Eveline Pierre is co-founder of Miami Caribbean Code, which is convening the MC² Youth Tech Summit. Knight Foundation supports the summit to help attract and retain talented entrepreneurs and innovators in South Florida, while expanding economic opportunity.   Related Link

“MC² Youth Tech Summit to kick off new Miami Caribbean Code initiatives to connect and propel Caribbean and black entrepreneurs” — press release, 4/21/2015

Have you ever seen how quickly a child adjusts to a high-tech device? Current high school and middle school students were born into a world of technology, but many are not encouraged to explore careers in technology and, worse, many don’t have access to technology at all.

At Miami Caribbean Code, our mission is to create a platform that will provide tools, education and the resources to help the Miami Caribbean community take advantage of innovations in the tech industry. Miami is the ideal location for this mission; about 55 percent of Floridians who are foreign born are from the Caribbean, according to the 2010 census.

The youth are future innovators. It’s the reason why we developed our inaugural MC² Youth Tech Summit, sponsored by Knight Foundation and a host of others. And this year, it’s happening at the iTech Academy @ Thomas A. Edison Educational Center on Saturday, April 25. Getting young students involved will broaden their thinking when it comes to career choices. Entrepreneurial and tech skills are becoming increasingly important as business startups and tech jobs become the new normal.

The MC² Youth Tech Summit will educate students on STEAM, the fields of science, technology, engineering, the arts and math. We’ll have hands-on workshops where students can experience the power of innovation by learning a range of exciting skills from computer coding to 3-D printing to drone technology.

Students will receive encouragements from guest speakers who are resilient trailblazers in their industries. Keynote speaker Teneka Steed, senior statistician for NASA and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, will empower and excite students about technology while helping them find the right career path. Barrington Irving, the youngest Afro-Caribbean pilot to fly solo around the globe, will inspire students to stay dedicated to their passions. Popular success coach, Casandra “Coach Cass” Henriquez, chief executive officer and founder of InspireMany.com, will host the MC² Youth Tech Summit 2015.

We are expecting 300 attendees for an impactful day. We hope to inspire students in STEAM education and encourage them to explore careers and passions in technology that will give them a much-needed head start in the tech-filled world we live in today.