“If only we could get through 2020, things might finally settle down…” Welp, it seems that 2021 had plans for our plans. For so many of us, 2021 was as strenuous/turbulent/eventful–if not more so–as 2020. Seemingly at every turn, we encountered fundamental obstacles and challenges in our communities, whether it was the continuation of the global pandemic, violence in our homes and neighborhoods, or deep political discord. Nevertheless, as has been the case every year since our founding (10 years ago now), we marched on.

In 2021, we invested in depth, even as we explored opportunities for breadth. We doubled the number of Intensive Immersion Program cohorts we could serve in Oakland, we folded in our second Los Angeles cohort (operating concurrently with the first), and ultimately served a record number of Geniuses through our core program. At the same time, we strengthened some of our collaborative community engagements, as we expanded our Community Partner Programming with partners old and new (including in Detroit and London). Even though pandemic restrictions led us to serve the fewest number of young people outside of our Immersion Program in the past five years, we were thankful for the litany of quality and impactful relationships we built.

The year marked two incredibly momentous landmarks. First, we hired our first-ever Genius Alumni Fellow Educator–an alum of the Intensive Immersion Program brought to teach with us as a full-time salaried employee. It went so well that we hired our second-ever Genius Alumni Fellow Educator six months later. This bodes extremely well for our future effectiveness and sustainability.

Second, we were fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to acquire a building in Downtown Oakland to house what will now be our National Headquarters, as well as eight additional Black-led organizations and a Best Buy Teen Tech Center (powered by Salesforce). Coming into 2021, we had no designs on pursuing such a move, but the generosity of the CesTRA Butner Family Foundation–and a host of other champions–made it a reality. We are excited to establish a hub for community-driven social impact, and we look forward to linking arms with our partners to inspire and empower young people and their families.

As 2022 marks our 10th anniversary, we hope to resume more comprehensive in-person programming, launch our new site in Detroit, and get back to engaging our young people in fresh and exciting ways. We deeply appreciate our entire village for making, and we hope you all will continue to grow with us.