Unleashing the Power of Technology
Partnerships are helping reduce barriers to economic opportunity.
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| Marc H. Morial, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Urban League |
A few years ago, a repair man came to my house to fix my washing machine. Before he even touched the washer, he pulled out a computer, connected it to the machine and, as I looked over his shoulder, the computer told him what was wrong. If you don't know how to use technology, he said, you can't be a repairman in the 21st century.
Technology today touches everything we do. Knowing how to use it can be the key to success in today's workforce generally, and specifically to careers that offer great opportunity. Over the past 25 years, the number of jobs in information technology has grown tremendously, and the number is expected to double in the next five years.
Sadly, too few African Americans fully engage with technology to help unleash their full potential.
Currently, fewer than six out of 100 professionals in information technology are African American, and even fewer are graduating with degrees that prepare them for information technology careers.
Access to computers and the Internet at home can help put young people on a path toward technology careers, but one of the biggest roadblocks for African Americans is financial. Acquiring a computer and a high-speed Internet connection takes money. Prices of both have come down dramatically, but for some families, these costs still present a significant - even unbridgeable - hurdle. Once exposed to technology, however, people realize how much it can do to make life easier, more productive and fun. Once they cross the digital divide, they never go back.
At the National Urban League, as we think about our future and how to bring about economic justice, we recognize that technology is power. And we are constantly working to place that power into the hands of people in our various communities.
Fortunately, we have help from partners such as Microsoft, which recently awarded us a $5 million software grant to bring the power of technology into over 100 Urban League affiliate offices serving more than 2 million people nationwide. This generous gift from Microsoft will significantly enhance local capabilities and increase access to digital technology for the disadvantaged students and adults participating in a wide variety of programs, from educational assistance to job training.
These efforts are incredibly important. It is imperative that we expose the people we serve to the power of technology - from repairing a washing machine, to planning for the economic success of the next generation.
