Community

“Yes We Code,” Hidden Geniuses’ Say

Published

9 years ago

July 14, 2015

As a young child, Muhammad Abdulla worked as a farmer, planting seeds in Yemen. The work was difficult, but he knew it would define his future.

Upon returning to Oakland, where he was born a decade earlier, he believed the possibilities were endless.

“Anything is possible, if you put in work,” Abdulla said at the recent “Growing Hope in Oakland” town hall, organized by #YesWeCode on June 19 at the David Glover Education and Technology Center.

The 17-year-old coder is one of 20 youth participating in the coding pilot project by Oakland-based Hidden Genius Project.

#YesWeCode is bringing together various groups across the country with the goal of training 100,000 low-opportunity youth to become computer programmers.

The program began with an intergenerational dialogue focused on ways to make tech more diverse and inclusive. With Oakland being just miles away from Silicon Valley, it often seems like a world away.

Joe Brooks, a member of the Brotherhood of Elders Network, said new opportunities for financial independence and Black empowerment do exist in the tech field. While his generation focused on anti-poverty and other social services, the need now is for economic development, especially with people of color slated to be the national majority by 2040.

“We tried to get services, to service our way out of poverty,” Brooks said. He added that the changing technology means both a lot of uncertainty, yet opportunities still exist.

Oakland native, preacher and Hollywood producer DeVon Franklin emphasized the importance of networking and building relationships. As a teen, he quit playing basketball to take a job with OCCUR, the organization which runs the David Glover Education and Technology Center.

As a student at USC, Franklin connected with an old college roommate of David Glover, the late director of OCCUR, who was a screenwriter. This connection led to an internship and a decade-long relationship with actor Will Smith. Franklin started his own production company, Franklin Entertainment, in 2014.

Too often, Black entrepreneurs lack funding and other resources, said Monique Woodard who started “Black Founders,” a start-up dedicated to helping Black entrepreneurs get funding. She added that Black culture is popular in tech, though the Black cultural architects are excluded.

“Tech loves Black culture, but there are few of us in tech,” Woodard said. When Black entrepreneurs can successfully create viable products, get clients or users, gain funding and grow, and sell their businesses, they could then reinvest in other entrepreneurs, she said.

The panel continued with a life broadcast of MSNBC’s show, “The Cycle,” hosted by Touré.

The town hall was a part of the partnership between #YesWeCode, Hidden Genius Project, the David Glover Education and Technology Center and the Brotherhood of Elders Network, an intergenerational network of Black men focused on helping Black boys and men thrive.

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Related Topics:Brotherhood of Elders Rasheed Shabazz Yes We Code

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

Published

7 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Alameda County

DA Pamela Price Stands by Mom Who Lost Son to Gun Violence in Oakland

Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones

Publisher’s note: Last week, The Post published a photo showing Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price with Carol Jones, whose son, Patrick DeMarco Scott, was gunned down by an unknown assailant in 2018. The photo was too small for readers to see where the women were and what they were doing. Here we show Price and Jones as they complete a walk in memory of Scott. For more information and to contribute, please contact Carol Jones at 510-978-5517 at morefoundation.help@gmail.com. Courtesy photo.

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City Government

Vallejo Welcomes Interim City Manager Beverli Marshall

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10. Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Published

4 days ago

April 22, 2024

Oakland Post

Beverli Marshall began her first day with the City on April 10. ICMA image.

Special to The Post

At Tuesday night’s Council meeting, the Vallejo City Council appointed Beverli Marshall as the interim city manager. Her tenure in the City Manager’s Office began today, Wednesday, April 10.

Mayor Robert McConnell praised Marshall’s extensive background, noting her “wide breadth of experience in many areas that will assist the City and its citizens in understanding the complexity of the many issues that must be solved” in Vallejo.

Current City Manager Michael Malone, whose official departure is slated for April 18, expressed his well wishes. “I wish the City of Vallejo and Interim City Manager Marshall all the best in moving forward on the progress we’ve made to improve service to residents.” Malone expressed his hope that the staff and Council will work closely with ICM Marshall to “ensure success and prosperity for the City.”

According to the Vallejo Sun, Malone stepped into the role of interim city manager in 2021 and became permanent in 2022. Previously, Malone served as the city’s water director and decided to retire from city service e at the end of his contract which is April 18.

“I hope the excellent work of City staff will continue for years to come in Vallejo,” he said. “However, recent developments have led me to this decision to announce my retirement.”

When Malone was appointed, Vallejo was awash in scandals involving the housing division and the police department. A third of the city’s jobs went unfilled during most of his tenure, making for a rocky road for getting things done, the Vallejo Sun reported.

At last night’s council meeting, McConnell explained the selection process, highlighting the council’s confidence in achieving positive outcomes through a collaborative effort, and said this afternoon, “The Council is confident that by working closely together, positive results will be obtained.”

While the search for a permanent city manager is ongoing, an announcement is expected in the coming months.

On behalf of the City Council, Mayor McConnell extended gratitude to the staff, citizen groups, and recruitment firm.

“The Council wishes to thank the staff, the citizens’ group, and the recruitment firm for their diligent work and careful consideration for the selection of what is possibly the most important decision a Council can make on behalf of the betterment of our City,” McConnell said.

The Vallejo Sun contributed to this report.