Freewishes aims to eradicate the educational gap in tech and science for marginalized students through education, applied training, and a spectacular new collaboration.
written by Abesi Manyando
Last year, Grammy award-winning entertainer Future and his Freewishes Foundation opened a sleek S.T.E.A.M lab in Atlanta. The lab was just the beginning of the foundation’s S.T.E.A.M initiative. At the time, Future stated, “It’s important that all students receive access to S.T.E.A.M education regardless of their background.”
The goal of the Freewishes Foundation is to eradicate the educational gap in tech and science amongst marginalized communities and extend the opportunity for all students to excel in S.T.E.A.M through quality education.
Freewishes has started programming for students in S.T.E.A.M. through a groundbreaking collaboration with Intel. The collaboration is entitled Intel Future Skills Day. It was held on February 26th and February 28th at the Freewishes S.T.E.A.M lab at Bessie Branham Recreation Center in Kirkwood, where Future grew up. It is the beginning of more programming for students interested in S.T.E.A.M education. Atlanta students interested in upcoming workshops and programming are encouraged to go to Freewishes.org.
As a company, Intel’s goal is to create world-changing technology that enriches the lives of every person. In 2016, they made the Intel® Future Skills platform to ensure that the next generation can access the framework needed for a lifetime of problem-solving and discovery through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math (STEAM) learning.
Tia Wilburn, Executive Director of Freewishes, is delighted about the collaboration and how this program will impact students throughout Atlanta.
“We are excited about this opportunity to partner with Intel to further one of our main objectives of S.T.E.A.M education. Our overall objective is to encourage students to become innovators by emphasizing students’ expressions and creativity when solving technical or science-related problems. We want our students to be more than just consumers and assemblers of technology. We want them to be devisers, catalysts for change, and the driving force behind innovation” – Tia Wilburn (Co-founder/Executive Director of FreeWishes Foundation).
Uriah Horne of the Atlanta Network of Intel African Ancestry (NIA) Co-Chair stated the following.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with the esteemed FreeWishes Foundation. Together, we unite our forces to inspire and empower local Atlanta youth through our innovative S.T.E.A.M. project. Intel Future Skills Day represents a pivotal moment for us as we come together to spark curiosity, creativity, and a passion for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics among the young minds in our community. We are excited to further lay the foundation for a future where every child can access the tools, resources, and opportunities they need to thrive in the digital age. Intel is proud to be at the forefront of this transformative journey. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact this collaboration will have, not just on the participants, but on the broader community, as we aspire to light the spark of possibility in the hearts and minds of the next generation.” -Uriah Horne
Kristade Swain (Atlanta Network of Intel African Ancestry (NIA) Co-Chair said, “We launched this S.T.E.A.M workshop day with the FreeWishes Foundation specifically for students across metro Atlanta as a way to equip them with the vital digital skills needed and to guarantee equitable access to technological opportunities within our community. We strive to emphasize the importance of representation within the tech industry. Who better to spearhead this movement towards greater inclusivity in tech than those who exemplify the richness of diversity we strive to see? Through this initiative, we’re not just teaching skills but hoping to inspire a new generation to see themselves as integral parts of the technological landscape.” –
The Freewishes Foundation looks forward to creating more programming with Intel as a resource to prepare the future generation in S.T.E.A.M.
