Lynkable Bio:

Lynkable was founded in the summer of 2020 as a local resource for underserved communities to have access to art events, educational resources and wellness workshops based on nutrition in a decentralized manner. Lynkable serve as gatekeepers to the NYC community through the promotion of community advocacy through tech mediums and community organizing.  Our network serves to support de-centralization events within diverse subgroups in NYC to include the emergence of artists, art spaces, musicians, music spaces, small businesses, community gardens and community centers within marginalized communities. We aim to use our platform to promote and collect community data regarding Web3 knowledge, the use of blockchain and have worked with various artists on NFT based projects.

Mission/Vision:

Lynkable x Loisaida mission is to promote community engagement, tech education and wellness promotion. Through community engagement at our events, we serve to address many underlining disparities that the community faces, from bridging the tech divide to nutritional education. Our overall vision is to be a liaison between the local NYC art-based community and the tech industry while using this platform to promote health initiatives and collaboration with small businesses that aim to serve the greater good of our targeted community.

When asked about the underlying reasons why blacks and Hispanics are underrepresented in this type of work, those working in STEM point to factors rooted in educational opportunities. Some 52% of those with a STEM job say a major reason for this underrepresentation is because blacks and Hispanics are less likely to have access to quality education that prepares them for these fields, while 45% attribute these disparities to these groups not being encouraged at an early age to pursue STEM-related subjects.

At the same time, around a third of people working in STEM attribute the underrepresentation of blacks and Hispanics to these groups not believing in their ability to succeed in these fields (34%), the lack of black and Hispanic role models in these fields (32%), and racial/ethnic discrimination in recruitment, hiring and promotions (32%).

A slight majority of STEM employees dismiss the idea that blacks and Hispanics are uninterested in these subjects: 54% say blacks and Hispanics being less interested in STEM is not at all a reason for the racial/ethnic employment gaps present in the field.

Project Statement:

Loisaida Youth in Tech’s program mission is to promote community engagement and tech education for our high school students participating in these internship classes. Youth in Tech’s programming aims to bridge gaps between current after school curriculums and the need for tech-based education. 

Understanding that marginalized communities lack representation in this field, our programing hopes to spread awareness about future careers in this industry by hosting engaging workshops and skillshares with groups of NYC-based teens. 

Project Description:

This project was formed to support decentralization within communities that include artists, art spaces, musicians, music spaces, small businesses, community gardens and community centers within marginalized communities.  Understanding that marginalized communities are not represented in Tech, we believe the lack of representation in STEM occupations is reflected in poor economic growth and high rates of unemployment in our marginalized communities. This project exists to change this reality.

We are putting together weekly events to get various community members & community organizations familiarized with tech.  We utilize virtual reality where we will have participants utilize the Oculus and Apple products with the MI Ultra chips to best allow for the latest in educational and creative programming. 

The set programming for these workshops will be based on age range groups and will utilize various visual, interactive and audio skill shares.

The age ranges will be the following: 17+

– Education based creative and virtual reality apps within the virtual reality Oculus and Apple devices – kids will be learning how to properly utilize this technology. They will know how to turn the devices on and off, utilize the apps within the tech and will learn how to receive and share information. Youth will learn how to collect peer to peer data on these devices. 

 Utilizing education, creative and entrepreneurial programs like coding, fashion design, virtual architecture, marketing and business creation through crypto based programing that can be used to influence youth to continue towards higher education in the tech field. 

Phase one is for the community to become familiar with terminology like coding, blockchains and Web 3 and to introduce youth to tech education, creative and entrepreneurial based programming.