Born and Raised Brooklynites Collaborate to Bring Tech Skills to Youth This Summer in East New York and Brownsville

Today America On Tech (AOT) and Youth Design Center (YDC) (formerly Made in Brownsville) announced its partnership to bring free technology education to youth in East New York and Brownsville, Brooklyn. ​Through this strategic partnership, AOT and YDC will come together to run a series of programs for middle school and high school students between the ages of 12-19 years old. The program will deliver two stipend, 1-week virtual summer technology camps for students and 10 free virtual workshops for the public during summer 2020.  

COVID-19 has had a disproportionate effect on our students and the communities they represent. Particularly in Brooklyn, the number of COVID-19 cases has been massive in comparison to other cities. Many of AOT’s and YDC’s students and their families have experienced high levels of economic stress during this time due to reduced hours and lost wages. Further, rates of infection are higher for low income communities, where there are a higher percentage of people of color: AOT's and YDC’s students' communities.
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To add to the challenges both organization’s students already face due to racial, gender and economic disparities, enrichment programs and internships for summer 2020 are being canceled at a rapid rate. This leaves young people behind with nowhere to learn new skills or generate income to sustain themselves, their families and, sometimes, their larger community of support. 

The 2, 1-week summer technology camps will cover the fundamentals of web design and development. Each of the 40 participants who are selected for the program will receive technical training and a stipend of $400 for their participation and completion of the program. The 10 virtual workshops are free and open to the public. The series will cover both topics in web development and sections on UX design and digital media podcasting. 

“We are very excited to be working with the Youth Design Center to bring opportunities to students where we grew up. As founders of America On Tech (AOT) and born and raised Brooklynites, we are passionate about making sure that students in East New York and Brownsville have the opportunities to succeed in 21st century careers. We know that this partnership is a vehicle to ensure economic justice for Brooklyn youth.” - Jessica Santana and Evin Robinson, America On Tech 

"As members of this community and citizens of the world, we at Youth Design Center are fully committed to bridging gaps in justice for youth. With this partnership with America On Tech, I fully believe we are leveraging the power of collective economics and our networks to break the cycle of poverty within East Brooklyn by providing best-in-class programming to brilliant young minds." -Quardean Lewis-Allen, Youth Design Center

For those interested in registering for the Virtual Tech Workshops, you can find more information here and register directly here.

For students who are interested in applying to the 1-week Summer Tech Camps, they can find more information here and submit an application directly here.

About America On Tech

America On Tech (AOT) is an award-winning nonprofit organization on a mission to prepare the next generation of technology leaders by creating pathways into degrees and careers in technology.  AOT's work has received national media attention in Forbes, CNN, TechCrunch and other publications for its resounding success in developing diverse tech talent pipelines.
Learn more: https://americaontech.org 

About Youth Design Center  

​Youth Design Center (formerly Made in Brownsville) is a youth creative agency and innovation hub providing a gateway for young people to learn marketable hard skills in STEAM, access postsecondary education, achieve economic mobility, and engage in placed-based community revitalization.
Learn more: https://youthdesigncenter.org