Riveter contributor Jasmine Rose-Olesco interviews a fellow “Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn” alumna.

by Jasmine Rose-Olesco

picture courtesy of Jasmine Rose-Olesco and edited by Grace Molteni for The Riveter

Recently, I talked with Xia Josiah-Faedwor, an alumna of “Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn,” who participated in the Boston Youth Fund’s program with me, to discuss what made her decide to apply to the program and what the opportunity has meant for her.

Learn to Teach, Teach 2 Learn is just one example of the many programs that exist and strive to make technological education for accessible for children of color. Read my report on how programs such as this could change the future of the civil rights movement.

Jasmine Rose-Olesco: Why did you decide to become involved with “Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn?”

Xia Josiah-Faeduwor: I heard about the program from my father, who knew Mel King and knew that he had a program for teenagers that incorporated engineering. My father was a software engineer and wanted his children to follow in his footsteps because he thought studying engineering was the best way to have a stable job. So, I applied because he suggested it, but I stayed and took the job because it wasn’t run by adults, [it was run by] my peers [who] made technology look like fun instead of work. I thought that was a great idea. The emphasis on peer learning is something that isn’t a part of modern education systems, [like Boston Public Schools], or even after-school programs.

JRO: What has being involved with this program meant to your development as a person and as someone who is interested in technology?

XJF: As a person, this program has helped me become a leader. It has not only advanced my literacy in technology, a skill that is becoming increasingly important, but [it has] also made me a better public speaker. It has helped me realize that the lines between student and teacher are very faint and that we are all constantly learning. As someone who’s interested in technology, I’ve just been able to see how broad the field is. In school and in the media, you get the sense that tech is one-dimensional, in the sense [that there’s] only so much you can do. If you’re not into building machines or video games or math and science, it’s not for you. Or, you feel like it’s for white, male “nerds.” But, technology is ubiquitous – it’s for everyone and it’s a part of every field. It’s in clothing design, gardening, music, art, etc. It’s being taught to young girls as part of “Black Girls Code” and many other start-ups. I’ve gotten the opportunity to see the growth through being sponsored by “Learn 2 Teach, Teach 2 Learn” to go to [Washington] D.C., New York, and of course, MIT and hear about them firsthand.

JRO: How has this program improved the lives of marginalized people of the Boston community?

XJF: This program does a lot for marginalized communities, especially in terms of providing pathways to education. In the summer, we give children in urban communities a chance to learn from people who look like them, who are close to their age, and who can relate to them. That…is amazing because you don’t often [see] youth teaching other youth,…especially not in something that is perceived to be as complicated as technology. But, we teach kids the basics and, in doing that, we encourage them to teach themselves more. Us teaching them lets them know that there is a place for them in the STEM fields. We empower our students by connecting with experts like Kamau Bobb, allowing our students to ask questions about a career or even helping them gain experience through mentorship. For the program members, you get the ability to be a leader, to be an innovator regardless of your skill level. Each member participates in a project [he or she] builds over the summer that incorporates physical and computer programming, as well as digital design and fabrication. They get paid to use tools that seniors in college are using, and they get to solve issues that are important to them. They learn how to make a personal connection to technology, which makes them more likely to come back to it. So, it gives the community not only free access to tech, but…a reason to be involved in it, and freedom of creative expression. It challenges the old view of tech being for white, male nerds who want to build cars and such, and gives urban youth the reins to stimulate their creativity and their ideas, using technology. And, the amount of networking and college preparation available is amazing. Youth have been sent to South America, Canada, Alaska, and spoken at many different colleges, including Harvard and MIT. The limit is endless.

JRO: In what ways can this program be duplicated in other places so that they, too, may improve the lives of disenfranchised members of their community?

XJF: I think what the program shows is that people learn best from their peers. So, if we could increase the number of student-run technology workshops and fabrication labs, the benefits would be innumerable. We need to see more people that look like us doing technology. That way, technology can be seen as cool and, [as a result], more people would want to get involved with it. Another important thing is to talk to members of the community and to get them to talk to each other more about what they want, what they want to accomplish, and what they want to learn. When communities have these types of discussions, they see each others’ strengths, and they learn from each other and grow. Self-teaching and self-love is the best love.

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Jasmine Rose-Olesco is a Boston-based freelance writer, speaker, and activist. Her work has appeared on Time.com, xoJane.com, Refinery29.com, Luckmag.com, Femsplain.com, HelloGiggles.com, and is forthcoming from The Billfold. She currently serves as a Featured Contributor for the fem-powered content community Femsplain.com. A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Jasmine is a student at Boston College in Chestnut Hill. Follow her on Twitter or visit her on Tumblr at arosethatgrew.tumblr.com