Founder:
Quardean Lewis-Allen, advised by Professor Justin Garrett Moore ’04GSAPP
Industry:
Education and creative services
Venture Type:
Nonprofit
What is the social or environmental issue being addressed?
There is a high rate of youth unemployment and a cycle of poverty in Brownsville, Brooklyn. At the same time, there is a huge lack of diversity in the design and technology workforce. Only 4% of the technology workforce is Black, and 5% is Latino. Only 3% of scientists and engineers are Black, and 4% are Latino. 2% of licensed architects identify as Black, and 1% of technology founders are Black compared with 87% that are White.
Innovation:
Youth Design Center is a youth creative agency creating economic mobility for under-resourced Brownsville youth through apprenticeship in design and technology. Youth Design Center aims to incentivize young people to foster their talents and harness the keys to economic mobility through the provision of creative services to their neighbors and business community.
