SYLVESTER MOBLEY
‍CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER / FOUNDER
‍
In 2013, after years of serving in the US military, I returned to home to Philadelphia, where I began working in the growing local tech economy. To my surprise, I often found that he was the only person of color in the room. It dawned on me that while tech was the fastest-growing industry in the world, it was not nearly as inclusive as we would like to think, and that if this were not corrected, it could have far-reaching and dire consequences. Not only would certain groups be left out of the conversation, they would also be unable to take advantage of the wealth-building potential of the tech revolution. 

Two years later, I started offering free web development classes to students in the computer lab of a local recreation center, which happened to share a wall with the gym. Although many students enrolled in my program–which would later become Coded by Kids –
I looked on as week after week, parents would pull their kids out of class so they could play basketball in the gym next door, as if they believed that the key to their child’s success depended on them becoming a pro-athlete, rather than pursuing a high profile career in tech. 

In that moment, I realized that in order to truly make the tech industry more inclusive–and have any hope of closing the generational wealth gap–we would need to help parents and children completely reimagine what is possible for their future. Coded by Kids was founded on the belief that with the right tools, support, and education, young people could learn to code their way into leading roles in the global tech economy, and built true stable wealth for themselves and their communities.

Since we've started, we’ve proudly provided tech education to over 1,700 children across 30 locations in three states, and we’re only getting started. It's my sincere hope that you will join our movement to build the next generation of outstanding technologists and innovators.
‍