By: ABC7 Chicago | Christian Piekos
Date: December 9, 2023
CHICAGO (WLS) — It might be Saturday, but class was in session at the University of Chicago Charter School.
The Hidden Genius Project, a nonprofit, hosted its Brothers Code tech workshop in Chicago, bringing the budding tech industry to people of color in the city’s Woodlawn neighborhood.
“It’s super dope to see that we’re not only bringing it to more people from where I’m from, but it’s expanding and molding to the experiences and needs of children across the country,” said Kyron Loggins with the Hidden Genius Project.
The organization works in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta and, now, the Windy City for the very first time.
“We train and mentor Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, leadership skills to transform their lives and communities,” said Eric Steen with the Hidden Genius Project.
Steen is a Chicago native, and is giving back through the Hidden Genius Project. He said the organization is building a foundation for success for these young minds.
“We want to provide them with a safe space to kind pick up some industry ready skills and, also, give them the opportunity build community with each other,” Steen said.
During Saturday’s workshop, students learned how to code, explored careers in tech and networked with career professionals.
Kieran Gearon Bey is an eighth-grader who enjoys coding.
“I wanted to sign up because I thought it was fun,” he said.
Kieran said he got into coding a couple years ago, and wants to build upon that creativity with the Hidden Genius Project.
“I like making the characters. I would make a character from scratch, and have it say something really funny and do a dance,” he said.
That ingenuity is hard at work in the next generation
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