 Dear Beloved Community,
On behalf of the Hack the Hood Board of Directors, we are pleased to announce the appointment of Michel Gelobter as Interim Executive Director, following the departure of Co-founder & CEO Susan Mernit - who will continue to serve the organization as a board member. A national leader in the environmental justice movement with extensive experience leading software startups as well as organizational change, Michel has deep experience in non-profit, social justice leadership as well as tech and clean energy entrepreneurship. He has worked most of his life in and with communities of color and in roles leading diverse teams, working with young people as emerging professionals, and overseeing finance, fundraising, and programs in mission-driven organizations. His proven leadership skills and alignment with Hack the Hood’s mission and vision make him a natural fit for this role. We are excited that Michel has agreed to serve in this capacity as we continue implementing our transition plan to find a permanent executive director. Hack the Hood is committed more than ever to building upon our recent successes and working to achieve empowerment for our youth and small businesses in the community. Thank you for your continued support as we move on to a great new chapter for Hack the Hood. Sincerely, Gabriel Castillo, Luther Jackson, Patty Mitchell and Kamal Shah Executive Committee of Hack the Hood Board of Directors
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Hack the Hood is turning five this year, and to celebrate this milestone we are highlighting the young people who have brought their skills and passions to our program. We'll be profiling a different young leader each month, with Shreejal being our July feature   1. What made you decide to join Hack the Hood (HtH)? When did you start with HtH? I’d been looking for a tech program for quite a while. My father wanted to pursue an education in a tech-related field but due to the lack of educational resources in Nepal, he was unable to do so. Therefore, tech has always interested me. I was super excited when my dad got his first cell phone, everyone at home started calling me “Simu” (after the SIM card). Unfortunately, living in Richmond, we don’t really have a lot of access to programs that teach us about tech. And the ones that are available cost a great deal of money. So I did a couple of google searches and landed at Hack the Hood….loved the website and that’s what convinced me to apply. Rather than signing up for Bootcamp, I decided to join one of their Membership programs in October of last year, Tech Prep Coding – which gives students opportunities to learn front-end website development and network with many tech companies. I remember finishing school around 4:00pm and having to commute 16 miles using public transportation. My 1 hour 20 minute commute was completely worth it though - I had access to so many resources at such an young age - from MacBook Airs to personalized tech mentorship. It was 9 weeks of awesomeness! 2. What did you learn, that was unexpected? Was there anything that surprised you about the program? There are many valuable concepts that I learned from Tech Prep but the most valuable one was “how to effectively solve a problem?” I realized that Computer Science is logic more than it is anything else. Essentially, telling a computer what to do is like talking to a kid - you have to start at a basic level and build up from there. When I was taking Calculus last semester and struggling with some of the concepts, I purposely taught myself like a computer, with logic, and realized that this is a more effective way to understand the material. Similarly, in real life, if I have to choose between Decision X and Decision Y, I draw potential implications of both the choices to make the most feasible decision there is. When writing algorithms one develops more of the “how to solve the problem” approach more than anything else. There were so many transferable skills I could apply from the Tech Prep class to real life! I also developed practical intelligence, something Malcolm Gladwell repeatedly discusses in his book “The Outliers.” With communication being a major factor to practical intelligence, through Hack the Hood, I am networking with people all across Silicon Valley whether it’s by attending various conferences or even communicating with guest speakers from large tech corporations. I have realized the impacts that communication can have on our everyday lives and through it I’ve developed my practical intelligence. 3. What are your favorite foods? I love Nepali and Indian food. Absolutely love momos, samosas, and daal-bhaat-tarkari. My favorite place to eat momos is Momolicious and I love my samosas from Hamro Aangan. But my mom makes the best dish - daal-bhaat-tarkari! 4. What do you do for fun? Two of my favorite things fun things to do is biking and playing chess. I got into chess, early, in 5th grade and five years later, I’m still playing. I’ve even competed in various tournaments and I have won four awards - all first and second place! I’m involved in the Chess Club at my school, I help my peers learn how to play chess. There is so much strategy behind the game and it exercises your brain a lot. I also love biking! I got into an accident earlier this week and the tires came off and I haven’t been able to fix my bike because I’ve been busy visiting colleges. Accident aside, I still love biking and go on biking trips through Trip for Kids every other week to places like China Camp and Point Pinole. 5. What’s your favorite TV show? I don’t really have a favorite TV show but my favorite movie, without a doubt, is “The Wolf of Wall Street,” because the film covers the story of success and the downfall of Jordan Belfort’s brokerage firm really well. Although, I don’t support their recreational activities or embezzling, I simply enjoyed watching it on the big screen because Jordan Belfort is a funny character and I am fascinated by how he and his team started Stratton Oakmont. After watching it, I realized how confidence and humor are critical to running a successful business. And of course doing business legally is critical to success too! 6. What are three places you enjoy visiting in the Bay Area and beyond? Personally, I love visiting San Francisco, Silicon Valley and Pokhara. Right around the Microsoft office on Market Street. I notice all of people wear business casual clothing - especially if there is a conference going on at the Moscone Center. I appreciate the professional vibe it creates and the sense of rush. This is exactly the kind of environment I want to work in! Mountain View is another favorite because of all the major tech companies that have offices there - LinkedIn, Google, Microsoft! It’s where the money comes in and technological breakthroughs occur! I love visiting Pokhara in Nepal! I have gone there several times - my first visit was with my uncle. It presents a beautiful view of the mountains and consists of great landscape. I’m not 18 yet, but once I am,I want to go skydiving and rafting over there!   7. Who are your top music artists? Drake and Eminem! Drake is taking over! His dance moves are hilarious to watch and he created the term “YOLO.” Though I didn’t like his recent album, “Scorpion.” I love listening to Eminem’s music because he discusses various social issues in our communities and shares his story - Nowhere Fast, River, and Walk on Water. His fans criticized his recent album, “Revival,” but I found the album to be rather motivating. 8. Who do you follow on insta? I really like to follow my friends, but I also like to follow entrepreneurs like Elon Musk (@elonmusk), Bill Gates (@thisisbillgates), and Richard Branson (@richardbranson). I also follow community-oriented groups, which focus on opportunities for people of color: Hack the Hood (@hackthehood), David E. Glover Center (@glovercenter), and the Ryse Center (@ryseyouthenter). 9. Where’d you grow up? What do you like about Richmond? I was born in Nepal, but immigrated in late 2009 (I was 7). When we relocated, we moved to Richmond. I like that there’s so much diversity here…people that look different, speak different, and think different. I’m concurrently enrolled at Contra College College (CCC) through my high school and I notice so much diversity! Being on the CCC Speech Team, I have been able to travel to various colleges to present about different ongoing issues in or communities and noticed that CCC holds much more diversity, as compared to many of the colleges we have visited. 10. What’s something you’d like to see change in Richmond? What do you want your contribution to that change to be? There’s not a lot of organizations that are bridging tech and equity in Richmond. Whereas, in Oakland, there are so many organizations working towards this like Gameheads and Youth Impact Hub. I’ve been working towards changing this in my own community. Last semester I organized an Hour of Code for 45 students, which is a global movement where we host a coding workshop for an hour. I want to organize more coding workshops…my goal is to organize at least 3 coding workshops this semester in local schools that generally cater to underrepresented communities. In these coding workshops I’d want to teach Scratch to middle school students and to high school students would want to teach a curriculum similar to Hack the Hoods. 11. What do you appreciate about today’s technology? How we’re able to communicate so effectively. When I was 5, in Nepal, I remember when my Dad got a cellphone. I found it so fascinating how a simple thing like a SIM card made it possible to connect with people over voice. I loved the SIM card so much, my family nicknamed me Simu, after a SIM card :). Connectivity and communication has brought the human civilization very far! 12. What type of technology do you wish you had, but hasn’t been invented yet? Recently, scientists came out with this new technology that captures 1 ton a day of CO2 from the atmosphere and turns it into fuel…as with all new technology, this tool is incredibly expensive. I’d want to see something more efficient and affordable be used…we have to protect our environment. 13. What would be your dream job? What do you want to be when you grow up? Twelve years down the road I see myself as a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. I want to go to Stanford to study CompSci and Business for my Bachelor’s. Then I want to become a Software Engineer to get that real-life experience (which is how I learn best). I haven’t made up my mind in terms of wanting to pursue an MBA or not, but I feel what’s more important than anything is getting real-life experience. I’d want to be CEO of a company, like Microsoft. But there is so much knowledge out there and I know very little.  Photography by Christine Cueto.
  . Dear Beloved Community, Six years ago, Zakiya Harris, Mary Fuller, and I came up with the idea to empower local small businesses by pairing them with young people in the community to plan and build their websites, then use that experience to introduce the young people to careers in tech as well as enable the youth to build a portfolio to utilize in their job searches. Today, Hack the Hood has 15 staffers, and our business model multiplier has provided the impact of serving 235 young people in 2017, and more than 600 youth and small businesses over the years. Since our first bootcamp, we have continued to expand our curriculum and in-depth skills training programs that prepare youth developers to grow their skills, confidence, and power for entrance into community college, coding classes, and careers in the tech economy. Additionally our work with small business owners very much increases their economic sustainability and provides economic development for our community. I’m very proud of all we have accomplished. And yet, it is time for change. As of June 28, 2018, I will step down from my role as CEO of Hack the Hood. In late July, I will join an Oakland-based arts and education non-profit as their Executive Director.  It has been rewarding and powerful to turn an idea about introducing low-income young people of color to 21st century skills and careers in tech into a living, breathing organization. Over the course of my leadership, Hack the Hood has expanded and deepened its programs in Oakland, developing a range of innovative programs and services for young people ages 16-25; recruited and supported 9 partners we trained to deliver our core program, Bootcamp, in San Francisco, East Palo Alto, San Jose, Hayward, Modesto, and Merced; grown from serving 18 students and 40 small businesses to engaging more than 600 small businesses, 100 volunteers, 20+ tech companies and more than 50 education, government workforce and community-based partners. In addition to guiding the organization to scale its impact, I am proud of all of the leaders we have helped develop, an executive team with a majority of people of color, and a staff that has hired 15+ young people from our programs as permanent and seasonal skilled employees and leaders. Building a fully functional organization over the past 5 years has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. From that moment in 2014, when Hack the Hood won $500,000 from Google.org during the first Bay Area Impact Challenge (as a good idea at a VERY early stage!) to our full range of year-round programs today, it has been humbling and a constant education to be able to do this work. There’s never a right time to make this kind of change, and yet I think it is the right time to transition Hack the Hood’s leadership. This is a moment to provide new energy, new ideas, and new blood to expand upon the work we have begun. Our team is motivated, capable, and dedicated to the mission. I have pride and full confidence in the board, the staff, and the community of young people and small businesses we have created. I am supporting the board as they recruit and bring in an interim CEO and have gladly accepted a board seat. As a new board member, I look forward to supporting Hack the Hood so this organization continues to grow, thrive, and change lives. I’m impressed by everything that the team has accomplished during this time, and will always love the vision and community of Hack the Hood.  Sincerely,
Susan Mernit Hack the Hood is turning five this year, and to celebrate this milestone we are highlighting the young people who have brought their skills and passions to our program. We'll be profiling a different young leader each month, with Angelica being our June feature.   1. What made you decide to join Hack the Hood (HtH)? When did you start with HtH? Honestly, I had nothing better to do over the summer, so I gave it a shot and applied. Joining seemed like a good use of my time. 2. What did you learn, that was unexpected? Was there anything that surprised you about the program? I wasn’t expecting to enjoy coding or web design. I discovered that this is something that I’m curious about and as I transition to college this is a field that I want to pursue seriously. 3. What are your favorite foods? Love pasta, especially tortellini or anything with pesto! But my food loyalty belongs with french fries…I love them so much! I enjoy eating my french fries with BBQ sauce, ketchup, and ranch dressing. Insider tip - the best place to get fries in the Bay is Super Duper burger…they’re even better than In-N-Out (sorry, but that’s the truth :))! 4. What do you do for fun? Before it used to be hanging out with friends and photography. Now that I’m so busy with school, I like to just be at home. Senior year has just been so stressful. When I have a moment to relax, I like to stay home, read an article, watch Netflix, or hang out with friends at home. 5. What’s your favorite TV show? “The Office” – because it’s so funny, especially the interactions between each other - the jokes are SO hilarious! “Parks and Rec” comes in a close second (if not equal) – the show speaks to my heart. Ron Swanson is my favorite television character...he gets paid to do nothing...that’s the dream or maybe why the government is so inefficient. 6. What are three places you enjoy visiting in Oakland? I like going to cafes or small coffee shops, because they’re more homey and inviting. It’s easy to sit down and chill. In Alameda there’s this restaurant called Lola’s Chicken Shack…my friends and I like to grab food from there and go to beach and chill. Also going to Sushi House with friends is one of my favorite places to eat sushi. When I had time, I loved going to SF to photograph buildings and the local flora/fauna. Perhaps I can go back to this over the summer when I’m officially done with high school!  7. Who are your top music artists? Bazzi: he’s a solo artist and love how he sings about love; Post Malone: he’s super chill and his songs are pretty realistic; For some major throwback, The Beatles: I grew up with them because my Dad loves the Beatles…my favorite song is “Hey Jude”; Beethoven: appreciate his way of music…it’s peaceful and calming. 8. Who do you follow on insta? I follow people/media outlets like: Teen Vogue, because they’ve started focusing on world problems and awareness around that and various make-up artists. 9. Where’d you grow up? What do you like about Oakland? Grew up in Oakland, specifically the Dimond District. St. Jarlath (Roman-Catholic) Church was and is a huge part of my life. At first I really hated going to church because everything revolved around the church, but now I really appreciate it. I like the diversity in Oakland and how our neighborhoods are pretty well blended. When I leave Oakland, I notice how different people interact with each other and how many times people will only interact with people within their own communities, limiting the opportunity for us to learn about other cultures and ways of thinking. 10. What’s something you’d like to see change in Oakland? What do you want your contribution to that change to be? A big problem in Oakland is people experiencing homelessness. Everywhere you go you see them…under the bridge, by Lake Merritt, by the expressway, and downtown. Homelessness is a really hard thing to solve by just one person. But providing shelters and food would be a really good start. Have more accessible centers where people experiencing homelessness can go to so they can get their lives back on track. Over the holidays, my church provides meals for those experiencing homelessness and that’s one way I’ve been helping out. It’s special and humbling to be able to connect with those experiencing homelessness and being able to witness what they’ve experienced. 11. What do you appreciate about today’s technology? The ever connected network. You can literally text, message, or call someone and they will immediately get your message. You can immediately record problems you see on the streets and share it with the world. Having a phone that allows you to do all of this, speeds up the process for information sharing. 12. What type of technology do you wish you had, but hasn’t been invented yet? Something that allows you to read minds. Inserting a chip in the brain and projecting it…so when you’re thinking about something and can’t articulate it, you can then show it so others understand. Though, this would have to be a highly monitored piece of technology and not available to just anyone. Or being able to to have a photographic memory because, in my opinion, life would be easier when we can remember the more necessary things in our daily lives. 13. What would be your dream job? What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to go into the Computer Science field and I want to be coding for web development or would want to work on the math side of the field. Still deciding which of these two I want to pursue. I was accepted into 11 colleges and finally made the really hard decision of where to go…University of Oregon, which I’m really excited to be attending...go Ducks!  Photography by Christine Cueto.
Hack the Hood is turning five this year, and to celebrate this milestone we are highlighting the young people who have brought their skills and passions to our program. We'll be profiling a different young leader each month, with Paco being our May feature.   1. What made you decide to join Hack the Hood (HtH)? When did you start with HtH? When I was a freshman in high school, I saw Hack the Hood’s Bootcamp poster at my high school. On it, it said I’d get a computer, professional skills, and learn to make things. It sounded interesting to me because ever since I was a kid I would make these weird art combinations - combining things from my vivid imagination with various colors. Attending Bootcamp would mean I’d have an opportunity to see more of the world...how people outside of my neighborhood functioned and thrived. And I was grateful to see this small part of the world. I was really happy to be a part of the program. Isaias [HtH’s former Regional Membership Manager] had this way of getting me to talk and inspired me to do more. Seeing another Mexican doing this great work, was really special. If he could be doing all this great work with the community, then so could I. 2. What did you learn, that was unexpected? Was there anything that surprised you about the program? When I went on our business trips to Adobe, Pandora, and TechCrunch, I was so amazed by how few people of color I saw. It was sad to see the void, but that void inspired me to step-up my game. During Bootcamp, I learned how to deal with clients…I had a particularly difficult client who wanted me to do all these things I wasn’t skilled in doing nor was it a part of the learning for the program, but then I had to learn patience, how to ask for help, and how to deal with discomfort/hastiness that sometimes comes with dealing with clients. 3. What are your favorite foods? On Van Ness in San Francisco, there’s this sandwich place next to the AMC movie theater. I’ve been going there since I was kid. It’s run by Mexican folks and Guy Fieri visited the place too. My favorite sandwich to get is their pastrami sandwich...just thinking of that sandwich is making me hungry...I can almost taste it in my mouth now! 4. What do you do for fun? Music! I’m rapper, singer, and musician. T.H.C (The Heroic Comeback) is my group. My MC name is KO. My friend Javier Mejia is known as JMC. We formed this group in 10th grade and started making poems for school. We both went to Youth Speaks and my mentors there, when they heard me, they were so impressed! They asked me to come back when I was ready to practice my beats and raps. My friends are my inspiration with Javier being my main inspiration. Music and art is all about community, unity, and sharing. I can’t write alone, but I can write a lot more when I’m around my friends. People say I got a little bit of Tupac in me...nothing is ever the same in me and that’s what makes me unique (from singing to how I create art). We’ve performed at the Malcolm X Jazz Festival in Oakland. 5. What’s your favorite TV show? “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” because it’s weird and the comedy is so dark. Even though their lives really don’t change, they change the people around them (most of the time not in the best way). I also enjoy “Samurai Champloo” because of the animation style and color – this inspires my art style. “Bezerk” is an anime show that’s brutal but I enjoy the content and details in the manga. The manga pushes me to think outside of the box, helping my art stand out.   6. What are three places you enjoy visiting in Oakland? I like Josie’s Park in the Fruitvale…a lot of memories from childhood are here. I like sleeping in the park when my family goes on outings together. Love my house and being around my family. I have a strong and playful connection to my Mom. I have 3 brothers and a sister and they empower me…especially with how we’ve overcome some great struggles together 7. Who are your top three music artists? Joey BadA$$ (his sound is very unique), Santo & Johnny (instrumental), and of course myself! 8. Who do you follow on insta? Studio_Odin (great for artwork) 9. Where’d you grow up? What do you like about Oakland? My mom was pregnant walking the border. Then she started having contractions while walking the border. Luckily family friends came to rescue, picked her up, and brought her to the Bay. I was born in Castro Valley. I’ve lived my whole life in the Fruitvale…East Oakland proud and strong! I love how close knit we are here in Oakland…every time I walk the streets I can chop it up with the people in the neighborhood, which I don’t get to see elsewhere, especially in other Bay Area cities. 10. What’s something you’d like to see change in Oakland? What do you want your contribution to that change to be? There’s a lot of programs here in Oakland (like HtH, Eastside Arts Alliance, Roses and Concrete) and I hope more young people take advantage of going through programs like these. My family made a lot of sacrifices to get here and I owe it to them to make something of myself. I hope there’s more people out there who want to explore their talents. I helped make a mural in the Fruitvale (purple background across from the Wendy’s), and every time I walk by there, I can proudly say I made my neighborhood even more special with art. My contribution to Oakland is to do these kinds of interviews to help spread the word on the importance of taking advantage of the great programs available to us AND create more art (music and public art). Currently, I’m making a coloring book, “The Colors of the Revolution” and creating music as a way to showcase the power of all of these programs present in the East Bay. If you give it your all, you can be a part of this giant world! 11. What do you appreciate about today’s technology? I love my iPad Pro (that I got with being a HtH Demo Day winner and through my own savings from work). This tablet has allowed me to make my coloring book. Technology allows me to share my artwork with the world and without it I wouldn’t be making unique and creative art. Technology allows me to explore all avenues of art. 12. What type of technology do you wish you had, but hasn’t been invented yet? Cicret bracelet! I know it’s being made, but the fact that you can project your phone-screen onto your wrist, blows my mind! I love showing all these new gadgets to Mom so she can keep up with how technology is changing and improving the world. 13. What would be your dream job? What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to publish my coloring book, “The Colors of the Revolution” and want to continue pursuing the arts - music, public art, and even create children’s books. I’d like to really continue creating ideas and see them come to life. I really like science…still figuring out though which field in science I should pursue.  Photography by Christine Cueto.
If you’re a young person who is trying to learn web development, digital marketing, or coding on your smartphone, you’re going to have a very hard time getting much done. Similarly, if you’re trying to write and research a school paper on your phone, you’re also limited--and yet, so many of our young people don’t have access to the powerful digital tools they need to learn skills, do school work, and look for a job.   A tech partner of ours is helping give the gift of technology tools to our young leaders. Earlier this week we had the pleasure of unwrapping 331 relatively new Macbook Pros, MacBook Airs, and Lenovo ThinkPads from one of our technology partners. With the donation of these higher-end machines, 100 of our young people participating in Summer Bootcamp will get to use and receive one of these high quality machines. Additionally, we’ll have spare laptops to use in our after-school classes and update laptops for staff members who are using Chromebooks and Dell Latitudes.  We are grateful to the foundation and e-waste teams at the anonymous tech company for investing in our young leaders and empowering them to explore the world of tech. Before we distribute them to our young people, our partner Tech Exchange, will double-check to make sure all laptops are ready to use and that there are no glitches with the system. They will also install updated operating systems and new software. Thank you again to our anonymous tech partner for selecting us as the recipient for their lightly used laptops. Thank you TechExchange for partnering with us to run diagnostics, update systems, and distribute these amazing laptops to our young people and to community members in East and West Oakland.  Hack the Hood is turning five this year, and to celebrate this milestone we are highlighting the young people who have brought their skills and passions to our program. We'll be profiling a different young leader each month, with Jodie being our April feature.   1. What made you decide to join Hack the Hood (HtH)? When did you start with HtH? I joined in January 2017 after I saw a post on Facebook for the Spring Bootcamp. The post asked if I was an entrepreneur, wanted to learn to build a website, and earn money. At the time I really wanted to start a small food business and saw this as an opportunity to kickstart a dream by understanding the tools I’d need to build a thriving business and engage consumers. After I finished the six-week Bootcamp and built a website for Ase Arts, I chose to continue my learning by joining the digital marketing program with Siobhan [HtH Instructor]. What made me want to continue my learning was the positive and confident experience I’d had with my Spring Bootcamp instructors and how I felt connected to the people and my peers at Hack the Hood. 2. What did you learn, that was unexpected? Was there anything that surprised you about the program? I really learned the concept of networking and self-advocacy. Max [HtH Lead Instructor] taught us how to stay connected to the people we meet and how to leverage those connections for opportunities. Zakiya [HtH CIO] taught us how to use our voice to advocate for ourselves, while building our own confidence. My biggest takeaway was that we each have our own personal brand - how we present ourselves impacts what people think of us and the impressions we make. I learned to build my personal brand. 3. What are your favorite foods? My favorite foods are those that remind me of my family - Filipino food, Creole food, and tacos! I love anything over a bowl of steamed white rice…adobo with veggies (ideally from Lucky Three Seven), shrimp gumbo, and carne asada tacos (ideally from Tacos Sinaloa). 4. What do you do for fun? I love cooking – cooking allows me to feel confident in my creativity and slow down. Cooking for others inspires me to be in community. I also love getting outside and going on adventures. Depending on the weather, who knows what you may find me doing! I enjoy kayaking on the Bay, exploring Redwood Regional Park, and biking along the Bay Trail. 5. What’s your favorite TV show? I don’t watch much TV, but when I do I love to watch Insecure. That show impressed me because it’s different than what you see on TV - I felt it was authentic and relevant. Walking Dead is my other favorite show. I love post-apocalyptic fiction  6. What are three places you enjoy visiting in Oakland? I like visiting the Emeryville Marina because it’s very low-key and is easier to access the water. Lake Merritt is another fave of mine because there’s always something going on to check out and people to see. My last (but definitely not least) favorite place is Mandela Foods Cooperative because of their awesome members and the community they’ve created there. 7. Who are your top three music artists? A. Kelela; b. Little Dragon; c. Khruangbin 8. Who do you follow on insta? NatGeo (for photography); Foundr (inspiring posts); melaninbasecamp (POC outdoor group); and of course Kelela (music artist)! 9. Where’d you grow up? What do you like about Oakland? I grew up in Long Beach. I moved to Oakland to continue my undergrad studies at UC Berkeley, where I majored in Conservation and Resource Studies. What I like about Oakland is that it reminds me of my hometown. In Long Beach, we have a lot of diversity – diversity of cultures, activities, food, and perspectives. Oakland is similar with a unique and rich history of culture that I have lots of love and appreciation for. 10. What’s something you’d like to see changed in Oakland? What do you want your contribution to that change to be? I want to see more people of color (POC) represented in positions of influence - women of color, immigrants of color, queers of color. I also want to see economic justice for our community. I want to see trendy spots coming up in Oakland/San Francisco owned by and supported by POCs. I want to see West Oakland have more green spaces, and still keep the same community who have lived there for generations. One of my contributions is supporting local, people of color owned businesses as much as possible. I believe that supporting local business is supporting local power and community. 11. What do you appreciate about today’s’ technology? The ability to share and connect with people. We’re more efficient as humans. At the same time, I struggle with technology and how it impacts jobs for people. For example, I wonder how AmazonGo is going to change the job market in Seattle and what trend that will create in retail stores elsewhere. To me, technology really is a double edged sword. When I’m not contemplating the double edged sword, I’m mostly using Whatsapp and FB Messenger…no matter where we are in the world, we can connect immediately. 12. What type of technology do you wish you had, but hasn’t been invented yet? You know how on email you can set an auto-responder…I wish there was a way of creating an auto-responder for text messages! If there are any engineers from Apple, Samsung, or Android reading this...you heard it here first! 13. What would be your dream job? What do you want to be when you grow up? I would love to have my own food business – serving Filipino and Creole food…I’ve been taking a lot of business classes, following La Cocina, and honing my photography skills so I can take photos of the food I plan to sell (and of course of my travel adventures).  Hack the Hood is turning five this year, and to celebrate this milestone we are highlighting the young people who have brought their skills and passions to our program. We'll be profiling a different young leader each month, starting with Nailah! We had a conversation with Nailah last week and found out more about her ambitions.   1. What made you decide to join Hack the Hood (HtH)? When did you start with HtH? My cousin, Jalina, heard about Hack the Hood from her workplace and she really encouraged me to apply because it would give me something to do and in the process I’d learn about coding, while earning some cash. Initially it was something to do to pass time, but then I unexpectedly fell in love with coding. When I heard I got into the Summer 2017 Bootcamp with RC [HtH’s Lead Instructor], I was super pumped! I felt empowered to learn about coding and how tech companies work. Being a part of Bootcamp was like being a part of a community - we were all bonding, joking, and having fun together. Through the Bootcamp business trip, I got a really special inside look at Pandora - I was surprised to see how happy and relaxed people were there. I loved that so many Pandora staff had the time to stop by and say hi - it showed me that they were treated like humans, not machines. When Bootcamp came to an end, I didn’t want to leave! 2. What did you learn, that was unexpected? Was there anything that surprised you about the program? I learned how to write Javascript, HTML, and CSS. I didn’t expect to learn how to make websites and I honestly didn’t think I could make a website. In the process of building a website, I learned how to deal with clients and how to be professional by greeting clients, talking with them, and scheduling meetings. I designed my own website: www.nailahneely.tech and another for a small business owner - whose website isn’t live yet, because they’re waiting for all their products to come in, but it’s a website that provides environmentally friendly feminine products and feminine health education to black women. I was pleasantly surprised by how warm and caring the instructors were. Their warmth and care really showed up when my instructors, RC, Somsak, and Daniel, got emotional at Bootcamp graduation, making HtH even more special to me. 3. What are your favorite foods? I don’t really have a favorite food, but I definitely enjoy trying foods that are new to me. Recently I ate at Curry Up Now on Telegraph - I ordered the Naughty Naan and it was so delicious, I can’t wait to go there again! 4. What do you do for fun? When I have some free time, I’m spending quality time with my family - with my little brothers, sister, and Mom, who I love dearly. When we’re together we have game night where we play Sorry, Uno, and The Game of 49…’Sorry’ is my favorite because I win! If we choose to mix it up a little, we’ll host movie night. My favorite movie to watch is The Great Debaters. 5. What’s your favorite TV show? Favorite TV Show hands down is Stranger Things - first season was amazing, second season was a bit predictable, but still really good...I can’t wait for them to come back for Season 3...which I hope there will be, otherwise, I might need to send a letter to Netflix! 6. What are three places you enjoy visiting in Oakland? Jack London Square, especially Regal Cinema; Lake Merritt - I love walking around there; and my Mom’s house!  7. Who are your top three music artists? Cardi B, Bruno Mars, and Kem (jazz musician). Cardi B and Bruno Mars’ Finesse is my jam right now! 8. Who do you follow on instagram? My favorite people to follow are: @conscious_empowerment, @renny, and @willsmith! 9. Where’d you grow up? What do you like about Oakland? I’m East Oakland strong and proud! I feel Oakland is one of the best cities because everyone likes to come to Oakland now...we’re famous. I like that Oakland has a strong sense of community and history. When I think of Oakland, I think of my family and the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with thinking of family. I love that Oakland is where the Black Panthers started and that so many other famous people have their roots in Oakland, like Marshawn Lynch, Too Short, Mac Dre, and Keysha Cole. Most importantly I love that when I bump into other people who are from Oakland, there’s this strong sense of pride. 10. What’s something you’d like to see changed in Oakland? What do you want your contribution to that change to be? I want to see rent be more affordable in Oakland. I want landlords to be more aware of the struggle of the people and how many jobs people work to be able to afford Oakland. I want to see homeless people be off streets and want the City to be helping the homeless people more. Unfortunately, what I see happening is the City of Oakland is kicking people out who’ve been here for years (if not generations) and making space for all the people who can afford to live elsewhere, but are choosing Oakland because it’s close to their jobs. My contribution to these challenges is VOTING and passing out food to homeless people. 11. What do you appreciate about today’s’ technology? I really appreciate having access to wifi because it gives me access to information immediately. Even though I’m not a big fan of smartphones, I have one, because it’s really convenient when I’m out and about. Basically information at my fingertips. I love PCs because they’re not complicated to use like Macs are - having a laptop connects me to the world. Plus having a laptop allows me to work on school papers from home rather than going to the library to write my papers. 12. What type of technology do you wish you had, but hasn’t been invented yet? Even though these are being built, I’m very fascinated by self-driving cars because of how convenient they are and how they’ll help people who don’t have a driver’s license. 13. What would be your dream job? What do you want to be when you grow up? Dream job: working at a tech company and continuing to learn about coding. At this tech company, my ideal position would be a Full Stack Engineer or Back-end Engineer. I know I still have a lot to learn, so while I work towards my dream job, I’m going to attend Code Berkeley, watch coding videos on YouTube, and utilize Khan Academy and Treehouse. Next year I want to apply for General Assembly’s Fellowship program.  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.”  She took the high road through moving away from Rialto, Ca, and pursued a new venture as student at UC Berkeley. She initially wanted to pursue a career as a medical physician, but realized that sports and fitness became the core of her passion and drive for her career which started in high school. She became a role model and advocate for living a healthy lifestyle, and started building personal fitness coaching clientele while she was finishing up her last term at Cal. But when she unexpectedly lost her boyfriend in 2014, it all came to a halt. “Things changed significantly for me, and I just had to figure out a way to cope with the loss and take time to regroup.” 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.”  In Level Up, Isaias Rodriguez helped Clinay get ready to present her business to the world in person. “...You can tell that he really cares about the youth and the students. He kept forcing us to pitch. I think I‘ve done at least eight different presentations. Trying to set out a clear idea and being confident in explaining it is important, and I think I’ve done very well since I’ve practiced interviewing with Hack the Hood. It makes me feel more confident to do that at a larger scale with people who might want to invest in what I want to do.”  After participating in Hack the Hood, Clinay’s world has changed drastically. She got connected to Kiva.org, and successfully raised an $8,000 loan to fund her coaching business, with many Hack the Hood staff and supporters on her investor roster. She also landed an Account Executive job at Yelp in August 2017, where she works today.  “People showed up and showed out who were meant to help me. I’m really glad to have those people in my life and in my community. You just get so used to bad things happening to you, you just don’t expect it." Check out the video: Support more youth like Clinay: 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. Join #ChallengeTech   |
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February 2019
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