Today, The Best Buy Foundation celebrated the grand opening of the Best Buy Teen Tech Center® at Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA) in San José, California. The center provides teens with access to cutting-edge technology, including tools for film, digital media, audio engineering and music production.
Google.org, Google’s philanthropic arm, is co-funding the Teen Tech Center. Their contribution to MACLA will support the work the center is doing to provide tech access, digital skills training and mentorship for youth.
“We are beyond thrilled to have Google.org’s support in providing teens with new opportunities to build brighter futures through tech,” said Andrea Wood, Best Buy’s vice president of social impact. “With support from Google and partnering with community organizations like MACLA, we know we can inspire young people through technology and support them with resources, training and workshops to prepare them for college or a career.”
MACLA encourages Teen Tech Center members to engage in community dialogue, develop their artistic voices, become cultural innovators, and discover how art is used for social change. The space, which also has Google Pixelbooks, builds on the Teen Tech Center mission to improve access to tech and help develop the necessary skills to thrive in high-demand tech roles.
“Accessible digital skills opportunities are critical to making sure everyone has access to competitively-paid jobs in high-growth fields,” said Javier González, Google’s head of local government affairs and public policy in California and San José native. “We’re proud to support the MACLA Teen Tech Center and the work they’re doing with Best Buy to increase economic opportunity for youth and young adults in San Jose.”
In August, we opened the 50th Teen Tech Center, a major milestone toward our goal to support 100 locations by 2025. We have also committed to providing $44 million to expand college prep and career opportunities for Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) students as part of our efforts to better address underrepresentation, technology inequities and provide more educational and career opportunities for those who need them most.
For more information about the Best Buy Teen Tech Center® program, visit here.