On Friday, I participated in the bwtech’s visioning session that brought together a group of stakeholders from across the ecosystem, with varied relationships to bwtech and to UMBC, and with diverse perspectives on inclusive place-making. (So fitting for International Placemaking Week!) What helped put what we were doing in perspective was the participation of the young daughter of one of bwtech’s tenants. Her contributions to the discussion grounded us in the fact that these moonshot plans, that will only be realized years down the road, are really for her generation and beyond.
What’s more is that she got to be surrounded by a community of influence working towards a common future while observing her dad as a contributor to the ecosystem. This reminded me of how cool it has been to get to know Kory Bailey’s three boys (12, 12, 10) at Equitech Tuesdays. I started to imagine how the experience of being a part of these community gatherings would influence how they navigate the world.
Alexander, 12, says, “I think it’s important to be learning these kinds of skills at different events, especially at my age. They will guide me in my coming years and teach me a lot about entrepreneurship and business. I also love meeting new people. Learning about the entrepreneurs’ personalities and the things they’re working on is truly inspiring. People in the Equitech space are incredibly creative, and I enjoy hearing their ideas each Tuesday.”
Samuel, 10, adds, “I love my dad’s job and you should like my dad’s job too.”
I also remember when Kory first brought his boys and thinking this is Kory showing up as a whole human – wearing all the hats he juggles day-to-day (as noted by his self-proclaimed titles on LinkedIn). With Kory modeling, Juliana Buonanno from Techslice started bringing her young daughter to Equitech Tuesdays as well. We want that for everyone. Time and time again, we hear folks send their regrets for Equitech Tuesdays or other programs because they want to be with their families. We want members of the tech ecosystem to be able to show up all the way up and to bring your young innovators and tiny humans to be part of your wholeness.
That’s what inspired this edition of Equitech Tuesday – a version of our tech community gathering that not only leverages our city’s sunshine & beautiful natural assets (our parks), but also serves as a space for the next generation to join us in community and relationship-building. There will be more editions of Equitech Tuesday: Whole Humans to come throughout the warm-weather months.
Going back to Equitech Tuesday #102 (Memorial Day Weekend, 2022), Kory reminded us that we’re all part of something bigger: “At UpSurge… we’re eager for young people and adults alike to engage with technology and entrepreneurship, equipping them with the necessary skills to shape their communities in a positive way. We often say, it takes a village to carry out the Equitech mission and… it’s going to require the brilliance and grit of our beautiful and diverse community to bring it to life and contribute to Baltimore’s growth [for future generations to come].” #legacy
So bring what makes you whole – kids, partners, pets, just yourself, chosen family, friends, co-workers – to Druid Hill Park (Swann Pavilion), enjoy some nature together, and let ourselves be human. I won’t be the only one to convince you – Hunter, one of Kory’s sons, says, “Equitech Tuesday is fun and interactive. You get to meet new people everyday and see what they do to help Baltimore strive and become a better place everyday. It helps connect people throughout the Baltimore community.” #ThisIsEquitech
See you at Equitech Tuesday 6-8pm… where the tech community gathers! Come say hi to my dog and UpSurge’s mascot, Yoshi the Shiba Inu.
Sincerely,
Robbin Lee
Director of Partnerships & Mobilization
UpSurge Baltimore
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