Hack the Hood Announces The Great Tech Community Challenge

October 4th, 2016, Oakland, CA--Hack the Hood launched a 30-day campaign today to raise $50,000 towards providing year-round programming to youth of color interested in tech in the Bay Area. The peer-to-peer crowdfunding campaign calls upon supporters to become fundraisers or team captains, tapping into their networks to find people who are committed to making the tech industry a more inclusive place.

“We’ve seen that when given an opportunity, the young people in our programs have unlimited potential, whether they pursue tech or another career,” said Mary Fuller, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Hack the Hood. “This campaign is a challenge to ourselves and the community to get behind these young people, and give them more of those chances to succeed. ”

Hack the Hood was a winner of the 2014 Google Bay Area Impact Challenge, and the nonprofit has developed an innovative model of introducing young people of color to the tech industry, teaching them to build websites which they then produce for real, local small businesses. According to Zakiya Harris, Chief Education Officer and another co-founder of Hack the Hood, The Great Tech Community Challenge is an attempt to take that work further through additional workshops, field trips, and year-round mentoring. It’s also a response to the continued need for greater inclusion in the tech industry and beyond.

“Every single one of us, in every single industry, has to take a stand - has to become a global citizen today,” Harris said. “That means intentionally and consciously doing work to support your community. It means that you’re aware of the community you are a part of, and you’re making a commitment to change it for the better.”

To learn more and to get involved with The Great Tech Community Challenge, visit hackthehood.org/challenge.

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BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Hack the Hood is an award-winning non-profit that introduces low-income youth of color to careers in tech by hiring and training them to build websites for real small businesses in their own communities. During 6-week "Bootcamps," young people gain valuable hands-on experience, build a portfolio, and  learn about opportunities in the tech industry, as well as building critical technical, leadership, entrepreneurship, and life skills with mentorship from staff and tech professionals working in the field. hackthehood.org

CAMPAIGN ASSETS

• The Great Tech Community Challenge Graphics
  
• Campaign Video
  
• Campaign Guide
  

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Facebook http://facebook.com/hackthehood
  
• Twitter https://twitter.com/hackthehood
  
• Instagram http://instagram.com/hackthehood
  
• Hashtags: #challengtech, #greattechchallenge