What 'social impact' truly means to our organization

Many of you may not know it but, I am an Oakland native. It was important to me to create a company that didn't just "simply exist", but one that leads with values that are in alignment with our company's mission. Collaboratively, we've partnered with mission-driven local businesses, leaders, and organizations to create initiatives that will impact the city of Oakland.

Over the last year, we've focused much of our efforts on increasing our social impact initiatives by creating opportunities within the local community, with an emphasis on workforce development and entrepreneurship.

Our corporate responsibility as an organization is to establish high impact partnerships within the Bay Area that drives social change within local communities, enabling families to build legacies.

The Community to tech pipeline

Our 5 year social impact strategy begins with creating a community to tech pipeline, to employ 10,000 Oakland residents. With the help of our corporate partners and community leaders, we're building a tech ecosystem that supports economic growth, positive social impact, while enabling families to create generational wealth.

Our vision is to help create opportunities for individuals from under served communities, to meet the demands of our ever-growing, competitive workforce in the Bay Area.

The Goal

The pathway into the tech industry starts with education, but more importantly, accessibility to educational resources. We’ve partnered with local businesses, nonprofits and community leaders to help facilitate in creating a “community to tech pipeline” program in Oakland, California.

Our organizing efforts will impact individuals from under served communities who will learn in-demand tech skills. With the help of the city of Oakland, nonprofit organizations, educational training programs including boot camps, and community leaders, we can create a tech ecosystem that focuses on bridging the gap of accessibility to education while building a truly inclusive, diverse workforce.

Why?

Black residents make up 26.1% of residents. Meanwhile, the economy of Oakland employs 222,986 employees, the most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line is Hispanic or Latino, followed by Black or African American. In fact, Black or African residents are the second largest group living below poverty totaling 25,132

The largest demographic living in poverty are females age 25-34, or 18.9% of the population. Followed by females age 35-44.

Currently, Oakland's homeless population has increased significantly over the years . Alameda County's homeless population has grown by 43 percent over the past two years. The City of Oakland released it's latest data in January. This year’s tally found 8,022 people sleeping outside or in shelters during the January count — up from 5,629 in 2017. 3,000 people lose their homes each year

Why the tech industry?

At the end of April, the Bay Area boasted 831,700 technology jobs — 113,000 more than the dot-com peak of 718,700, which was achieved in December 2000, according to research, based on statistics from state the Employment Development Department data.

Emerging technologies will be key catalysts for the in-demand jobs we expect to see in 2019," said Sarah Stoddard, community expert at job search site Glassdoor. "From artificial intelligence, automation, virtual reality, cryptocurrency and more, demand for jobs in engineering, product, data science, marketing and sales will continue to rise in order to support the innovation happening across the country."

TOP 10 MOST IN-DEMAND TECH JOBS OF 2019

1. CYBERSECURITY ENGINEER

2. AI/MACHINE LEARNING ENGINEER

3. FULL STACK DEVELOPER

4. DATA SCIENTIST

5. PYTHON DEVELOPER

6. JAVA DEVELOPER

7. JAVASCRIPT DEVELOPER

8. CLOUD ENGINEER

9. SCRUM MASTER

10. DEVOPS ENGINEER

It’s no longer a matter of “should we create these programs”. It's quite obvious that it is necessary to do so.

We believe that educating, preparing and developing the existing workforce in Oakland, is one way to address the generational wealth gap and reduce poverty. This includes training programs that address assisting individuals from other industries who may need to be re-skilled to meet the demand for tech skills.

We’re looking to change the overall economic landscape in our city, one that truly represents diversity and inclusion by creating infrastructures that supports our communities.

There has never been more of a time for us to lean on what we know to create an Inclusive Oakland, starting with the community to tech pipeline especially individuals who are often overlooked for opportunities, such as those from under served communities.

We see Oakland as having a top tiered, skilled workforce one day. We’re looking to enhance, attract and grow our local economy with businesses that can compete on the world’s stage as well as create a sustainable, thriving economy where Oakland is at the top of investor’s lists, when seeking investment opportunities. We see our movement completely transforming the city of Oakland's landscape, mindset, and those around us. We believe in our mission, which helps to facilitate in building community based initiatives designed to develop not only the city of Oakland, CA’s economy, but the people who reside in it. We're building a better Oakland, one person at a time, one that is truly reflective of diversity, innovation, talent and skill.

Partner with us

Contact us directly if you wish to help further our efforts, or find out how you can get involved.