Tamar Huggins is reshaping the landscape of education and technology, combining innovation with equity. As the founder of Tech Spark, Huggins has created a platform that uses culturally relevant AI tools to address systemic biases in education while empowering students. Her groundbreaking Spark Plug platform offers schools and organizations a way to integrate AI more inclusively.
In 2012, Huggins founded Driven, Canada's first tech accelerator for Black and BIPOC entrepreneurs. The program addressed the gap in business acumen often seen in underrepresented communities, focusing on transforming creative ideas into revenue-generating ventures. Despite facing challenges such as accusations of reverse racism, Huggins stayed true to her mission. By leaning on her advertising background and innovative thinking, she created a successful program that has raised over $1.1 million, with startups under its wing raising $20 million collectively.
Huggins is a strong advocate for culturally responsive pedagogy in education. She emphasizes the importance of tailoring teaching methods to reflect students’ lived experiences. Tech Spark has developed a tech entrepreneurship course that aligns with the needs and interests of underserved students, providing them with real-world skills and opportunities.
This week, you'll learn how Tamar’s Caribbean roots influenced her life, how Tamar rose above business rejections, and more about her commitment to underserved communities.
LEARN MORE:
> > tamarhuggins.com
> > @tamarhuggins on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamarhuggins)
> > @sparkplug.ai and @techspark.ai on IG (https://www.instagram.com/sparkplug.ai)(https://www.instagram.com/techspark.ai)
NSLS MEMBERS ONLY:
> > Listen to the bonus episode to learn about the pivotal moment when Tamar realized her work was making a difference (http://members.nsls.org/audio/tamar-huggins)
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