Imagine the possibility if we could get inner city kids, the ones we all know have the toughest road to success and to get out of the terrible cycle of poverty, to get interested and involved in technology. In developing tech, not just using FB and Instagram for selfies. Imagine the run up if inner city kids starting pouring into technical college to become programmers, computer engineers, software developers, and technological entrepreneurs. Imagine what could be accomplish if the pent up aggression, angst, disparity and frustration of a cycle of poverty were broken and those that had been trapped starting using that potential from Silicon Valley and Silicon Beach. Inner city kids look to rappers and athletes and say," That is the way I am getting out of here." What a minuscule portion of them can actually be elite athletes or make a living selling records. But how many could make a legitimate career out of programming, coding, computing? Life changing things could happen. A resurgence of the true middle class that is all but gone in America today, especially in large cities like Los Angeles.
That dream, that possibility, is being explored by Oscar Menjivar. Born and raised in Watts in South Central Los Angeles, Oscar was given a chance to succeed at an early age, and he took advantage. After earning undergraduate and graduate degrees in Information Technology and starting a successful consulting firm, he decided to give back to his community. Oscar is one of the few people that sees potential built up in the inner city, especially here in the lowest income portion of Los Angeles.
With no funding, Oscar started his Technology Summer Program called Urban TxT, Teens Exploring Technology. Originally the would meet at Starbucks or on the campus of USC in range of free WiFi since they had no funding the rent a space. Now a few years on, they rent a small work space they call the "Cube" in South LA.
Oscar and his team of dedicated mentors and teachers encourage the students to develop something person that will help solve a need in their local community. Find a local problem, and find a way technology can solve it. With the credo in mind, the students set out to change everything from safe running paths through unsafe neighborhoods, to apps that match up a students interests with a non-profit that they can team with to complete school mandated community service hours. These are small problems with small solutions, but the value of the education in learning how to find a need and come up with a way to solve it cannot be understated. This is exactly what entrepreneurship is, finding solutions to problems that no one else has come up with yet.
In a world constantly embittered by the shrinking middle class, the lack of resources or the waste of given resources to the most underserved, the government struggles with compromise and leadership, and an ever growing fear that the next generation of Americans will not be as well off as the last... I am glad Oscar has found a niche to help. Found a place where he can get his hands dirty and really watch as he shapes young lives in unexpected ways. I can only imagine the possibilities that are in store if this movement really takes off. If the kids buy into it and more kids start signing up. If we can get a couple great success stories that become a catalyst for change. I love Los Anegeles, and if we can get our most impoverished communities to start utilizing tools being given them while having the rest of the tech world really embrace and empower this movement, we are in for a bright future in the Southland. I can only imagine...
Cheers
TJ Franco
To see Oscar explain his story in his own words... watch this TEDx talk.
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