Louisville youth using summer internship to bridge gap between technology and minorities

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A summer internship is bridging the gap between technology and minorities.

An office space at a building in downtown Louisville is being used for students to work and help solve some of the problems of the world.

Libby Ashford, 17, is not only a TECC boss, which stands for Technology Entrepreneurship to Create Change, she's tech-savvy.

"So I decided to come here really because I fell in love with STEM careers when I was about 12 and Lego Robotics Club," Ashford said.

The TECC Boss internship was created to provide opportunities in technology for minorities.

"So being here and having Alisia as my boss has really shown me what I can do, the entrepreneur that I can be and just really the impact I can make," Ashford said. "Even though I'm from an underrepresented group."

"We think in terms of what attracts underrepresented groups to the field of technology, and then we design solutions to that end," Alisia McClain, founder and executive director of Tech-Nique, said.

McClain said, "Tech-Nique is a revolution in technology education and workforce development."

Tech-Nique is a six week, paid internship created to address the digital divide.

"And so they are tasked with within their group identifying either a problem that can be solved or an asset that can be highlighted that has to do with health equity in particular in Louisville," McClain said.

"We decided we wanted to make an app based off mental health and we decided to name it Butterfly Mind," Ashford said.

Ashford's group designed an app that addresses anxiety and depression.

"Our goal is to change the lives of young people and of course anyone else who wants to use our app," Ashford said.

Later this month, there will be a tech conference at the Muhammad Ali Center for high school students. For more information and to register, click here.

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