Changing the Face of Tech

On Wednesday, September 18th, BPI Restart Fellow and coordinator, Ornell Caesar ’16 joins fellow BPI alum Antoine Patton ’12 and Jenn Schiffer for Changing the Face of Tech: a Tech & Reentry Gathering. This first gathering has been organized in partnership between Restart and The Code Cooperative, hosted by Yieldmo, and will feature a series of inspiring and thought-provoking talks on the intersection of technology & criminal justice.

For more information and to register for the event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/changing-the-face-of-tech-a-tech-reentry-gathering-tickets-70453599613

What is BPI Restart?

BPI Restart is a new National Science Foundation-funded project to advance collective computer science learning and expertise among incarcerated and formerly incarcerated college students and alumni. It is a joint project of the Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) and Bennington College, based in NYC. The program is led by Ornell Caesar ’16, who is an integral member of an innovative project team working to ensure that formerly incarcerated women and men attain 21st-century tech skills and connect with associated educational and professional opportunities.

BPI is proud to partner with the Bennington College Prison Education Initiative on Restart to inspire and support programming communities among the formerly incarcerated. It is driven by the belief “Each one teach one,” where expertly trained insiders pass their training on to the next generation of programmers.

Words from Restart Fellow and coordinator, Ornell Caesar ’16:

“My first computer science teacher was a BPI student, who spread the mantra ‘each one teach one.’ Today I am thrilled to bring this practice to New York City where I am leading BPI’s Restart project, helping formerly incarcerated professionals cultivate essential skills for today’s technology industry.”