DeVaris Brown is Disrupting Tech’s Diversity Problem with #FloodgateAcademy
Floodgate Academy is a nonprofit dedicated to training the next generation of diverse developer operations engineers. I had the opportunity to speak with one of their founders about his pragmatic approach to creating a program that gave people from non-majority backgrounds, the confidence to thrive in the startup culture.
You can feel the passion and empathy DeVaris Brown has for his community. His whole heart is committed to empowering people from underrepresented backgrounds with a world-class technical education. As boot camps began cropping up, Brown noticed that that very few programs spoke to his community. Often people of color often miss out on opportunities due to the lack of money, access, or even awareness of programs. He decided to reach out to two other former Microsoft employees, Kaiton Williams and Arif Gursel and Floodgate Academy was born.
He mentored kids in the past and had the support of his former employee Zendesk to fund weekend programs. After reaching out to established organizations and not having the synergy he desired, he decided to begin his own program. He found inspiration from a student he mentored in the community who was hustling (making money through illegal activities) in order to pay for a bootcamp. This young man wanted to make a better life and recognized that technology was the way to do it.
When asked about his competitive advantage Brown explains, “Our curriculum is tuned to our audience.I do exposure programs and teach students how to build a website in a day. I’ll ask them what website you go to. Worldstar. Well we’ll teach you how to build Worldstar in a day.”
“We look like them. We talk like them. So we can relate.”
Brown connects with his students because he remembers what it was like to be in their shoes. “I don’t have to put my job interview voice when I’m with them and I can share personal anecdotes so that gives them hope that if he can do it well so can I.” Not only are they teaching the students the technical aspects of building a website, they are also helping their students with professional development.
“There’s a different level of authenticity when you can relate to your students.”
He understand that people are dependent on this for their livelihood. Floodgate Academy means having a second chance for many of his students and Brown does not take that responsibility lightly.
He doesn’t look for specific grades when accepting people so what does Brown look for? “Community minded people. The audience that we go after doesn’t look like everyone so we have to make sure that people that go through the program will reach back to your community to help and you might even start your own Floodgate.”
“I want this to spread because I want this culture of DOING to be the norm.”
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