Fairmount’s Tech House Offers the Community a Bridge to Close the Digital Divide

According to a report by the Community Tech Network, "almost half of Americans without broadband at home are either Black or Hispanic, and large percentages of both communities – 70 percent of Blacks and 60 percent of Hispanics – report being unprepared with digital skills, affecting their employability. Moreover, as more jobs move to remote formats, it is estimated that Black and Hispanic workers without intervention could be locked out of 86 percent of jobs by 2045." To help bridge this digital divide, Victoria Foundation grantee Urban League of Essex County (ULEC) launched the Tech House, located in the Fairmount neighborhood of Newark, NJ. Tech House works to empower technologically underserved youth and adults in the city and throughout Essex County by offering digital literacy programs; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) classes; free hi-speed internet access; and more.

"Tech House is an investment in the community to address the digital divide," said Darrin S. Sharif, program director at Tech House and chief administrative officer at ULEC.

ULEC – whose mission is to help African Americans and disadvantaged residents achieve economic and social advancement – incorporated a technology component into their list of available services in 2015, when the organization formed a partnership with the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). The program – which still exists today – partnered middle school students with NJIT students, who serve as near-peer mentor instructors and teach coding (the process of writing, testing, and maintaining computer programs). The initiative then expanded to include classes in digital literacy for adults looking to develop their basic skills through workshops hosted at ULEC.

Several years later, ULEC acquired a home in need of significant repairs, located at 152 Littleton Avenue in Newark.

"ULEC said, 'Well, if we're going to fix this house, why not provide trade skills to the residents in the neighborhood?'" recalled Sharif. "So, we hired a talented and experienced master carpenter, and the ULEC community outreach team canvassed the neighborhood with flyers asking residents if they wanted to acquire valuable construction skills." The initiative provided hands-on training in sheet rocking, plumbing, carpentry, and electrical work. Community members not only gained practical, marketable skills, but also played an active role in the successful restoration of the property.

When the renovation was complete, ULEC leadership then asked, "Okay, since we have this house, what are we going to use it for?" Sharif proposed that it would be a meaningful investment in the community to transform the space into a hub where residents could access and engage with technology. And that's how Tech House was born. Since its founding, it has grown into a dynamic community anchor, offering a wide array of technology-focused courses and programs for both youth and adults. From digital literacy and workforce development to STEM education and creative media production, Tech House continues to serve as a launchpad for opportunity, innovation, and empowerment in the heart of the community.

Students – who become affiliated with the program through partnerships with Newark public and charter schools and from social media campaigns – learn about advanced technology applications, including 3D printing, audio engineering, and information technology fundamentals. They get hands-on experience at Tech House, which provides the software and equipment for these applications on premises. To learn these skills, students are placed with near-peer instructors and mentors – students from institutions of higher education that arrive at Tech House through a partnership with NJIT and Bloomfield College.

"A lot of students do not have anything close to a robust technology or STEM curriculum in their schools," said Sharif. "So, for a lot of them, the programs at Tech House are their first involvement with STEM and technology."

Adults can also benefit from a variety of programs at Tech House. For beginners, it provides introductory computer courses that teach the basics of Microsoft Office programs, such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. For those considering a career in computer technology, more advanced options are available, such as Network+, A+, and ITF+. Workshops for adults such, as 3D printing, video production, podcasting, blogging, website development, and more can also be taken. Moreover, participants can earn certifications for many of these programs once the courses are completed, which can be used to leverage job opportunities in the tech industry. All of this is available to the community free of charge for those who qualify.

"I can't think of anything that would be more empowering or liberating than to know that you have your fingertips on the world of information," said Sharif.

In addition to the many partnerships Tech House has with community schools for their youth programs, it also collaborates with the Newark Audible to present free, public programing, such as Tech Talks (with topics ranging from optimizing an Internet browser to the impact of artificial intelligence in various industries) and workshops in cybersecurity, prompt engineering, and more.

Sharif emphasized the power of education in shaping one's future, stating, "The more you learn, the better jobs you get." He explained that with each new skill or credential, individuals aren't just improving their employment opportunities—they are laying the groundwork for something far more impactful. Education and training, he noted, form the foundation of a personal pyramid that leads to self-actualization. This journey, however, is not solely about personal advancement; it is the critical starting point for building generational wealth, breaking cycles of poverty, and creating lasting, transformative change for families and communities.

Victoria Foundation is a longstanding partner of ULEC. Tech House fosters economic justice and promotes youth self-determination – two strategies the Foundation promotes in its vision to support a thriving Newark where residents are self-determining, liberated, and connected.

"Initiatives such as Tech House are a vital resource for the community," said Victoria Foundation Executive Officer Craig Drinkard. "Free internet services provide people with access to information, which is critical for democracy. Also, the classes Tech House offers promote skills that are essential for the growing tech industry, which opens the door for future employment opportunities that provide livable earning wages."

Community involvement is essential to the continued success of initiatives such as Tech House. There are a number of ways people can become involved, from signing up for classes, investing time as a volunteer, or by making a donation to cover the operating costs of this free-to-use asset in the community.

For more information about Tech House, visit www.ulectechhouse.org. To stay up to date on Victoria Foundation's news and partnerships throughout the year, subscribe to the Foundation's blog at www.victoriafoundation.org.

I can't think of anything that would be more empowering or liberating than to know that you have your fingertips on the world of information.

Darrin S. Sharif