On June 19th, msnbc, The Hidden Genius Project and #YesWeCode celebrated the power of mentorship through a special town hall and broadcast with local Oakland high school students. These young, aspiring entrepreneurs kicked off Summer of Innovation, a training program aimed at helping cultivate high-tech careers in Silicon Valley for high-potential, low-opportunity students.
The students met face-to-face with inspirational leaders, whose achievements and perseverance have helped create positive change in their communities, and learned valuable lessons on how to personally create lasting impact. Hundreds of hopes were shared at the event, many of which focused on the issues of higher education, an increase in job opportunities, and safer communities. This highlights the need for/importance of fostering community leaders at a young age.
Touré, co-host of msnbc's The Cycle, spoke with the students and mentors to get their unique perspectives on how tech can help drive change in their communities. See below for The Cycle's special coverage of the event.