*Black Tech Talent held its 2nd annual Community TechFest at coworking space Fueled Collective – Downtown in Minneapolis. Sponsored by Best Buy, Arctic Wolf, and Sunrise Banks, the event saw more than 400 attendees throughout the event’s four-hour duration.
Keynote speaker Tarek Tomes, Commissioner and Chief Information Officer at Minnesota IT Services, discussed his experiences pursuing a career in technology and what piqued his interest in the field, while outlining the importance of attending events such as Community TechFest to spark inspiration for one’s future.
Best Buy representative showing a young attendee how to control robots at Black Tech Talent’s second annual Community TechFest. (Photo Credit: Francis Sampah)Of the various activities that were available, participants were most excited about video gaming with the Minnesota Esports Club, drone racing with the Youth Drone Sports Championship, and playing in Black Tech Talent’s Metaverse, which was developed in partnership with the virtual reality company Rem5 VR. Black Tech Talent’s original superhero Black Circuit joined a young boy who was playing in the Metaverse as Black Circuit.
The boy’s father posted a video of the interaction to Instagram, writing, “Imagine playing a video game with the character you’re playing with.” Moments like this affirm Black Tech Talent’s efforts to expose the community to technology and its various applications.
Jackson says it feels amazing to be able to have an impact on the community. “To have attendees say that they’re going to come back every year, that they’re mad that they’ve been missing out, or that they’re actually signing up for some of the programs to learn how to code or to learn how to get into gaming or drone racing, is humbling,” he said. “I feel like we’re literally changing people’s lives.”
About Black Tech Talent
Black Tech Talent (www.blacktechtalent.org) was launched by Michael A. Jackson in July 2020 and is working to bridge the racial equity gap. The award-winning organization (2022 Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal 40 Under 40, 2021 MN Cup Impact Ventures, Tekne Awards, Inclusive Evolution Award) leverages relationships with leading tech companies to provide a platform for Black technologists to find jobs, training, and culturally specific content, and a sense of community. They also produce the podcast BTT Discussions.
Connect with Black Tech Talent:
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Source: Billy Johnson, Jr. | [email protected]
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