Oakland Urban Youth to Build Apps at #MyBrothersKeeper Hackathon
Powered by Qeyno
For Immediate Release: http://www.mbkhack.com
General Inquires Contact: team@qeyno.com
For interviews with Kalimah Priforce, Contact:
Kelley Nayo, kelley@qeyno.com, 510–672–3897
“Qeyno has launched hackathons around the country — and soon globally — because we believe that our youth deserve to be included in the STEM and tech diversity conversation as developers, designers, and innovators. It is a conversation we started here in the most diverse city in Silicon Valley: Oakland, California. Our home.”
- Qeyno Labs CEO, Kalimah Priforce, Winner of White House Champion of Change Award
Oakland, CA February 3, 2014 — Qeyno Labs is coming full circle with hosting their first inclusive “My Brother’s Keeper” youth hackathon (#MBKHack) in Oakland, California on Friday, February 20 through Sunday, February 22 after a successful launch of MBKHack in Philadelphia that was widely covered by MSNBC and local media outlets. The three-day youth hackathon celebrates their one-year anniversary of Qeyno’s first hackathon launch in Oakland and will take place at Kaiser Center Oakland’s Port Workspaces at 300 Lakeside Drive. The hackathon is entirely free for participants.
My Brother’s Keeper Hackathon (MBKHack) is a hackathon in partnership with President Obama and the White House’s call-to-action for organizations, leaders, and businesses to develop and support ways to improve the life outcomes of young men of color. MBKHack is inclusive of young women through its “My Sister’s Keeper” initiative that is a part of every My Brother’s Keeper hackathon experience.
Through a community partnership with the City of Oakland, the hackathon will feature young men and women innovators who will build and design apps that drive real solutions for our communities, educators, and families in Oakland, California. Youth will become startup entrepreneurs as they work side-by-side with adult technologists, designers, and community leaders to brainstorm and rapidly prototype apps that solve challenges related to education, health and wellness, restorative justice, sustainability and financial inclusion. The three-day hackathon is sponsored by Pandora, United Negro College Fund (UNCF), the Black Male Engagement (BMe) network, CLEF, College Bound Brotherhood, and many others.
“Oakland is one of the most diverse cities in the world and we’re proud of our roots here,” said Lisa Lee, diversity program manager at Pandora. “We are strengthened by our neighbors like Qeyno and proud to call them partners in our collective action to develop young leaders from the local community for the tech industry. This hackathon is an important step for both of us as we invest in Oakland and its future.”
At the end of the “My Brother’s Keeper” Hackathon experience, adults and youth alike will walk away with a sense of accomplishment inspired by unique interactions that come when brilliant people get together to solve problems and “upload” their collaborative creations for the world to experience.
The hackathon is free to participating youth and adult professionals seeking to be their mentors. Families, teachers, organizations, and caregivers are encouraged to register youth at www.mbkhack.com by February 13, 2015.
A new addition to the Qeyno hackathon experience will include pre-hackathon workshops, which are open to the Oakland community. This includes a Racial Equity & Diversity Training Workshop, for companies, organizations, and participating mentors sponsored by Pandora, as well as a “Pitch Your Best Self” workshops for youth participants. Hackathon participants and non-participants are welcome to join, and more information can be found at www.mbkhack.com.
Qeyno is launching ten hackathons in 2015 from one focused on girls and young women in Atlanta, Georgia to a hackathon for Native American youth in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Qeyno’s work is supported by its global network of alliances and sponsors. Qeyno is accepting inquiries if your organization or company would like to sponsor hackathons.
A Gender Inclusive Experience
There has been a buzz of controversy and debate over the gender-exclusive nature of the “My Brother’s Keeper” movement, a first of its kind White House Initiative targeting the life outcomes of young men of color in the United States and efforts to improve those outcomes by foundations, corporations, non-profits, and community leaders.
“Without a gender inclusive approach, we can’t expect to realize the true impact and influence of the My Brother’s Keeper movement,” added founder of Qeyno Labs, Kalimah Priforce.
Through an initiative he calls, “My Sister’s Keeper,” Priforce is bringing together a collective of companies and organizations in support of the preparation, representation, and participation of girls and women at each My Brother’s Keeper Hackathon, but from the perspective of youth that self-identify as female. Young women attending the majority-male hackathon will have encouraging and supportive mentors through MSK, and will be building apps that improve the life outcomes of young men of color, but through their genius, their leadership, and their voice. MBKHack’s My Sister’s Keeper Initiative is being led by Sultanah Corbett, an educator and head advocate for the African-American Female Initiative for Oakland Unified School District.
Last year, Priforce was awarded as a White House Champion of Change for launching the first Black Male Achievement Hackathon hosted in the city of Oakland, California. His startup is known for designing hackathon experiences that have launched apps that fight human trafficking, curtail mass incarceration, and prevent tragedies like the late Eric Brown, Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown and Oscar Grant.
About Qeyno Labs
Qeyno is the leading provider of high profile, mindfully inclusive hackathons guiding high potential youth in low opportunity settings into STEM career pathways. Using coding literacy, art, and mentorship, Qeyno leads the way in playful learning experiences that make “hackathon” a household word in every home and is committed to lifting innovation in every community.
Register for #MBKHack in Feb 20–22, 2015 | www.mbkhack.com,
Facebook: fb.com/qeyno
Twitter: @qeyno
Instagram: @qeynolabs
