MEET MORE OF OUR 2024 WOMEN OF DISTINCTION
Nadiyah Johnson is determined to make Milwaukee a center for technology companies. As the owner of Milky Way Tech Hub, Johnson is at the forefront of Milwaukee’s tech scene – and she’s bringing others with her.
In 2017, she founded Milky Way, a social impact organization that is working toward making the Midwest a tech destination while increasing representation in tech. Milky Way’s STEAM programs (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics) help bring hands-on education to help people use generative AI and other technologies to grow their business, compete in the workforce and bridge racial wealth and achievement gaps.
At Milky Way, Johnson is joined by other women making a big impact in Milwaukee’s tech scene.
Blanca Gonzalez, executive director of I.C. Stars Milwaukee; Dr. Shakkiah Curtis, founder of The Pink Hustle and Program Lead for MKE Tech Week – part of WI Tech Month led by Milky Way; Leia Ferrari Traner, chief of staff at Milky Way; Bianca Shaw, community policy consultant for Milky Way Tech Hub; and Ariam Kesete, CEO of AKD Development and real estate development consultant for Milky Way, are collaborating to build a thriving tech ecosystem in Milwaukee.
“When you invest in the community and help them to see their role in technology, they often give back by creating solutions that support and uplift their community.”
– Nadiyah Johnson
Last year, Johnson was appointed to serve on the Governor’s Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence, where she helps guide the state’s approach to AI in the workplace. “The pace of AI development requires a sense of urgency from lawmakers,” says Johnson.
Most recently, she also served as a delegate at the Democratic National Convention. “Politics runs in my blood,” says Johnson, whose family members have served as public officials in the city. “This was a good opportunity to represent the tech ecosystem that we serve and make sure that the right issues are being talked about in that arena.”
She believes that equitable investment, combined with government regulation, is crucial to harnessing AI’s potential for positive change.
However, organizations like Milky Way, which are leading the charge in tech revolution, rely on community support to advance their mission.
“There are so many different corporations that also have a desire to see tech opportunities in Milwaukee and Wisconsin grow,” says Johnson. “If there is an organization or a company that is interested in partnering on a STEM program or a community effort, let’s get started on that connection.”
Q&A
What do you want policymakers to understand about the future of tech in this country?
I think it’s crucial for policymakers to understand the rapid pace of AI evolution and the urgent need for regulation to ensure it reflects the best parts of humanity. There’s a grand opportunity for AI to democratize creativity and help close wealth and achievement gaps, but this won’t happen without proper resource allocation and investment in organizations, like Milky Way Tech Hub, that are already doing the work on the ground.
What was your experience being a mentor for the younger generation, after struggling to find Black tech mentors yourself earlier in your career?
I feel an abundance of gratitude to be able to give back and mentor young people in this space. It wasn’t readily available for me, so it means so much to carve out time to build up the next generation of future leaders. I take that responsibility very seriously, even homeschooling my best friend’s 13-year-old as his “official AI teacher.”
What do you want possible participants to know about your tech programming?
So many folks, when they hear technology, they think those people in there must be geniuses. They you know, they’re doing stuff that I could never imagine for myself and the responsibility for a tech hub like Milky Way Tech Hub is to really help them to see that actually is within reach, and there’s no better person than to be in this space right now than you with your ideas, with your perspective and your background.
