Inspirational Black Men In Tech: Kirk Holbrook of Gizmology & Deeplocal On The Five Things You Need To Know In Order To Create A Very Successful Tech Company
You need to have a diverse team at the executive to ensure that all aspects of a business or organization are reflective of diverse perspectives, ideas, and lived experiences. Without that, the culture of a company or organization will be homogeneous and will not account for the diversity we see in the fabric of our broader society.
As a part of my series about “Lessons From Inspirational Black Men In Tech”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Kirk Holbrook.
Kirk Holbrook began his career in community service in 2001, working within inner-city, after-school programs in the Hill District, Homewood, and other areas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, where he enjoyed more than a decade in youth programming. Later, he served as an educational advocate and in state government as a district office Chief of Staff for State Representative Jake Wheatley, before moving to the University of Pittsburgh as director of the Community Engagement Center (CEC) in the Hill District. Kirk was appointed to the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Equity Advisory Panel in 2018, was named one of the upcoming leaders in education by Incline Magazine in 2019, and was appointed as a Remake Learning ambassador in 2022. He is currently the Program Director of Gizmology, the creative tech and experience design apprenticeship operated by Deeplocal/ He believes that by working together to weave a connective thread between nonprofit organizations, anchor institutions, and the private sector, we can directly counteract legacies of inequity in black and brown communities.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to learn a bit more about you. Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
My career trajectory has been very non-traditional, and has spanned the non-profit, governmental, higher ed, and now the private sector. I have been working in, and serving, inner-city communities of color for over two decades. My initial foray into serving communities was inspired by a desire to improve educational outcomes of young people, and I spent over a decade working in after-school programs and organizing around educational policy. After working in state government for four years and advocating for educational policy change, I led a community engagement center for the University of Pittsburgh in a local community, the Hill District. In addition to building bridges between anchor institutions and local communities as a part of that work, I also created a community-wide STEAM initiative which engaged the community across the lifespan, from teaching 2nd graders how to code to training adults in cybersecurity skills. I realized through those experiences, that if we can address the digital divide in underserved communities, we can begin to change access to economic opportunities in tech and beyond. Although my career has spanned multiple sectors, central to my work has always been advocating for equity in black and brown communities, whether in education or in access to economic opportunity. Gizmology is an outgrowth of my life’s work in seeking to address barriers for those from historically underrepresented communities.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?
There have been a number of wonderful experiences since joining Deeplocal. The primary event that sticks out to me the most would be the community meet and greet we held in December 2022, where we were able to bring in over 40 community partners to learn about the company and the racial equity initiative I am leading, Gizmology. It was the first time that we were able to deeply engage members of the community in a way that brought voices together from diverse backgrounds. We had school leaders, nonprofit organizations, community leaders, elected officials, and community-based organizations all in one room, excitedly sharing aspirations for what Gizmology could mean for local communities and the Pittsburgh region. This was a huge milestone for many reasons, but primarily because it signaled the beginning of a deep connection between the company and the local community. It was the beginning of forging a truly authentic community partnership that has laid the foundation for everything Gizmology has become. Rarely do you see a marriage between a tech company and the local community in the way Deeplocal and Gizmology has connected to Black Pittsburgh.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
The experience that forever propelled me into centering equity and dedicating my life to improving conditions for black and brown communities in Pittsburgh and beyond was my time working at Grace Memorial Church at the age of 20, in an after-school program in the Hill District. I was a young person at that time who was trying to find my way in life after experiencing some difficulties as a teen, and I was placed at that site as a work-study tutor while attending the University of Pittsburgh. Within days, working with 1st grade students everyday, helping them with their homework and supporting other enrichment activities, I knew I had found my life’s calling in helping to give back to the community. The lead classroom teacher at that time, Ms. Connelly, also quickly recognized my new found passion for teaching and working with young children, and offered me the opportunity to lead a science lesson the following week. Being my first classroom lesson ever, I spent a lot of time preparing for the science experiment I was going to teach. And when the day came, I was so nervous yet excited to deliver the lesson. The students were so enthusiastic to participate and things started off great–but then the experiment that I had planned completely failed because I had accidentally purchased the wrong ingredients! That lesson taught me that sometimes success can be found in failure–but the key is making sure you take the first step forward. Had I not agreed to teach that lesson, I may not have realized how much I enjoyed giving back to the community — it is definitely a moment forever etched in my mind.
Can you tell us a story about the hard times that you faced when you first started your journey? Did you ever consider giving up? Where did you get the drive to continue even though things were so hard?
Throughout my career there have definitely been peaks and valleys along the journey. I think what helped me continue through the hard times is the recognition that giving back to the community and dedicating my life to improving conditions in neighborhoods like those I grew up in was the greatest way in which to use my life. Much of that passion was instilled in me by both my parents who were also change agents themselves, serving as teachers and community mentors throughout their lives. When I had a chance to reclaim my future at the age of 20, the lessons that were instilled in me as a kid, about social justice and racial equity, were reborn. My drive to continue is fueled by the understanding that the path I am on is destined. The journey I have been on for the last 22 plus years is truly just an extension of my heart and family legacy.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Absolutely, there are so many that have had a positive impact on my life and my career journey. And although it is extremely difficult to name just one, I would have to say that my time learning under Rev. Johnnie Monroe while working at Grace Memorial Church was the most impactful.
Rev. Monroe was a modern-day civil rights hero, who had done a lot of work impacting the lives of Black communities, first in Chester, PA, and then in Pittsburgh and the Hill District. He was a powerful speaker, had a tremendous presence, and was a staunch advocate for the education of black children and speaking truth to power. After my first semester as a work-study tutor at the after-school program, he hired me full-time at the organization. He was not concerned with some of the past mistakes I had and the background that followed me as a teen, instead he saw the tremendous leadership potential that I had.
Rev. Monroe ushered me into a leadership position within the after school program and summer camp programs over a period of several years. He encouraged me to use my voice to advocate for our most precious resource in our communities (as he always said) — our children. It was under his leadership that I was able to first attend community meetings, where I was able to speak to community leaders and advocate for my community, and where I was able to see a path for my life’s work. Without Rev. Monroe and his example, I would definitely not be where I am today and wouldn’t have dedicated my life to service to the community.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around”. This is a quote from one of my favorite movies. This quote is relevant because it truly is how I feel I’ve been able to stay resilient along my life’s journey. To be successful, you can’t get too caught up in the mistakes or challenges you may encounter — for the chance to change course is literally always at your fingertips.
Ok super. Thank you for all that. Let’s now shift to the main focus of our interview. The United States is currently facing a very important self-reckoning about race, diversity, equality and inclusion. This is of course a huge topic. But briefly, can you share your view on how this crisis inexorably evolved to the boiling point that it’s at now?
This country has always had to grapple with a legacy of inequity based on its past. And although there have been tremendous strides forward in terms of race, diversity, equality and inclusion, many of the same systemic barriers still exist today from decades ago. Particularly when looking at issues involving race in this country, we still see glaring disparities economically and educationally, amongst many others, and the related systems still have policies and practices embedded within that perpetuate inequality. When you allow issues to persist decade upon decade without real systemic change–things will ultimately come to a boil. The key right now is leveraging this crisis as an opportunity to effect real change across the board. Gizmology in itself is an initiative that rose- up out of the uprising in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and renewed calls towards racial equity. We have to capture the momentum to produce tangible change.
This may be obvious to you, but it will be helpful to spell this out. Can you articulate to our readers a few reasons why it is so important for a business or organization to have a diverse executive team?
You need to have a diverse team at the executive to ensure that all aspects of a business or organization are reflective of diverse perspectives, ideas, and lived experiences. Without that, the culture of a company or organization will be homogeneous and will not account for the diversity we see in the fabric of our broader society.
Let’s zoom out a bit and talk in more broad terms. It’s hard to be satisfied with the status quo regarding Black Men in Tech leadership. What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?
First, to change the status quo of black men in tech leadership we need to change the number of black men (and women) who are in tech. Occupational segregation in the tech industry is a problem nationwide but it’s especially pronounced in Pittsburgh, where our city’s Black residents hold fewer jobs in tech than the already low national average of 8.5% for Computer and Mathematical occupations and 5.8% for Architecture and Engineering occupations. Once there are more pathways into tech for black people in general, I think you’ll naturally see more opportunities for leadership. Additionally, companies need to take a stance on racial equity that goes beyond rhetoric. There needs to be intentional efforts to recruit, retain, promote and help build a diverse pipeline of talent. Lastly, I think we need to ensure that there are more equitable opportunities for minorities in the start-up and venture capital community. The number of Black men and women in leadership will greatly expand as there are more companies being supported that are run by black men and women. I don’t think it’s too far reaching to find solutions to this issue, we just need those simple solutions to be implemented effectively.
We’d now love to learn a bit about your company. What is the pain point that your company is helping to address?
Deeplocal is one of the largest creative technology companies in the world. It is based in Pittsburgh, which is a region that has a long history of occupational segregation and disparities in access to economic opportunity for its Black residents, which has been further exacerbated by the region’s tech boom.
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Innovation is at the core of Deeplocal’s DNA. They spun out of a famous lab at Carnegie Mellon called The STUDIO for Creative Inquiry in the early 2000s. They created the Nike Chalkbot, which was the first use of robotics in advertising. Ever since they have been creating inventions and experiences for the world’s biggest tech companies — like Google, Meta, Netflix, TikTok, and more. To be an innovator in this industry and to make innovation a core pillar of the company, you have to hire people who are curious, open minded, and thoughtful. People who want to learn and collaborate. That’s why Deeplocal is the perfect home for Gizmology. They recognized the need to create a more equitable tech industry in Pittsburgh, and then worked together to build a solution. Of course we won’t fix any problems overnight, but the willingness to listen, learn, and then act are the right first steps.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
Gizmology’s inaugural cohort just completed their first capstone project. Five apprentices from various backgrounds and skill sets each created a table top arcade game. Not only are they learning skills that they will apply throughout their careers, but they are teaching others that tech can be an accessible — and fun — career path. No matter your background or skill set, just being willing to learn will open so many doors to opportunities you may never have even thought of. Gizmology will show people with nontraditional backgrounds and without formal education that there is still a world of opportunity waiting for them.
Based on your experience, can you share 3 or 4 strategies to give your customers the best possible user experience and customer service?
In order to make Gizmology a successful apprenticeship, we first had to engage deeply inside of the company to understand the various roles and responsibilities, skills needed for success in each, and the company’s workflow and operations. Deeplocal is a very unique place so we had to gain a deep understanding of how the environment functions inside of the company.
Next, we had to deeply engage community partners throughout Black Pittsburgh to understand what they viewed as challenges and opportunities from a community-based perspective in building a racial equity program inside of a tech company. We had to discuss what the best approaches were to building strong skills, to demystifying the tech sector, to bridging a racial divide, and in supporting participants through any issues that may arise or need to be addressed, both internally and externally.
And finally, we had to bring the community and company together to create a structure where community voice was centered in the development, implementation, and delivery of Gizmology. Alongside the leadership at Deeplocal, our community advisory board is essential to this marriage, by creating a body of partners who help ensure that Gizmology is truly aligned with community goals and perspectives. This led to the creation of a community-facing recruitment process and a selection committee composed of community members and staff from Deeplocal, which was essential ensuring Gizmology was authentically embedded in Black Pittsburgh. These careful strategies and approaches will ensure that Gizmology has the life-changing impact we’ve collectively set out to achieve.
Here is the main question of our discussion. Based on your experience and success, what are the five most important things one should know in order to create a very successful tech company? Please share a story or an example for each.
There are a few guiding principles that have helped me get to where I am today and helped in creating Gizmology: lead through service, know your history, engage your community, resumés don’t tell the whole story, and always be willing to learn. There’s also a certain openness to the possibility of what might be possible should you look at an issue from a different perspective or angle that is essential to the success of any initiative, program, or project.
Wonderful. We are nearly done. Here are the final “meaty” questions of our discussion. You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
Every company should have an apprenticeship program that focuses on providing opportunities where they are needed most. And not just that, but an apprenticeship program where graduates from said program can reach back into their home communities to educate and inspire the next generation to dream. Far too often we spend more time examining issues than actually implementing solutions, and to truly make a difference we have to take action.
We have historical legacies in this country of inequity in access to economic opportunity, which are even further exacerbated by inequity in school quality or disparities in exposure to certain opportunities or skills. The disparities we see in tech have not come about because of happenstance, it is these very systems that help maintain and perpetuate the inequity we see across the globe. So, what if tech companies across inner-city America implemented apprenticeship programs in the most underserved areas for those with non-traditional backgrounds? What if we created a national network of programs that not only would provide family-sustaining wages to those it serves through the apprenticeship but that also intentionally engages across the K-12 and out of school time space to further plant the seeds of possibility in the minds of young people across the community?
A movement like this would directly create a pipeline into the workplace and immediately change the economic conditions of community members and families while also inspiring young people and community members to dream about a possible future in tech. The Tech sector is a multi-trillion dollar industry and we have to provide viable pathways for underserved communities. Leveraging the tremendous resources in technology to provide equity in black and brown communities can be an equalizer for so many.
We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them :-)
It would be amazing to meet Arthur Blank. Not only is he an incredible entrepreneur, but he is an advocate for values-based business. He understands that putting people first — customers, employees, and the community — are good for businesses’ bottom lines. Purpose and profit can go hand in hand, not be mutually exclusive. His attention and contributions to social causes in his local community is admirable, and something I would love to discuss if ever given the opportunity. I think he would see a lot of similarities between our work with Gizmology in Pittsburgh and his work in Atlanta and other communities around the country.
Thank you so much for this. This was very inspirational, and we wish you only continued success!
