Black Code
Rashad Bartholomew

Program Area: Education
Location of Impact: Los Angeles, CA

Bold Idea: Enable young black males to be imminently employable with information technology training and job placement support.

Why I'm Passionate About This: From December 2011 to December 2012, the national employment rate fell, yet black unemployment stayed at 16 percent. Over the last decade, I’ve spoken with countless black youth who mistakenly believe that entertainers are the richest in the world. They lack exposure to the industry where jobs are available and lucrative, such as information technology. I was once a professional football player but due to an injury, had to seek another path and found success with my own technology company. It’s my obligation to provide opportunities for the next generation of black males to move up. BlackCode will bridge the gap between job shortages for black males and the labor shortage in the technology sector. BlackCode will work with high schools, trade schools, and community organizations to provide training in web and mobile technologies for young black men and will enable success by helping graduates find jobs or consulting opportunities.

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These profiles are derived from Fellowship applications.