S2 Ep41: Campaigning in Tech with DeNora Getachew from DoSomething.org

We start by diving into how DeNora founded DoSomething.org after cultivating an interest in societal issues, civic life, inclusivity, and other important topics. This interest directly informed the specific campaigns her company has completed, such as “Make STEM 100%,” which mainly focuses on providing for high school students, especially from underrepresented communities. “What we know is that only 20 % of high school graduates are prepared for college-level coursework STEM,” DeNora says. “If they’re not getting [the necessary tools for learning], then they’re never going to be prepared.” DeNora then talks about the significance of working in a non-profit organization. “What we’re seeing [is] an interest in partnering and learning how to work with the nonprofit sector and support the work happening here,” she explains. “And I think that has a significant impact on the nonprofit sector, which exists to be a bridge between what’s happening in the private sector and what’s happening in government.”’ DeNora adds that she hopes to evolve her company into recognition and be revered in the marketplace for future generations. Later in the conversation, DeNora also expresses her excitement about the impacts and changes young individuals are making today. She brings up ongoing and future projects that she plans to work on, such as climate change and STEM education. “It’s really exciting to see young people calling out the problem. [Young people] are the ones pushing us to do better or do more and feel the change that we all want to see happen.” We head home after stressing the importance of tech and underlining the opportunity that young people can now utilize to connect with others and reach for support in important causes. As the episode continues to explore her experience of tech, young leadership, and corporate life, we also discover more about DeNora’s thoughts on tech: her dream tech product and her overall purpose with DoSomething.org. To learn more about DeNora and her work, check out: Her LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denora-getachew/ Their Website: https://www.dosomething.org/us.