There’s not a lack of talent in inner cities; there is a lack of resources.
I remember taking the 51 Metro bus to school whenever my parents couldn’t drop me off. I got on at the 42nd bus stop right in front of a mental institution and a park where gang members, people with addictions, and homeless people lingered. I would stand at the bus stop until the bus pulled up. It was often packed with students heading to school, people heading to work, or people who were on one too early in the morning. My bus ride was about 15 minutes; I stayed on until Avalon turned into San Pedro and stopped on Washington Blvd. Once I got off on Washington Blvd, I walked a couple of blocks to school. It usually took 10 minutes or so to get to school from the bus stop, sometimes less when I had my iPod touch in my ear-blasting Lil’ Wayne’s Tha Carter IV or Kendrick’s good kid, m.A.A.d city in my ear preparing me for a day-long of mediocre classes and after school track practice.
I was exposed to gang culture, drugs, homelessness, and prostitution in my thirty-minute commute to school. It was right there, it could not have been hidden. Hell, there were times I was exposed to all 3 on my high school campus. Some of my classmates were homeless, others sold drugs, and some were addicted early on.
Becoming a product of your environment is easy. You become what you’re around; it’s the norm…so you may think. But, I knew early on that watching my back during my commute to school or inhaling the stench of urine on the streets I walked back and forth to school was not normal. At least, I did not want it to be the norm for me. Instead, I wanted to be in an environment that nurtured my creativity and embraced my curiosity.
Watching fights was the norm in South Central. Teen pregnancy, put-ons, and racially fueled brawls were our norm, especially after school when parents were at work, and after-school programs lacked funding.
We did not have the luxury of being introduced to technology or STEM in grades K-12. After school programs were cut, same as teachers as many of our classes were extremely overcrowded and under-taught…but that is a different story for another time.
Many of my classmates operated in survival mode, whether that was getting an after-school job, rushing home to tend to their siblings, or trying to make it home without being attacked by rival gangs that patrolled our community. Survival was a priority.
Ten years later, some of my classmates have gone on to be parents, some pursued higher education, but far too many are buried in cemeteries dying before they had an opportunity to find their purpose. I blame a system that does not value the lives and future of inner-city kids. And leaders that do not have faith in their existence and capabilities. A system that did not expose me to opportunities beyond 90011, and continues not to do so.
I wrote this because I work in an industry that I love. I enjoy reading, writing, and learning about new developments in technology and how it simplifies the life of so many; however, it’s disheartening to see a lack of black people in this field.
I consistently see webinars, blogs, and social posts from tech giants that seem to promote the importance of diversity in the workplace. Better yet, in 2020, countless tech companies performatively blacked out their profile pictures in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. They donated millions to the cause, but most of their numbers are the same two years later. So, are Black lives important or not? Again, another topic for another time.
They are not focused on the root of the problem. They are reacting to an issue that should have been addressed long ago. For equality in tech, tech needs to be taught in inner-city schools, resource centers, and community colleges.
There’s not a lack of talent in inner cities; it’s a lack of resources. So many intelligent and interested students fill underfunded schools that lack coding classes, AP classes, hell even mentors that can educate parents and students on opportunities and resources available to them.
An environment that does not foster innovation or provide youth resources cannot breed a generation of software engineers, entrepreneurs, or digital marketers. Maybe a few- but far more deserve a shot, and that is what South Central lacks. Leaders who want to invest in a generation of tech leaders and start-up founders.
Tech giants attempt to bridge this gap with content, webinars, and hiring practices, which is great! However, we need more support at the root. We need lawmakers and superintendents to invest in inner-city students. We need schools filled with after-school programs, community lunches, mental health programs, and overall affordable living.
The root is eradicating education injustice. It is giving children from inner cities a chance to advance technology and make lots of money doing so. We need to re-innovate education in inner cities.
