Helen Young Hayes grew up in Starkville, Mississippi, as part of the only Asian American family living in the neighborhood.
Living in a segregated community at the height of the Civil Rights Movement, Hayes became acutely aware of inequalities and injustices. (She said her school didn’t become desegregated until third grade and that her high school reunions were still segregated well into the 2000s.)
This dynamic, she said, was the crux of her desire to fight for equity and justice.
Today, Hayes is the CEO and founder of ActivateWork, a nonprofit connecting employers to a diverse talent pool. Her company aims to change the face of tech by offering tuition-free training for people from underrepresented communities who want to enter the field, but don’t have the necessary training or degree.
Read more here.