Road to Reinvention - S2 EP14: Closing the Economic Gap Through Tech with Jessica Santana

S2 EP14: Closing the Economic Gap Through Tech with Jessica Santana

06/30/23 • 48 min

In this episode, we are joined by Jessica Santana, CEO of America On Tech (AOT) - a nonprofit organization on a mission to decrease the racial and economic wealth gap by creating career pathways into technology for underestimated young people.

Jessica and Sherrell discuss the need to end the scarcity mindset, and how America On Tech is now thriving from the pivots they’ve made since its rebranding in 2019. With any project or work that you do, Jessica highlights the importance of investing in yourself and being aligned with your values as you embark on life’s journey.

So, tune in on this podcast as Jessica unravels her life story and shares her mission of alleviating racial and economic wealth gaps. Learn more about how passion for education and technology now creates a social impact on young individuals with Jessica!

KEY POINTS:

Creating a social impact with education and technology
Leaving your hometown can bring more exposure and opportunities
How to survive and thrive in various environments
Give yourself permission to experience the world
Rest is resistance, self-care, and taking care of your community
The importance of prioritizing yourself in the process
How to not operate with a scarcity mindset
Be in support of projects that are in alignment with your values
People will expect decisions from you that do not reflect who you truly are

QUOTABLES

“First step to that reinvention was getting access to higher education. You really don't know that you grow up poor until you have something else that you can compare it to.” - Jessica Santana

“Reinvention was still a return to yourself. And it was still a return to like your core values to all of who you are, even all of who you're not.” - Sherrell Dorsey

GUEST INFORMATION

Jessica Santana

Website | https://www.jessicasantana.com/

IG | @jessworldwide

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessworldwide/

RESOURCES:

Like what you’re hearing? Leave a review and share this podcast!

Website | sherrelldorsey.com

IG | instagram.com/sherrell_dorsey

Twitter | twitter.com/Sherrell_Dorsey

Get your own copy of Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us at sherrelldorsey.com/upperhand

Find the latest news & updates on Black founders and innovators from The Plug newsletter tpinsights.com

Road to Reinvention is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com)

KEY POINTS:

Creating a social impact with education and technology
Leaving your hometown can bring more exposure and opportunities
How to survive and thrive in various environments
Give yourself permission to experience the world
Rest is resistance, self-care, and taking care of your community
The importance of prioritizing yourself in the process
How to not operate with a scarcity mindset
Be in support of projects that are in alignment with your values
People will expect decisions from you that do not reflect who you truly are

QUOTABLES

“First step to that reinvention was getting access to higher education. You really don't know that you grow up poor until you have something else that you can compare it to.” - Jessica Santana

“Reinvention was still a return to yourself. And it was still a return to like your core values to all of who you are, even all of who you're not.” - Sherrell Dorsey

GUEST INFORMATION

Jessica Santana

Website | https://www.jessicasantana.com/

IG | @jessworldwide

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessworldwide/

RESOURCES:

Like what you’re hearing? Leave a review and share this podcast!

Website | sherrelldorsey.com

IG | instagram.com/sherrell_dorsey

Twitter | twitter.com/Sherrell_Dorsey

Get your own copy of Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us at sherrelldorsey.com/upperhand

Find the latest news & updates on Black founders and innovators from The Plug newsletter tpinsights.com

Road to Reinvention is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com)

Previous Episode

S2 EP13: Big Opportunities in a Small City of Miami with Matt Haggman

Sometimes, reinventing yourself can simply be staying grounded in your city without the need to escape.

Award-winning journalist Matt Haggman joins this episode, who is currently the Executive President of Opportunity Miami at The Beacon Council, a public-private partnership that is the official economic organization for metropolitan Miami. He leads the Opportunity Miami initiative which focuses on entrepreneurship and innovation, talent and inclusion, and sustainability and resilience.

As Matt is considered a pioneer in Miami who spearheads an entrepreneurial movement, he explains that Miami is remarkable on its own that can create a wide array of opportunities in the community despite it being a small city. There is also a sense of building a great community in Miami through engagements in local businesses and with leaders and innovators that help the overall economic ecosystem.

Understand more of Miami’s economic future by tuning in to this episode with Matt and Sherrell!

KEY POINTS:

Understanding how Opportunity Miami works
Discovering the sense of taking ownership of one’s journey in life
Immersing into a journalistic standpoint experience help in creating an impact
How entrepreneurship can transform communities and people in Miami
The importance of finding a place with an open mind, rewarding grit and initiative, and taking pride in the hustle
How reinvention serves as an opportunity to look at challenges as new opportunities
Diversity is a unique differentiator and builds an ecosystem for the whole community
Importance of having the credentials of upskilling to create a center of equity
Searching for a sense of meaning in finding one’s purpose

QUOTABLES:

“Keep going. I guess it's cliche to say, but the journey continues. It really does. And I know for me, as I sit here — there are going to be more chapters.” - Matt Haggman

“What I found is actually a place of real substance. This is a place where people come to and are reinventing their own lives or starting over. If there's any place that knows about the hustle, that knows about sort of getting through tough periods in life, knows about transitions — It's Miami.” - Matt Haggman

GUEST INFORMATION

Matt Haggman

IG | @matthaggman

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthaggman/

RESOURCES:

Like what you’re hearing? Leave a review and share this podcast!

Website | sherrelldorsey.com

IG | instagram.com/sherrell_dorsey

Twitter | twitter.com/Sherrell_Dorsey

Get your own copy of Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us at sherrelldorsey.com/upperhand

Find the latest news & updates on Black founders and innovators from The Plug newsletter tpinsights.com

Road to Reinvention is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com)

Next Episode

S2 EP15: How to Train Yourself for a Constantly Changing Future with Chandler Malone

The only constant in life is change. Although talent is everywhere, one must be able to adapt to the necessary changes from the status quo, just the same as how education and skill sets need to accelerate.

From being a venture capitalist to an entrepreneur, Chandler Malone joins Sherrell in this episode as he explains how to embrace reinvention through both getting comfortable and intimidating. With a mixture of both formulas, there’s still that ‘exciting part’ to dealing with periods of immense uncertainty.

Tune in on this podcast and discover how to unlock your yourself or team’s potential n general — specifically in the technology sector.

KEY POINTS:

How the customer relationship management software tool collects database for a talent pool
Opportunity to take the fundamentals that cutting-edge tech companies in talent acquisition
Ensuring that every person that gets into a program has a job opportunity
How to create a self-perpetuating feedback cycle
Focusing on a specific skill set is advantageous for employability
Education is constantly transforming
Keeping morale is important, and adapting amidst the tough times
Be comfortable with change
Be the type of leader that builds a team with clarity and space to be their best
Allow having a depth of understanding with people
Re-thinking how education and learning are taking a different approach

QUOTABLES:

“Bootup is trying to solve the labor market gap for skilled worker shortages, while also providing economic opportunity for folks who are looking to make more income.” - Chandler Malone

“If you're going to be in the technology field and sector, there's going to be this constant need to reinvent, re-educate, etc. And so it doesn't really matter which pathway you came through — that’s going to be a constant.“

GUEST INFORMATION

Chandler Malone

Website | https://www.joinbootup.com/

IG | @chanoouttathere

RESOURCES:

Like what you’re hearing? Leave a review and share this podcast!

Website | sherrelldorsey.com

IG | instagram.com/sherrell_dorsey

Twitter | twitter.com/Sherrell_Dorsey

Get your own copy of Upper Hand: The Future of Work for the Rest of Us at sherrelldorsey.com/upperhand

Find the latest news & updates on Black founders and innovators from The Plug newsletter tpinsights.com

Road to Reinvention is edited by Instapodcasts (visit at instapodcasts.com)