Digital Girl, Inc. Unveils New Technology Hub Made Possible by the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty and Webull
October 18, 2022 – Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) – New York Liberty News Release
BROOKLYN – Digital Girl, Inc., a Brooklyn non-profit with a mission to empower inner city youth – especially young girls – to pursue careers in STEM, has unveiled their new technology hub in Crown Heights. The project was completed with the support of a $250,000 donation from the Brooklyn Nets, New York Liberty, and Webull, the official jersey partner of the Nets and Liberty. The new space will help Digital Girl serve the community through providing free access to technology and computer development classes to the public.
The Nets, Liberty and Webull helped Digital Girl build out their new technology hub in the revitalized Major Owens Center by providing new desktop Macs, PC computers, and a 3D printer for the computer center. The groups are also supporting programming services in the space’s new classroom: Learning Zone presented by Webull, Brooklyn Nets, NY Liberty, where Digital Girl will host free workshops and classes for the entire community. Technology courses and certification opportunities will be provided for children, adults, and seniors, with offerings like programming, web design, robotics, computing and data analysis, computer science, and other subjects.
Digital Girl was founded in 2014 by Michelle Gall to increase the number of women and people of color in STEM professions (currently black women hold just 2% of the positions in science and engineering). Since its inception, Digital Girl has taught more than 9,000 people across New York City in computer science subjects.
“A quarter of the residents in Central Brooklyn live below the poverty line and the pandemic only exacerbated this condition, highlighting that the digital divide is more like a digital canyon,” Gall said. “It is essential to equip this community with exposure, education, skills, training, and the confidence necessary to build wealth; to obtain positions that offer career advancement and competitive wages. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM occupations offer wages nearly 50% higher than non-STEM occupations and the goal of the DGI Tech Center is to fill the gap of STEM resources this community has lacked.”
The Nets and Liberty have a long-standing relationship with Digital Girl. Most recently, volunteer employees from both teams painted a mural outside of the technology hub as part of the organization’s day of service.
“One of the larger ways in which the Nets align with Digital Girl is our shared commitment to serving the Brooklyn community,” said Sam Zussman, CEO of BSE Global, parent company of the Brooklyn Nets and Barclays Center. “DGI is doing incredible work to increase representation of women and people of color in STEM professions and their work is more important than ever. We are proud to have played a part in launching this technology center alongside our partners at Webull, whose remarkable work strives to break barriers in the STEM industry.”
“Exposure, opportunities, and access to resources are often life-defining factors in the future careers of young people of color,” said Liberty CEO Keia Clarke. “In partnership with Webull and the Nets, this renovated space at Digital Girl will create boundless opportunities for the next generation of STEM leaders and the larger Brooklyn community.”
The Digital Girl technology hub renovation is another example of Webull’s commitment to serving the local community in Brooklyn. Webull will donate thousands of tickets to Nets and Liberty games during the upcoming NBA and WNBA seasons, with tickets being used by various nonprofit organizations and community groups from New York City. This donation will ensure that underserved residents are a part of both teams’ highly anticipated seasons.
“We are proud to have partnered with Digital Girl to develop the new technology hub as a way to better support our local New York community,” said Anthony Denier, CEO of Webull. “We have always been committed to improving financial literacy and empowering the next generation of investors, and providing educational resources for underserved communities in Brooklyn marks a crucial step forward.”
Digital Girl’s technology hub was officially opened on Monday, Oct. 17 following a ribbon cutting ceremony with Gail, Robinson, Denier, Zussman, Alesia Howard, Vice President of Communications and Social Responsibility for the Liberty, Nets player Joe Harris, Liberty player Michaela Onyenwere, and local students currently participating in Digital Girl programs. Click HEREfor photos from the opening.
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