Memphis: More than the home of Great Food, Blues, Soul & Rock 'N' Roll

Memphis may be best known for its amazing food, blues, jazz, and rock ‘n’ roll, but it’s also home to a thriving community of leaders, influencers, innovators and change-makers.

Memphis has long been hallowed ground for musicians thanks to the influence of artists like B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Booker T. and Carl Perkins among many others. It is also home to many civil and civic rights leaders including; James Lawson, Samuel “Billy” Kyles, Michael Cody, Maxine Smith, and of course Dr. Benjamin Hooks among many others who have fought for justice and equality.

Memphis leaders continue to show their resilience and passion to bring about systemic change. Among the innovators, pioneers, movers and shakers in Memphis is our newest partner, CodeCrew.

CodeCrew's Executive Director, Meka Egwuekwe, has been pivotal in reimagining how the tech community embraces diversity and we at Code Fellows couldn't be more thrilled to be partnering with him and his team to make an even greater impact.

CodeCrew educates and mentors those most underrepresented in tech to be tech innovators and leaders through practical, hands-on computer science training. Beyond helping adult learners find rewarding new careers in tech, they passionately pursue working with K-12 students, school teachers, and districts in the Mid-South to ensure they are helping ignite the desire to learn tech skills at an early age. And their recent efforts around policy and advocacy are helping to ensure all of the one million students in Tennessee have a chance to succeed.

"As part of the CodeCrew Code School mission, we seek to increase diversity in the tech ecosystem. The Code Fellows and CodeCrew partnership will allow us to provide a flexible coding curriculum and increase course offerings to our community. This will give more individuals exposure and knowledge to be confident they have the skills to gain employment in the tech industry." — Erin Johnson, CodeCrew Code School Program Director

Coming alongside CodeCrew to ensure they have the best curriculum and training methodologies is Code Fellows’ expertise. Bringing about systemic change for underserved populations is what enables us to provide meaningful and life-changing education inclusively for all individuals.

At Code Fellows, it is our mission to find like-minded partners in communities around the globe and support them with our proven curriculum, instructional methodologies, and industry-leading expertise. Working together we are able to leverage our collective strengths to provide the skills that lead to rewarding tech careers that are oftentimes relegated to a privileged few. It’s our honor to come alongside CodeCrew to provide them with the curriculum, training and support they need, to change the lives of native Memphians.

When we say, “We believe in you,” we’re not just talking about current Code Fellows students and partners. We’re a global company focused on global needs so that more people can discover their potential in tech, begin high-paying careers, and add diversity to the tech industry. A strong global tech industry needs the diversity of thought that comes from all of us working together to find better solutions to difficult problems. People with the potential to be world-class coders don’t just live in traditional tech hubs like San Francisco, New York, and Seattle; they’re all around the world.

To produce lasting change through tech education, it takes strong partnerships that are connected to and invested in their local communities; partners who are in it for the long haul, have “skin in the game,” and a vested desire to do what it takes to make a lasting impact.

This is why Code Fellows is proud to be partnering with CodeCrew as they invest in underserved groups throughout Memphis to ensure they have a chance to succeed. Through forging strong partnerships, raising awareness and advocating for change, we will help produce generational wealth for so many who have historically been left behind.

Check out the full article on Code Fellows