this month, a series of free introductory coding workshops and career exploration opportunities offered in a one-of-a kind mobile technology lab serving low-income children throughout Los Angeles. Project #CodeTruck aims to open pathways from underserved areas into the region’s growing technology sector.

“Los Angeles has one of the world’s most vibrant technology-based economies. However, while many underserved communities are a mere few miles from Silicon Beach, our region’s burgeoning technology scene; from a cultural standpoint, they could not be farther apart. Project #CodeTruck helps bridge the gap and strengthen opportunities to high paying jobs in the technology sector,” said former California Senate Majority Leader Dean Florez, President of 20MM.

It is estimated that 70% of computing jobs will go unfilled by 2020. Inadequate access to computer programming classes means many students, particularly those who are underserved, will never have the opportunity to explore a career in technology. Likewise, while close to 45 percent of California’s residents identify as underrepresented minorities, a recent study found that of California’s largest technology companies, only three percent of the workforce identified as Black or Latino.

The project culminated on October 18th with an event at Sandra Cisneros - Camino Nuevo Charter Academy and an entrepreneurship fair featuring Google, Spark SC, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation. Featured speakers included: Anthony Kelani, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Showkit, TechCrunch Disrupt Finalist, and Curious Minds supported startup; former Senator Dean Florez; and General Assembly Regional Director, S. Ryan Meyer.

“This innovative initiative has exposed more than 100 youth from the inner city to careers in coding, a skill vital to the 21st century economy. Project #CodeTruck is highlighting the value of technology in underserved communities and elevating a larger discussion around the importance of cultivating local talent for advancing business growth, encouraging new investment and hiring, sparking innovation, and promoting economic growth and prosperity in the Los Angeles region,” said Meyer.