Opportunities Abound

Kai Dupe • December 10, 2022

When Opportunity Knocks, Answer!



If we are going to close the digital divide and increase the representation of African Americans who pursue careers as software developers we must change the mindset within our communities.  I have lamented for years when folks make public comments indicating that there is not a pipeline problem when it comes to the low numbers of Blacks working in technology careers.  That is nonsense.  I don’t care at what point you wish to examine the pipeline, when it comes to African Americans they are leaks.  But I digress.


The genesis of my decision to focus this post on mindset has to do with a situation that I observed recently.  As of November, I have become a volunteer.  I am teaching computer science to 9th graders as part of a Microsoft Philanthropy known as
TEALS.  TEALS stands for  Technology Education and Literacy in Schools.  It is a great program and I was excited and honored to be a part of it.  I am part of a cohort that teaches Python programming to a high school students.


The first day of class I was very excited to conduct my first class on programming in Python.  I should mention that these classes are taught virtually and they are somewhat early in the morning.  I am in the Pacific time zone so for me the class starts at 6:30 AM.  I believe that for the students the class starts at 8:30 AM.  My excitement was immediately met with indifference.  I was shocked.  I was under the impression that these students would be excited about the opportunity to learn a skill that could be life changing from an economic standpoint. 


These classes are free and they are being taught by someone who has had a successful career of 30 years in software development and they are learning a programming language that is in high demand.  The students literally had their heads down on their desks as if this was a rest period.  Most if not all were not paying any attention whatsoever to what I had to say.  I felt like I was talking to myself.  At one point, I tried to engage them individually to no avail.  This experience was very disheartening. 


This is unacceptable.  While I understand that there may be mitigating circumstances.  Trust me I do.  As I stated at the outset, I come from a situation where I was not always in an ideal environment for learning whether that be challenges at home or in the neighborhood that I grew up in.  We have to find a way to change the mindset of our young people, or at the very least do our best to provide a environment, where they can have the attitude and mindset to take advantages of the very opportunities that may help them to change their circumstances.


By Dr. Kai Dupe September 18, 2026
A mentor gives you advice. A sponsor creates opportunities.
By Dr. Kai Dupe August 20, 2026
Representation alone will not solve the persistent racial disparities in computing.
By Dr. Kai Dupe July 28, 2026
The truth is that most software applications exist to manage information.
By Dr. Kai Dupe July 1, 2026
Artificial intelligence has become the newest member of nearly every software development team.
By Dr. Kai Dupe June 17, 2026
The true promise of computing is not found in the machines we build, but in the human potential we unlock when knowledge becomes accessible to everyone.
By Dr. Kai Dupe June 3, 2026
One of the reasons I value the MCT program so highly is that it represents more than technical knowledge.
By Dr. Kai Dupe May 22, 2026
Software engineering is not simply coding.
By Dr. Kai Dupe May 15, 2026
Companies often promote the idea that technical skill alone determines success.
By Dr. Kai Dupe May 3, 2026
Hackathons also strengthen teamwork and communication skills.
By Dr. Kai Dupe April 22, 2026
Stepping onto the campus of Morehouse College this past weekend for Admitted Students Day was more than a visit—it was a moment of reflection. As I watched young Black men walk with purpose across the yard, I found myself asking a simple but profound question: What would it have been like for me to study computer science here? My journey into computing was shaped in environments where I was often the only Black man in the room. That reality brings with it an unspoken weight—the need to prove you belong, the awareness of being watched, and sometimes, the quiet isolation that comes with underrepresentation. Standing at Morehouse, I realized that this burden is not a given. It is a condition of the environment. At Morehouse, the environment is different by design. Here, Black men are not anomalies—they are the standard. I imagined what it would feel like to learn algorithms, data structures, and software development in a space where my identity was not questioned but affirmed. Where excellence is expected, not in spite of who you are, but because of it. As a computer science professor, I understand the academic rigor required to succeed in this field. There is no shortcut through recursion, no bypass around debugging, no substitute for disciplined problem-solving. But what struck me during my visit is how much context matters. When students are free from the psychological burden of proving they belong, they can redirect that energy toward mastering the material. They can collaborate more openly, ask questions more freely, and take intellectual risks without fear. I also thought about legacy. At Morehouse, students walk the same grounds as Martin Luther King Jr.. That kind of history does something to a person. It raises the bar—not just academically, but personally. It invites students to see their education not just as a pathway to a career, but as preparation for impact. Leaving campus, I felt inspired—but also reflective. I cannot rewrite my journey, but I can appreciate what spaces like Morehouse offer the next generation. For a Black male pursuing computer science, it is more than a degree. It is an opportunity to develop skill, confidence, and identity in alignment. And that combination is powerful.