In the wealthiest city in the world, no child should be left without access to the tools of the future.
Yet, systemic inequality and generational disinvestment have created a tech apartheid in our own backyard.
That ends with ByteBuddies—a transformative, equity-first mentorship initiative from mayoral candidate Brad Pander, designed to reclaim tech education as a human right, not a privilege.
What is ByteBuddies?
ByteBuddies is a justice-centered program that pairs students from tech-advantaged backgrounds in Manhattan and Brooklyn with kids in the Bronx to teach them what a computer is—and how to use it.
Together, they will co-learn, uplift, and dismantle digital oppression, one power button at a time.
How Will ByteBuddies Work?
🚀 Introducing Computers to the Bronx – Students from Manhattan and Brooklyn will take on the vital work of explaining what computers are and how they function to kids in the Bronx, ensuring no child grows up without basic digital awareness.
💻 Uplifting Through Tech Knowledge – With patient guidance, Bronx students will learn essential skills like turning a computer on, using a mouse, and even typing. These newfound abilities will help them become contributors to their own communities in the digital age.
🌍 Decolonizing the Digital Landscape – ByteBuddies will ensure that technology isn’t just for the privileged. By exposing Bronx students to computers for the first time, we take the first steps toward breaking down the systemic barriers that have kept entire communities offline.
ByteBuddies is the latest initiative announced by Pander, following his bold proposals for Halal Justice to make chicken over rice seven bucks again, Studying Abroad in the Bronx, and replacing 'Latinx' with 'Latine.'