An award-winning nonprofit that invests in and mentors black youth is headed to Atlanta.
“We are thrilled to partner with communities in Atlanta to offer our youth an even broader range of opportunities,” said Brandon Nicholson, Executive Director of the Hidden Genius Project.
The Hidden Genius Project is a student-centered project-based development experience. It invests in black people to provide access to technology, training and networking.
As part of the program, high school students participate in 15 months of intensive technical and entrepreneurial training through two seven-week summer sessions and one year of an after-school program.
The program aims to teach young people how to:
- Create innovative solutions to society’s challenges and issues
- Sharpen leadership and entrepreneurial skills and pitch business ideas
- Develop their own websites, software and other technical projects
- Build healthy relationships and build trust with peers and teachers
“Over the past decade, we’ve had the privilege of engaging young people around the world to inspire them to use technology to unleash their genius, and we’ve seen some tremendous results,” Nicholson said.
Based in Oakland, the organization has active sites in Richmond, Los Angeles, Detroit and Chicago. Now, after running successfully for the past 10 years, the Hidden Genius Project is expanding to Atlanta.
“Even as we’ve expanded to create comprehensive sites in Los Angeles and Detroit, we continue to encounter the same brilliance, bold spirit and infectious leadership qualities among our black youth,” he continued.
The expansion comes after Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, awarded the Project a $3 million expansion grant.
Funds will directly support the nonprofit’s expansion into Atlanta.
The organization partners with the Andrew & Walter Young YMCA and HYPE. HYPE is a similar organization that cultivates technology leadership among young women.
“There’s nothing major we’ve ever accomplished alone, and this moment of growth will be no different. We are grateful to partner with a rich group of community and funding organizations and make an even greater impact on Atlanta’s youth,” said Nicholson.
The first cohort of the Atlanta Intensive Immersion Program will take place in June 2023. For more information, Click here.