Put on a killer dress or your flyest suit and tie and get ready to have a good time for a great cause. Youth enrichment nonprofit The Bloom Project Inc. is hosting its second annual Pardi Gras Ball this Saturday at 8 p.m. at the JW Marriott Indianapolis. A $60 ticket includes access to an open bar and buffet. The Black tie gala aims to raise $100,000 for Techkings, a tech exploratory program that exposes minority youth to coding and entrepreneurship.One-third of Indy’s new office jobs created between 2013 and 2015 were in the tech industry, but minorities are still under-represented in the field. Arnetta Scruggs, founder and executive director of the Bloom Project, says Techkings aims to close the racial gap in the industry.
“Through mentorship, events and educational programing aimed at minority young men, a pipeline of future talent is created that previously were not inspired or encouraged to pursue tech roles,” said Scruggs, who started to conceptualize the program in 2016 after being approached by Indianapolis resident Jeff Williams, who is now the co-founder of Techkings and the Pardi Gras Ball.
Williams, who grew up on Indy’s east side, says he didn’t have much exposure to tech at a young age. He was an adult when he realized he was interested in the field. After attending Afrotech, a Black tech conference in Silicon Valley, he approached the Bloom Project with his idea for Techkings.
“The objective is to expose underprivileged young males to opportunities. An example of what this program creates is last Thursday, we actually took them to Salesforce and the kids were able to participate in a beginners coding workshop and tour the location. If you watch “Black Panther,” we are trying to create the Shuris of the world,” said Williams. “We are moving to a more robust program where there will be more curriculum, and we hope to expose additional youth to technology.”
Last year’s Pardi Gras Ball raised 40,000, which allowed him to launch a pilot program. Ticket sales are even higher this year, and he hopes the event will raise $100,000 and allow him to reach more students.
“This is so important, because technology is taking over the world, more specifically the job opportunities in Indianapolis. Minorities in general lack the exposure required to take on those jobs,” said Williams. “We need to expose them at an early age, and that’s where Techkings comes in. It is one thing to hear from someone who doesn’t look like you, it’s another to hear it from someone who dresses like you, talks like you, walks like you, likes Jordans and hip-hop. We are teaching coding in a way that connects with them.”
Tickets to the Pardi Gras Ball can be purchased at weliketopardi.com. Learn more about getting involved with Bloom Project Inc. at www.bloomprojectinc.org.
Pardi Gras II:
A night of FUNdraising
Feb. 24, 2018
8:00 p.m.
JW Marriott:
Griffin Ballroom
10 S. West St.
Indianapolis, IN 46204
$60 tickets (includes open bar and buffet) can be purchased at weliketopardi.com.
Become a Techking:
Know a young male interested in technology? Parents of youth interested in the Techkings program are welcome to contact Jeff Williams directly at jeff@benimbleco.com.
Techkings provides mentorship, events and educational programing aimed at minority young men.
“> Techkings provides mentorship, events and educational programing aimed at minority young men.
Youth enrichment nonprofit The Bloom Project Inc. is hosting its second annual Pardi Gras Ball this Saturday at 8 p.m. at the JW Marriott Indianapolis.
“> Youth enrichment nonprofit The Bloom Project Inc. is hosting its second annual Pardi Gras Ball this Saturday at 8 p.m. at the JW Marriott Indianapolis.
