The Knowledge House is committed to the future of tech.

Mission

The social change organization, established in 2014 by Joe Carrano and Jerelyn Rodriguez, has provided over 3,000 low-income youth and young adults free technical training and professional development services, a news release mentions. By doing so, they are creating a gateway toward financial and job security. It’s worth noting participants have transitioned into roles at companies, including Bloomberg LP, Citibank, and Facebook.

Their company’s website mentions they offer two programs. The Karim Kharbouch Coding Fellowship,  co-founded by Hip-Hop Artist French Montana, exposes high school students to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pathways while The Innovation Fellowship caters to individuals age 18 and up in households earning less than $50,000, helping them secure job placement as entry-level programmers, data analysts, cyber security analysts, and user experience designers.

“Studies show that early exposure is crucial to increasing the number of Black and brown and women technologists, which will have a profound impact on racial equity,” explained Daniel Adeyanju, director of partnerships at The Knowledge House. “For us, this work is really about ensuring that every member of the household has the means to one — engage in and benefit from the innovation economy, and two — ultimately lift entire communities out of poverty.”

“The Future of Tech” 2023 Corporate Partners Reception

Looking to find allies in their quest to diversify the industry through education and employment, The Knowledge House assembled industry leaders under the theme, “The Future of Tech,” for their second annual Corporate Partners Reception held at Accenture’s New York Innovation Hub.

“Despite the growth of America’s tech sector, less than 10% of tech positions are held by people of color — a distribution that does not reflect our nation. As we prepare everyone for the future of AI, we must expand tech training and access to jobs, ensuring that tomorrow’s technology products are created by diverse innovators who reflect the communities we serve,” explained The Knowledge House Co-Founder Jerelyn Rodriguez in a statement.

The event featured a discussion led by technology experts, shedding light on the most recent advancements and opportunities in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for professionals in the field.

The panel was held on Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023, and included panelists Anthony Edwards, Jr. (EatOkra); Nova Lorraine, MS (Raine Magazine); Kevin Pemberton (Microsoft); and Rochelle Turner (Black Women Talk Tech).

“In the fast-evolving world of AI, it’s crucial for us, as members of the Black community, to be proactive and engage early. This technology is a part of our daily lives, whether we realize it or not. I want to express my gratitude to The Knowledge House and Accenture for assembling such a distinguished panel to delve into this vital conversation,” said Edwards in a statement provided to AFROTECH.