Photography by: Christine Cueto

​Clinay Cameron came into the world determined and fighting.  She was born premature at 2 pounds 9 ounces to a family with 11 siblings or half-siblings.  Things were hard at home.

“I'm from a low-income single parent household where drugs, alcohol and gang violence was prevalent in my environment. I didn't want to become a statistic, medically or demographically, and was determined to live a healthy life.”

But like many Hack the Hood youth, Clinay is resilient.  She found a mentor, lost the weight she gained during her grieving process, got in the best shape of her life, and started competing in Strongman competitions.  She also finished a BS in Animation and Visual Effects Ex'pression College.  But even then there were more challenges ahead.

“I officially graduated from Expression [College] and was really torn about whether I was going to move back to SoCal or stay up here and give it a shot.  I admit that It was a rough couple months.  No job, no source of income, no stable place to stay…”  

At this point, Clinay enrolled in Hack the Hood.  “Hack the Hood has helped me out a great deal.  It provided me with another branch of community… Hack the Hood has definitely been a key support system.” Clinay made close friends in the program, and bonded with instructors and other staff. She met with Lisa, Hack the Hood’s case manager, who listened and helped her navigate her challenges.  “She really goes beyond what she’s supposed to do. I really appreciate people like that.”  

“I am glad that I stuck it out, because I feel like having an opportunity in Level Up and Tech Prep: Digital Marketing made me hone in on exactly what I want to do.  Hack the Hood reaffirmed for me that I want to be my own boss.”
​
Hack the Hood instructors helped Clinay prep for her new business. “I was really grateful to meet Siobhan, who was the digital marketing instructor,” said Cinay. “She forced me to put my brand and web presence to another level.  She was like, ‘You want to do this? Yeah, you’re GONNA do this with me.’  It was like she was like my digital marketing coach...  Digital Marketing gave me a clear roadmap for how to build my brand.”  ​

Check out the video:

Today we’re launching the #ChallengeTech campaign to ask our community to support tech career education for low-income youth of color at Hack the Hood. Together, we can make the tech industry more inclusive and diverse. 

We hope you can be a part of the solution by logging on to hackthehood.org/challenge to watch the video, donate, or set up a team or individual fundraising page.
 
Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sending a few more emails than we usually do.  We’ll share interviews and stories from members of our community as they share with you just why they think this is so important.  I hope you’ll stick with us, and help us get to our goal by the end of the year.

Here's 10 really good reasons to apply now to join our membership program!

1. Meet new friends who like what you like
2. Earn a little money and/or win some prizes
3. Learn and practice new skills
4. Move closer to your goals
5. Join our alumni community to get invites to exclusive experiences, like field trips to top tech companies!
6. Build your portfolio to impress future employers or college admission officers
7. Challenge yourself to do something new
8. Grow more confident in yourself
9. All three courses take place during convenient afternoon hours so you can work around your school or work hours
10. Have fun!

​So, what we want to know is, WHY NOT?

by Mary Fuller, Hack the Hood co-founder

TOO LITTLE TOO LATE FOR SOME
16X growth in two years is tremendous progress. But there are over 40,000 students at OUSD, so access is far from universal.  And many of the youth served now by Hack the Hood have been left out of this progress altogether.

Abel Regelado just started his studies at Berkeley City College, not his dream school UC Berkeley.

"In sophomore year of highschool, I learned about and took part in Hack the Hood, and that's when I fully realized that I will be doing Computer Science or something involved in Engineering and Tech. [In my high school] we didn't have computer science as a class. There wasn't a chance to study CS at a dream school if I didn't have computer science on my transcript.  That was a huge barrier.  That has me here today at community college. I think more equitable access to computer science programs is necessary and at the earliest age possible."  

The lack of Computer Science at Abel's high school prompted him to participate in programs like Hack the Hood, Make School, and Mission Bit.  Hack the Hood also connected Abel to scholarships. He participated in a prestigious entrepreneurship camp at Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.  He was a member of the team that won the prize for the best business plan, and he was given individual honors through their leadership award.  He also attended a private coding camp run at Stanford. Abel took what he learned and started a Hack Club at his high school.  Two of his youth went on to take part in Hack the Hood's bootcamps.  Now that Abel has graduated, his high school has a computer science course that's offered as part of the curriculum. It's a fact he reported to the audience with a wistful frown.

Asked about his aspirations, Abel said: "In four years I want to be graduating from UC Berkeley, if I can get in in a few years. I want to study computer science and engineering. In 4-5 years I see myself supporting students and underrepresented minorities in coding and Computer Science. I also want to be in industry creating cool software and cool tech that makes peoples lives easier."

PARTNERING FOR PATHWAYS
The conversation veered to what we can do about all this.  How can our institutions help build build better access? Claire told the guests at the event, that if any of them have masters degrees in Computer Science, Peralta needs instructors.  "They can't accommodate all the requests that we have. In fact last year, 9 of the 16 high schools requested CIS 5 (Intro to Computer Science) from the Peraltas and we were only able to get one.  It's nothing on the Peraltas. They are understaffed for their students as well." She added: "We are incredibly blessed in Oakland to have community based providers like Hack the Hood amongst others who are giving our students the vocational lens on this work. I would say many of our teachers are in classrooms working in an academic way. There might be a trip to Facebook, and there might be a message, 'Hey, you can build this...' but I don't think students get to see the range of opportunities."

WHAT CAN INDUSTRY DO?
One guest asked what individuals at tech companies could do to help.  Panelists shared a variety of ideas, but started with what not to do. Confidence is a prerequisite for anyone who's going to make it in tech. Making a career in the industry seem harder than it is isn't helpful for welcoming underrepresented people to the table. Youth recounted a story of one tech professional telling a group of youth that a PhD was required to even get an internship at the company.  "That just isn't helpful," said Don Fountain, a student who went through Hack the Hood's spring bootcamp in 2017 and as a now junior instructor.  "I used to think you had to be like a rocket scientist to do this work.  Now I know that isn't true." said Don.  

Everyone agreed that tech companies could be doing a much better job hiring and training local talent. Claire said: "Oakland seems to be the place that is trying to 'do tech' right, and that is definitely infiltrating into our schools. And students can see that there are opportunities beyond [grade] twelve. We just need receiving and open arms to take them."

The evening was full of good conversation and insights from youth and guests alike, but the key message from the panel was loud and clear.  While there may be tons of barriers, they are surmountable.  If you open the door to education and make a career in tech feel attainable, these incredible students will take up the challenge. 

Thanks for everyone who joined us for a though-provoking evening. If you're interested in getting invitations to future events like this one, please join Hack the Hood as a donor.

by Mary Fuller, Co-founder and COO at Hack the Hood

I’ve met hundreds of young people in my role at Hack the Hood.  Each one has hopes and dreams unique to them.  And almost without fail, when they complete our bootcamps, they are motivated to take on some sort of moonshot journey.  For some, it’s being the first in their family to go to a 4 year college. For others, it’s getting a scholarship to an intensive coding bootcamp like General Assembly and then a paid internship at Adobe.  For others, it’s simply finding a home they can afford in the Bay Area.

Can you imagine achieving any of these goals without access to a computer?
 
Most of our young people don’t have their own computer when they start Hack the Hood.  In fact, a recent study found that half of low-income families in the Bay Area don’t have a computer in the home.  This puts young people at a disadvantage in school, work, and life.
 
In the words of Saladin, who’s participating in our Tech Prep Coding program right now, “[A laptop]allows us to gain skills and opportunities that can help lead us into the future. This is such a tiny little item that can make such a big difference.”
 
Today we’re launching a campaign to make sure each of the young people in our bootcamp this summer has access to a high-quality refurbished laptop powerful enough to fuel their moonshot journey. They’ll use that laptop to learn webdesign and development and then build a website for a small business in their community.  When they graduate, they'll take it home with them.  

We’re asking you and other supporters to sponsor laptops for our youth this summer.  We’ve already secured laptops for 70 youth, but we still need to raise $10,000 to purchase 50 more.  
 
That’s right- just under $200 can put a newly refurbished PC laptop with Windows 10 OS, and an i5 chip set into the hands of a young person who needs it right now.  
 
How did we find such an amazing deal?  We’re working with Tech Exchange, another awesome Oakland organization working to bridge the digital divide.  They take donations from tech companies, businesses, and individuals and then refurbish them and get them in the hands of low-income families, schools, and community centers.  

This means every dollar you donate or raise for this campaign has a 5X impact:

1. You empower a young person with the tech they need to reach their educational, career, and life goals.
2. You help Hack the Hood get the tech we need to operate 2 of the 8 bootcamps we're running this summer.
3. You help small businesses get a free web site to reach new customers and grow their business.
4. You help Tech Exchange supply more low-income youth with technology and get the revenue they need to grow their impact.
5. You help recycle laptops, which saves energy and prevents toxic chemicals from polluting our land and water.

I honestly can't think of a better way to give.  Will you get on board and help us rock this campaign?

Here's three EASY things you can do right away to make this campaign a success.

1) Start a fundraiser
It takes 3 minutes.  We've got a great video that will make your friends really want to give, and we've already drafted some copy for you. You can go with it, or customize it to tell your own story about why you're supporting this effort.  
Want to make an even bigger impact?  Start a team and invite your friends or co-workers to raise money with you.  The more people who get involved, the more likely we are to meet our goal! (It also makes it more fun!)

2) Make a donation
Make a tax-deductible donation today.  If you start a team, making your own donation is way to encourage your friends to give.

3) Share the message
We're posting our campaign on our Facebook and Twitter channels.  Please visit our page and share our posts.  Add your own message to encourge your connections to support this amazing effort.

We're so grateful to have such a tremendous community of supporters out there.  Thank you for all you've done to make our growth possible.  We absolutely could not do this without your support.  

​You're our hero.

Applications due May 31

“Don’s like a visionary...[He] was able to translate my vision, my message, who I wanted to be, and what I was trying to accomplish in a large sense and translate that into a communication style that is my website.  It turned out very very well, and I couldn't be happier,” said Ed during a recent interview.  “To see that vision that Don has applied to my business needs, that encouraged me to do whatever I can to help him along his path the same way so many others have generously helped me.”

Hack the Hood has always stood for creating opportunities for unresourced young people. Part of the magic of our 6-week long “Bootcamps” for Youth Developers is providing a real world client. Introducing young entrepreneurs to established creating opportunities and pathways for youth. For instance, Ed introduced Don to his executive mentor at Google and helped him set up an informational interview. Experiences like these are what you can grow from, and the right interview at the right time is a catalyst.

“One of the biggest things I learned from Ed was to be resourceful.  He was a really great resource for a lot of stuff and he’s helped me out tremendously,” said Don.  

​I'd say if you're a small business owner like me, absolutely consider partnering with Hack the Hood. Not only will you get an awesome website but you will also be working towards a socially responsible solution to some of our problems.  In my experience, customers really appreciate that."

​A solid website is a key part in realizing your business goals.
Apply online by May 31 for a free website, and a chance to partner with a Youth Developer

In a fast-paced format, current Oakland developers will briefly present their mixed use development projects--under construction now--highlighting upcoming restaurant and retail space opportunities. Presentation will include project description, size range, timeline, desired tenant mix, tenant requirements. Goal is to inform retailers and restaurants of upcoming opportunities for expansion or startup. Projects covered may include those in Downtown, Broadway/Valdez, East Oakland, West Oakland, and North Oakland. 

Hack the Hood staff to look for: Felix ​

East Oakland Business Connect
Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Boulevard
May 3rd, 11am - 3pm ​

Small businesses and entrepreneurs are invited to come and learn about business development resource including free legal, marketing and financial resources to help you start or grow your business. Over 20 non-profit and business service organizations serving the East Oakland small businesses community will be there to share information, technical assistance and answer questions to help existing and new businesses be successful. 

Hack the Hood staff to look for: Mercedes & Felix 

Open event - no registration online 

by Oakland Digital with special guest Hack the Hood 
Location: East Oakland Business Connect
Allen Temple Baptist Church, 8501 International Boulevard
Wednesday, May 3rd . 2:15 pm – 3 pm

Come and learn how to level up your business through design, social media, and passion. Workshop presented by Shaun Tai and Yudy Herrera from Oakland Digital.

Hack the Hood staff to look for: Mercedes

Open event - no registration online

Fruitvale Transit Village (Plaza between International Boulevard & East 12th Street)
3401 E. 12th Street
May 3, 3:00pm - 3:45pm 
Renaissance Center and ANA present business owners with information on technology tools, platforms and services to 1.) improve overall management and efficiency (e.g., use of automated human resources processes, cloud data storage systems) and 2.) improve financial management (e.g., assess profitability of products and services, improve business banking).

Hack the Hood staff to look for: George & Fatimah 

Open event - no registration online ​

While learning the best practices of business is essential for running a successful business, why is it that more than 60 percent of new startups fail by the third year? In this workshop, participants will learn, then work in an interactive process to understand the underlying reasons that create a successful business. Based on the 40-year career of 19 startups and 20-year research by your facilitator, Boku Kodama, you'll learn the secrets and surprising answers to how anyone can build a profitable enterprise whether it's home-based or the next Pandora. Learn more about Urban Fire - Oakland at www.rencenter.org.

Hack the Hood staff to look for: Mercedes​

The Hack the Hood SMB Program is an opportunity for small business to partner with local youth, providing a real world client to a young person learning tech. In exchange for SMB time, they receive a free starter website designed by our Youth Developers. 

This summer, HTH will build 40 websites for Oakland Small Business - everyone from individuals to non profits to for profits - are welcome to apply. Online applications are open May 1st - 31st. Small business website will be live September 1st. In between that time, SMB clients can expect to engage in a series of meetings, networking and learning events that will not only connect them to youth in their cities, but also to other micro entreprises. ​

Last July we got an email from Zara Fernandez and Adam Bossy-Mendoza, ​Project Leads at YCore, a social impact fellowship for young professionals that works on four-month capacity-building volunteer projects for local nonprofits.  

"This year my team has chosen to focus on providing access to tech for low income youth. Hack the Hood has an incredible mission to provide low income youth the resources and skills to pursue a career in tech. We have been inspired by your organization and hope we might be able to work with you this coming year. "

Their outreach came at just the right moment.  Hack the Hood has been on a trajectory to provide more direct support to help young alumni from our programs connect with "next step" education and job opportunities.  We were raising money for job coaches and case managers who would be able to provide that support. But even as we were growing our team, we still needed to prepare the systems to help those people succeed in matching youth with jobs that fit their interests.  We jumped at the opportunity to work with a talented team of volunteers who could help us develop a job bank and match those jobs to specific youth based on their interests.

We're so grateful for working with such a standout team of volunteers who were willing to dedicate significant time and energy to ensure that Hack the Hood has strong customized tools we can use to make sure youth get connected to the best opportunities for them.  We hope we'll have another opportunity to work with this great organization again.

If you're interested in lending your particular skills to build the capacity of an awesome organization through YCore, consider applying for the next round of projects.  

If you'd like to get more involved at Hack the Hood, please head over to our volunteer page to learn more and get in touch.  

by Mary Fuller, Hack the Hood co-founder and COO

Madeira first came to Hack the Hood about two years ago.  We were launching our first bootcamp for older youth and she heard about it from her roommate.  

"He was just like 'there's this opportunity where you can learn to build websites and get a free Chromebook and get some money' and I was just like, 'What is this place called?!'

Little did she know, the step of applying for that program would really change everything for her.  While in our bootcamp, Madeira gained the skills to build a website for a small business client.  But what she learned went far beyond the technical.  She grew more confident, more ambitious, and she started to see new opportunities open up for her because of her association with Hack the Hood.

After she graduated from bootcamp, we invited her to join our Digital Marketing Doors pilot program, where she learned how to put together effective Google Adwords campaigns from Googlers on the Adwords team themselves. Afterwards we connected her to an internship at New American Media where she could experience digital marketing in a real work environment.  Around this time, we also brought her on at Hack the Hood as an Americorps volunteer where she began to use her leadership skills helping other young people in our programs.  Over the summer, she served as an associate instructor at an Oakland Bootcamp.  She really flourished in each successive role we gave her, and we loved having a "resident" youth in the office every day to contribute her perspective to the program.

What impressed us the most about Madeira, though, was her incredible and indominable persistence when less fortified people may have quit.  All through this period, she was saving money by living at home with her family in Patterson, CA and doing several-hour commutes on the bus or car-pooling with her dad each day.  She'd have to get up at 3am every morning and not get home until late.  But she kept at it and excelled in her job.

That resilience and committment was part of the reason we jumped on the chance to hire her on to our staff permanently.  Just two years after graduating from our bootcamp, Madeira is now the Central Valley Regional Account Manager at Hack the Hood.  She's the direct liason to two of our partners- Project Yes and EMPOWER- as they deliver Hack the Hood bootcamps in Modesto and Merced.  Now she gets to support the planning of the very bootcamp that got her started on her own career. We're so proud of her! And when she speaks to the power of what Hack the Hood can do, we consider her an authoritative source!