Hack the Hood envisions a future where every underestimated young person is empowered with the skills, confidence, and opportunities to excel in their careers, education, and lives, transforming their communities, leading with purpose, and shaping a more equitable and thriving future.
build.ai: AI Foundations
Leverage your curiosity and creativity to learn about artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and how to build relevant solutions using AI tools. Build.AI is designed for learners who are ready to explore the foundations of generative AI and agentic AI while strengthening their technical skills, critical thinking, and career readiness. Through hands-on projects, mentorship, career exposure, and certification preparation, this program helps young adults build confidence and experience in one of the fastest-growing areas of technology.
Build.AI introduces learners to core AI concepts, prompt engineering, AI-assisted coding, chatbots, and agents while helping them understand the broader ethical and community impact of these technologies. Through project-based learning and collaborative exploration, participants will gain practical experience, deepen their understanding of responsible AI, and build portfolio-ready work that can support future education and career opportunities. A free laptop and financial stipend are provided to support their journey into an AI and tech career pathway.
A $500 learning stipend and free laptop are provided to support your journey into your tech career pathway.
build: Data Science
Leverage your Python skills to learn about data science and how to identify, solve and answer problems using data and Build up your tech hustle! This program is for Hustle program alumni and learners with existing programming skills in Python from self learning, AP CS courses, or other coding programs. Build is designed to expose you to the data science process and help advance your skills in this critical area of technology. The Build program balances lectures, career exposure panels with industry professionals, peer-to-peer learning, video tutorials, and workshops that will help you see yourself in tech.
Our unique socio-technical curriculum will help ground your learning in current topics impacting communities and help you explore how to build relevant solutions to current problems using technology. This project will also contribute to your tech portfolio to show off their skills to potential employers.
A $500 learning stipend and free laptop are provided to support your journey into your tech career pathway.
hustle: Tech Foundations
Hustle into tech with an introduction to foundational tech skills and career pathways at Hack the Hood.
This program will teach you the fundamentals of Python, core skills in software development, and give you a primary understanding of data types and class structures, and sharpen your collaborative skills. The Hustle program balances lectures, career exposure panels with industry professionals, peer-to-peer learning, video tutorials, and workshops that will help you begin to see yourself in tech.
To bring your new skills to life, our unique socio-technical curriculum will help ground your learning in current topics impacting communities and help you explore how to build relevant solutions to current problems using technology.
A $500 learning stipend and free laptop are provided to support your journey. Discover the opportunities that await you as you Hustle your way into a career in tech.
-No prior tech knowledge is required.
summer peralta institute: hustle + cis 6
Kickstart your tech journey through Summer Peralta Institute: Hustle + CIS 6, a dual enrollment experience designed for high school students who are curious about technology and ready to build foundational programming skills in a supportive college environment. This beginner-friendly program introduces students to Python, software development, and tech for social justice while helping them gain early exposure to college coursework, career pathways, and what it means to see themselves in tech. No prior experience is required.
Through a partnership with Laney College, students participate in Hack the Hood instruction and college course learning during the summer, building technical skills alongside confidence, community, and career awareness. The program also includes identity and career development workshops, company tours and networking, and the opportunity to earn 5 college credits while learning in person on Laney’s campus.
To support students throughout the program, participants may receive up to a $500 learning stipend, a free laptop if needed, and student swag. Summer Peralta Institute: Hustle + CIS 6 is a great opportunity for students who want to explore technology, strengthen their academic journey, and take an early step toward college and career pathways in tech.
drive: Your Career Pathway
APPLY NOW!
Drive your career into tech! This exciting and intensive year-long program is designed to help you secure a Certificate of Achievement in Data Science, get internship ready, and navigate your career pathway in tech. You will be supported with a free laptop, a $250 monthly learning stipend, mentorship, monthly career development workshops, a community of support, and additional opportunities!
The Drive program is a hybrid of Hack the Hood’s Tech for Justice curriculum, technical content, career pathway exposure and development, and Laney College College courses. The Drive program will bring you up to speed with an introduction or continuation of your existing programming skills in Python, expose you to the data science process and help advance your skills in critical areas of technology. From beginning to end, the Hack the Hood team and our partners at Laney will support you to enroll in Laney college, understand and complete the FAFSA, and persist toward your goals.
The Drive program is a big commitment, but a clear and direct path to obtaining a Certificate of Achievement in Data Science, as well as support in applying to an internship or apprenticeship. This is your chance to find your lane and Drive your career forward!
Potential careers pathways after completion include but are not limited to Data Analyst, Business Intelligence Analyst, and Software Engineer.
hustle 2.0: Web Development
Interested? Sign up for more info!
Hack the Hood’s Hustle 2.0 is an immersive program designed to equip you with the skills to build visually captivating, responsive websites while exploring tech career pathways.
This hands-on program will guide you through the fundamentals of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript—empowering you to design and develop fully functional websites from scratch. You’ll sharpen your problem-solving skills, collaborate with peers, and gain real-world experience through project-based learning.
Hustle 2.0 balances lectures, peer-to-peer learning, workshops, and career exposure panels with industry professionals to ensure you not only build technical skills but also discover where you can thrive in the tech industry.
To bring your skills to life, our unique socio-technical curriculum will help ground your learning in current topics impacting communities and help you explore how to build relevant solutions to current problems using technology.
By the end of the program, you’ll have mastered essential web development skills in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, created responsive web pages that enhance user experience, developed a fully functional website from scratch and built a project portfolio to showcase your work to potential employers
A $500 learning stipend and free laptop are provided to support your journey into tech. Discover the opportunities that await you as you Hustle your way into a career in web development.
Some prior tech knowledge is required.
Programs
Our programs' technical curriculum will focus on teaching participants junior-level software engineering skills within the most popular programming languages and frameworks.
What Students Will Learn:
The aim of this program is to expose learners to the technical, creative, and social dimensions of artificial intelligence through hands-on learning and real-world application. Throughout Build.AI, learners will build skills in:
Generative AI and agentic AI foundations
Prompt engineering and responsible AI use
AI-assisted coding
Building chatbots and AI agents
Working with real-world datasets and developing data literacy
Understanding core AI concepts like machine learning, neural networks, and large language models
Thinking critically about ethics, bias, social justice, and community impact in AI systems
By the end of the program, learners will have built a stronger foundation in AI concepts and tools, created hands-on projects that can support their portfolio, and gained exposure to certification pathways and future opportunities in tech.
After completing the Hustle: Tech Foundations program, participants will be able to:
Understand foundational concepts related to generative AI and Agentic AI
Use prompt engineering and AI-assisted workflows to support problem solving and technical projects
Build hands-on projects such as chatbots, agents, or other AI-powered tools
Apply a stronger understanding of data, systems, and emerging AI technologies
Think critically about ethics, bias, and the broader community impact of AI
Strengthen their portfolio with project-based work that demonstrates their learning
Explore certification, education, and career pathways connected to AI and the future of tech
Weekly Summer Schedule
all times are in PST
June 2026
In-person orientation
June 8th - July 30th 2026
Structured Lectures:
Mondays 10:00 - 1:30 pm & Thursdays 10:00-12:30 pm
Group Work:
Tuesday or Wednesday: 10am - 12pm / 1pm - 3pm / 4 -6 pm
You choose the day and time slot best for you!
August 3rd - August 27th, 2026
Final Project: Meet w/ your group and TA weekly to finish your project
(you and your group choose the time)
August 2026
4:30-7:00pm In person graduation
What Students will learn:
The aim of this program is to expose students to both socio-technical issues and skills to support their tech identity development through discussion-based learning, technical skill development, professional skill development, and career awareness via panels with mentors from tech companies and communities. Each week will be structured around the four components of our curriculum framework:
Technical content - essential Python coding skills, introduction to and skill building in data science and analytics.
Community Centered Learning - weekly socio-technical problem exploration that discusses ethics in tech design. This session will focus on data activism.
Tech Identity Development - weekly career exploration and mentorship with tech professionals as well as professional skills development through workshops.
Practical skill demonstration - development of a simple portfolio of coding and data samples via weekly assignments and presentations by learners.
After completing the build: Data Science Foundations program, participants will be able to:
Apply a community-oriented perspective to the design, development and deconstruction of technical solutions.
Apply fundamental coding skills to address simple data science problems and develop core data analysis and engineering skills with an emphasis on data collection, analysis and visualization for social justice.
Communicate with and about human-centered technical problems and possibilities.
Differentiate pathway types for further tech career development among bootcamps, associate degree programs, 4-year institutions and self-taught career options.
The aim is that each learner will complete the program with a portfolio of projects to demonstrate their learning and skills. Of most importance, learners will be exposed to a breadth of socio-technical topics and technical exposure to develop their own technical career pathway.
Weekly Summer Schedule
all times are in PST
June 2026
In-person orientation
June 8th - July 30th 2026
Structured Lectures:
Mondays 10:00 - 1:30 pm & Thursdays 10:00-12:30 pm
Group Work:
Tuesday or Wednesday: 10am - 12pm / 1pm - 3pm / 4 -6 pm
You choose the day and time slot best for you!
August 3rd - August 27th, 2026
Final Project: Meet w/ your group and TA weekly to finish your project
(you and your group choose the time)
TBD - August 2026
4:30-7:00pm In person graduation
What Students Will Learn:
The aim of this program is to expose students to both socio-technical issues and foundational skills that support their tech career development through project-based learning, technical skill development, college exposure, and career-connected learning. Students will strengthen their confidence, build introductory coding skills, and explore how technology can be used to address real challenges in their communities. Each week will be structured around the four components of our curriculum framework:
Technical content - foundational Python coding skills, introduction to software development, and exposure to core concepts that support future learning in computer science and technology
Community Centered Learning - weekly socio-technical exploration of current issues impacting communities and the role technology can play in creating relevant solutions
Tech Identity Development - career and education exploration, mentorship, and opportunities to build confidence, belonging, and awareness of college and tech pathways
Practical skill demonstration - hands-on projects, collaborative learning, and presentations that allow students to apply and showcase what they’ve learned
After completing the Hustle: Tech Foundations program, participants will be able to:
Apply a community-oriented perspective to the design, development and deconstruction of technical solutions.
Apply fundamental coding skills to simple software development
Communicate with and about human-centered technical problems and possibilities
Differentiate pathway types for further tech career development among bootcamps, associate degree programs, 4-year institutions and self-taught career options
The aim is that each learner will complete the program with a portfolio of projects to demonstrate their learning and skills. Of most importance, learners will be exposed to a breadth of socio-technical topics and technical exposure to develop their own technical career pathway.
Weekly Summer Schedule
all times are in PST
June 2026
In-person orientation
June 8th - July 30th 2026
Structured Lectures:
Mondays 10:00 - 1:30 pm & Thursdays 10:00-12:30 pm
Group Work:
Tuesday or Wednesday: 10am - 12pm / 1pm - 3pm / 4 -6 pm
You choose the day and time slot best for you!
August 3rd - August 27th, 2026
Final Project: Meet w/ your group and TA weekly to finish your project
(you and your group choose the time)
August 2026
4:30-7:00pm In person graduation
What Students Will Learn
The aim of this program is to expose students to both socio-technical issues and foundational skills that support their tech career development through project-based learning, technical skill development, college exposure, and career-connected learning. Students will strengthen their confidence, build introductory coding skills, and explore how technology can be used to address real challenges in their communities. Each week will be structured around the four components of our curriculum framework:
Technical content -foundational Python coding skills, introduction to software development, and exposure to core concepts that support future learning in computer science and technology
Community Centered Learning - weekly socio-technical exploration of current issues impacting communities and the role technology can play in creating relevant solutions
Tech Identity Development - career and education exploration, mentorship, and opportunities to build confidence, belonging, and awareness of college and tech pathways
Practical skill demonstration - hands-on projects, collaborative learning, and presentations that allow students to apply and showcase what they’ve learned
After completing the Hustle + CIS 6: Dual Enrollment program, participants will be able to:
Understand foundational concepts in Python and software development
Apply introductory coding skills in a structured, supportive learning environment
Explore how technology can be used for social good and to address real community challenges
Build confidence in their ability to learn technical material and succeed in tech spaces
Gain exposure to college coursework and better understand the Laney College experience
Strengthen their identity, career awareness, and sense of belonging through workshops, community, and career exploration
Build momentum toward future education and career pathways in STEM while earning 5 college credits
Weekly Summer Schedule
All classes are held in person at Laney College
June 2026
In-person orientation
June 15th - July 31st 2026
DAILY SCHEDULE (Mon/Wed/Thur)
9:30 AM – 12:00 PM: Hack the Hood instruction
12:00 PM – 12:30 PM: Lunch break
12:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Laney College course instruction
August 2026 - TBD
In person graduation
drive: Laney is a partnership between Hack the Hood and Laney Community College in Oakland, CA to deliver a 12-month long college and career cohort that supports students in completing a Certificate of Achievement in Data Science and persisting in their STEM education.
The experience provides tech-based learning, support, and career exposure opportunities. Learners are provided with a free laptop, a $250 monthly learning stipend, mentorship, monthly career development workshops, a community of support along with dedicated counselors, instructors and cohorted classes at Laney Community College.
12-month paid program will offer learners:
a $250 monthly learning stipend
The opportunity to join a like-minded, supportive cohort of other early-career youth passionate about leveraging tech for social good
Mentorship from a tech professional who can help learners network, refine their tech skills, and set their career vision
Professional development workshops hosted in partnership with leading tech companies to help learners level up their resume, job search, and coding skills
Support in enrolling and matriculating into Laney Community College
Participate in collaborative learning experiences through priority enrollment to complete a Certificate of Achievement in Data Science.
Who is eligible for this program?
Black, Latinx, AAPI, and Indigenous folk 17-25 years of age who would like to pursue a Certificate of Achievement in Data Science as an entry level into tech education.
After completing the drive: Laney 12-month program:
Learners will have enough credits to receive a Certificate of Achievement in Data Science. Learners will transition to our HtH alumni program where they will continue to receive professional development and support pursuing career development opportunities
Program Dates: May 30th, 2026 - May 2027
June 8th to July 20th, 2026
Hack the Hood: Hustle, Build or Build.AIStructured Lectures: Monday and Thursday from 10am -1:30pm PST
Group Work: Tuesday or Wednesday 10am-12pm, 1pm-3pm, or 4pm-6pm PST (you choose!)
August 3rd - August 27th, 2026
Final Project: Meet with your group and TA weekly to finish your project (you and your group choose the time)
August - December 2026
Fall Semester at Laney Community College
January 2027 - May 2027
Spring Semester at Laney Community College, dates TBD
September 2026 - May 2027
Professional Development Workshops every 3rd Thursday of the month
What Students Will Learn:
Hustle 2.0 is designed to equip learners with the skills and knowledge needed to build dynamic, responsive websites while developing a strong tech identity. Through project-based learning, hands-on coding, and mentorship from industry professionals, students will gain both technical expertise and a deeper understanding of how technology intersects with modern-day problems impacting our communities.
Each week is structured around the four components of Hack the Hood’s curriculum framework:
Technical Content – Foundational web development skills, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, GitHub, and website deployment.
Community Centered Learning – Weekly explorations of how technology can drive positive change while addressing socio-technical challenges.
Tech Identity Development – Career and education exploration alongside mentorship from tech professionals.
Practical Skill Demonstration – Building a personal project portfolio and presenting completed websites.
Weekly Fall Schedule
all times are in PST
September 2026
In-person orientation
September 28th - November 20th 2026
Structured Lectures:
Mondays 4:30-7 pm & Wednesday 4-7:30 pm
Group Work:
Thursday : 3-5 pm / 4-6 pm / 5-7 pm / 6-8 pm
Saturday : 10-12 pm / 11-1 pm / 1 -3 pm / 2-4 pm
You choose the day and time slot best for you!
November 23rd - December 18th, 2026
Final Project: Meet w/ your group and TA weekly to finish your project
(you and your group choose the time)
December 2026
4:30-7:00pm In person graduation
After completing the Hustle: Tech Foundations program, participants will be able to:
Apply a community-oriented perspective to the design, development, and critique of web-based solutions.
Create responsive websites using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
Communicate effectively about human-centered technical problems and possibilities.
Differentiate tech career pathways, including bootcamps, associate degree programs, 4-year institutions, and self-taught options.
By the end of the program, learners will have a completed portfolio of projects demonstrating their technical skills and creative problem-solving abilities. Most importantly, participants will leave with the tools, exposure, and confidence to continue developing their unique tech career pathway.