Sylvester Mobley
Frustrated by the lack of diversity in tech, Sylvester Mobley launched Coded by Kids to build access to tech for underrepresented Philadelphians. Mobley has grown the organization’s impact to serve hundreds of children per week. In 2020, Sylvester launched the 1Philadelphia coalition aimed at making Philadelphia the capital of equitable tech and innovation. This initiative secured over $1M in funding from Bank of America, Comcast NBCUniversal, Lenfest Foundation, PWC and others in the first year of implementation. Sylvester was a For(bes) the Culture 50 Champions honoree. He is an Iraq war veteran, serving in three branches of the military.
Presentations from Facing Race 2022
Building an Equitable Tech Ecosystem
Sylvester Mobley, Alex King, and a representative from Comcast's Impact & Inclusion group will participate in a panel discussion focused on how to build local ecosystems and talent pipelines that foster innovation and support Black and Brown communities with an unstoppable network of education, resources, and support.
They will speak about their experience launching 1Philadelphia, the importance of coalition-building in this work, how to secure institutional support, and how this work can be continued across the country.
In the Fall of 2020, Sylvester Mobley launched the 1Philadelphia Initiative, in collaboration with a network of funders, businesses, and community partners. 1Philadelphia is connecting various stakeholders to collaboratively build a connected tech and innovation education system that will prepare Philadelphia residents for futures in the tech and innovation space from kindergarten through career and/or entrepreneurship.
1Philadelphia’s main drivers of success are measured through increased socioeconomic equity for underrepresented Philadelphia residents. This means more underrepresented people working in fields that provide the ability to generate wealth, such as tech and innovation, moving into leadership positions within tech companies, and more underrepresented founders starting high-growth tech and innovation driven startups that successfully reach meaningful exits.
Speakers: Sylvester Mobley, Alex King, Name Pending - Comcast Impact & Inclusion Representative