Episode Details

Technology promised to close the digital divide, but too often the people building it don't reflect the communities affected by it. Tina-Marie Gulley, former CEO of Ada Developers Academy, sits down with Eric to talk about what it takes to build a more intentional, equitable tech industry, from embedding AI into nonprofit curriculum to running hackathons that solve real problems for community organizations.

Episode Highlights:

[00:01:00] From corporate marketing to nonprofit CEO: how a computer science competition revealed tech's inclusion problem 
[00:02:00] Why technology hasn't fulfilled its promise of closing the digital divide 
[00:05:30] Using vibe coding and hackathons to build real solutions for nonprofits 
[00:07:30] Cutting through the AI hype cycle: grounding innovation in mission 
[00:10:00] Why AI should never replace your therapist 
[00:17:00] Why billionaires' kids aren't using AI in school the way everyone else's are 
[00:21:00] Reframing DEI in a hostile political climate without compromising on impact 
[00:23:30] Keeping funder relationships alive after the checks stop

Notable Quotes:

[00:11:10]: "AI only knows how we describe empathy, but it doesn't know what empathy looks like in practice." Tina-Marie Gulley 

[00:17:00]: "A big part of investing in AI is investing in humanity." Tina-Marie Gulley 

Resources & Links:

• Ada Developers Academy — https://adadevelopersacademy.org
• AI2 Incubator — https://www.ai2incubator.com

Hosted by Eric Ressler, Founder & Creative Director of Cosmic, with co-host Jonathan Hicken, Executive Director of the Seymour Marine Discovery Center. New episodes every Tuesday.

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