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Matua Jeff (left) teaching at the Mahi-a-toi Academy at Rutherford College in Auckland

In March 2024, 40 educators graduated from Te Pūkenga digital technologies teacher training and development program, which serves Māori across Aotearoa New Zealand. The program was announced in June 2023 as part of REJI’s expansion into New Zealand. Since then, participants have helped more than 2,500 Māori students across 10 schools, including kura kaupapa Māori (Māori immersion) schools.

The program’s goal is to combat the systemic tech sector gap that exists within this community. By providing educators with access to technology and digital curricula, the program inspires students to create digital solutions to real-world challenges. Educators are trained in iOS app development with Swift Playgrounds, app prototyping and design, and digital media development and programming. These educators then take their knowledge to the classroom, where they teach their students how to blend what they’ve learned with traditional techniques, like sketching Māori axe carving designs with the Procreate app and improving their kapa haka (Māori performing arts) practice with iMovie, among other applications.

Te Pūkenga graduate Matua Jeff leads the Mahi-a-toi Academy at Rutherford College in Auckland. He focuses on teaching his students traditional Māori culture and language through song, dance, art, and carving. Matua Jeff’s students also use iPad to help them create Māori art. He believes that powerful things happen when you combine the rich Māori culture with the latest tech.

"iPad is another medium we can tap into that is moving us into the future. It has enhanced what we have already been doing, but has enabled us to elevate the outcomes and be more innovative in how we get students to tell their stories."

In addition to helping students tell their stories, Matua Jeff is also creating a deep sense of belonging. "Here with Matua Jeff, we feel like it’s home," says Troy Kuka. "I love being in his classroom, working on projects connected to my culture."

Melissa Fourkiller (middle) with students at Sequoyah High School in Tahlequah

There are more than 460,000 Cherokee Nation citizens in the world, but only about 2,000 are fluent Cherokee speakers — and most are over 70 years old.

"Our language is very ancient, but it holds the keys to the future and where we want to go," says Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner of the Cherokee Nation. "If you get to that last fluent language speaker and that person passes, you can hear a way of life ending. That is something we do not want to see here."

To help keep the Cherokee language alive, the Cherokee Immersion Charter School opened in 2002. The Oklahoma school teaches math, music, and other subjects to kindergarten through eighth-grade students in their ancestral language. Though many students have parents and grandparents who were precluded from speaking Cherokee because of assimilation policies, at the Cherokee school, students speak their native language freely and proudly.

Many of these same students become fluent Cherokee speakers and continue their studies at Sequoyah High School, where they focus on science, technology, research, engineering, arts, and math (STREAM). They are also encouraged to tell stories about their culture. Dana Cochran, a science teacher at Sequoyah High School, says, "Storytelling is an important part of our culture. It helps create context. And culturally, as Indigenous people, so much of our knowledge is passed down from generation to generation."

Another way Sequoyah students are preserving and sharing their language is through podcasting. In after-school classes, they learn how to use GarageBand to produce stories about their culture, interests, and other topics.

To support both schools, Apple donates iPad and Mac devices. And Apple’s Community Education Initiative team hosts onsite trainings to share the powerful creative capabilities of these devices, so educators can empower and inspire students to share their culture in new and innovative ways. "If we don’t tell our stories, they will be lost forever and our culture will be forgotten," says River Koch, a senior at Sequoyah High School. "But with these technologies, we can share our Nation’s story with the world and keep our Nation going."

Listen to the "Stories of Sequoyah" podcast

Pastor Jerome Warfield, alumnus of the Apple Developer Academy

Throughout his life, Jerome Warfield has held many roles. Pharmaceutical sales rep. Parole officer. Pastor. But at 57 years old, he never envisioned adding coder to that list — until he heard about Detroit’s Apple Developer Academy. That’s when Pastor Warfield, who was born and raised in Detroit, realized he could be a force for change within his community by learning to code.

Historically the home of automotive engineering, Detroit now has a growing class of entrepreneurs who are pioneering a new future of digital innovation. The Developer Academy, which has more than 15 locations around the world, brought its program to downtown Detroit — its first-ever U.S. location — through a partnership with Michigan State University (MSU). The academy now reaches nearly 750 participants from the Detroit metropolitan area every year, with both short-term and long-term programs that teach the fundamentals of coding, design, project management, marketing, and iOS app development. With its wealth of minority-owned businesses, the Detroit area was an obvious choice for a new Developer Academy location. And for Pastor Warfield, attending the program was a transformative experience.

The Developer Academy is also committed to helping public high school seniors continue their education by providing them with stipends to attend the academy. "This program changes the trajectory of individuals who now have access to technology," says Pastor Warfield. "It opens up a whole new world for those of us who have felt shut out of the industry."

The success of the Developer Academy is evident in its students. Pastor Warfield plans to apply what he’s learned to help senior citizens and formerly incarcerated people. Other alumni have built healthcare and cryptocurrency apps. And still others have been hired as Developer Academy mentors. All of which shows how learning to code has the power to benefit both people and communities in significant ways.

Wixáritaris students from the Wixárika School of Higher Secondary Education in Guadalajara

In Mexico, Apple has been working closely with educational institutions across the country to help set up and launch iOS Development Labs — bringing coding with the programming language Swift to students and preparing them for careers in Mexico’s iOS app economy. Among these institutions is the Wixárika School of Higher Secondary Education.

The Wixáritari are the largest Indigenous community in Jalisco, Mexico. As the world around them continues to digitize, they have been forced to make tough decisions, including leaving their close-knit community in search of educational and economic opportunities in distant cities.

To help ensure that the Wixáritari gain the professional skills they need while also preserving ties to their community, iOS Development Labs at the Universidad de Guadalajara (UdeG), along with regional partner Enactus, is helping them learn how to design, create, and code their own apps.

In April 2023, six students and two teachers from the Wixárika School were invited to the lab at the Centro Universitario de Arte, Arquitectura y Diseño (CUAAD) campus of UdeG for coding training to support educational and economic opportunities in the Wixárika community.

There, the students and teachers learned how to use iPad and Mac devices and gained foundational coding skills with Swift Playgrounds. After their training, they passed on their knowledge to others in their community.

Rafael Cázares, Administrator for the UdeG iOS lab, is excited by the opportunities that coding has provided the students. "Now they want to solve all problems through apps," he says. "They see a problem and know they can make a difference. It’s empowered them."

Dr. Tytianna Ringstaff (left) and student Kristen Gray of Simmons College of Kentucky

Dr. Tytianna Ringstaff believes creativity is a catalyst for change. As the Artistic Director of the Black Film Institute at Simmons College of Kentucky, a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in Louisville, she and other faculty are providing students with a platform to pursue their passion for filmmaking.

Apple has invested 25ドル million as a founding partner of the Propel Center, a first-of-its-kind global innovation and learning hub that supports all HBCUs. With a grant from Propel, Simmons’s Black Film Institute has created programming that gives its students hands-on experience making films — including writing, filming, directing, producing, editing, and marketing them. "We want to make sure our students are leaving with that passion and authenticity — and the opportunity to become a vehicle for social change and transformation through their own story and their own lens," adds Dr. Ringstaff.

Using Mac, iPad, and iPhone devices, as well as Final Cut Pro and iMovie editing software, the students produced and filmed the documentary series Raising Simmons: Treading the Lanes. The series pilot tells the story of 11 Black jockeys who raced in the first Kentucky Derby. "To me it was very shocking," says Kristen Gray, a student who worked on the film. "These first jockeys were formerly enslaved. They were some of America’s very first athletes. That story gets overlooked."

By creating these opportunities, Simmons College of Kentucky is ensuring that Black history is elevated and that more students like Gray are better positioned to pursue film careers. "I plan to continue to write and produce my short films," she says. "I’ve even written a number of short horror films. I feel more confident, not only in writing, but in filming, directing, and editing."

Learn more about the Propel Center

Participants of the Southbank Centre’s Photo Fantastic project

In the United Kingdom, Apple’s partnership with the Southbank Centre is providing emerging Black creatives with the opportunity to showcase their talents at the country’s largest multi-arts center.

Apple’s collaboration with the Southbank Centre began with a pilot project called Photo Fantastic. As part of the pilot, 15 emerging Black photographers from London produced over 4,000 photographs using Apple technology. Their work was featured at the Southbank Centre — and many of them won awards and recognition for their art.

The Southbank Centre partnership has since expanded to include the Reframe project. Spanning London, Manchester, and Birmingham, Reframe provides 21 secondary schools with creative curricula to help spark a passion for creativity in the next generation. Reframe also includes an industry-led residency program that helps 80 Black artists develop their skills in photography, music, and filmmaking. Participants are given access to a suite of Apple technology to create their art, including iPhone, MacBook, and iMac devices, and are also mentored by Apple creative professionals. At the program’s culmination, they exhibit their work at the Southbank Centre, with their program peers, other creatives, and members of the press and public in attendance.

"If you don’t feel like you are part of a creative sector that reflects and represents your community, that has a huge impact on confidence," says Brierley. "This program is an investment in the whole talent pipeline, from school to early career and beyond."

After the program ends, support for the artists continues. This includes long-term mentorship and connection to a growing alumni network. Ultimately, these efforts make a positive impact not only on the artists but on the industry as a whole.

Dr. Amanda Quintero (right) of the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub at California State University, Northridge

Dr. Amanda Quintero believes that access to education shouldn’t happen by chance. The daughter of immigrant parents, Dr. Quintero didn’t have access to higher education, and the expectation was that she’d find a job after finishing high school. It wasn’t until Dr. Quintero’s last semester of her senior year that a substitute teacher encouraged her to apply to university. That chance encounter changed Dr. Quintero’s entire trajectory. It was the moment she started to believe that she had what it took — that she belonged.

Today, Dr. Quintero dedicates her career to ensuring that other first-generation college students at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) have the same opportunities she had. She serves as the Senior Advisor to the President for Inclusive Excellence and as the Equity Innovation Officer of the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub at California State University, Northridge. Launched in partnership with Apple, the Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub is working to transform HSIs nationally to increase student success and equip HSI students with skills to enter careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math (STEAM).

In addition to technology and grants, Apple is providing experts to help design educational spaces and programming, positioning learners for success in college and in the workforce. The goal is to move the needle on equipping a largely first-generation student population with the educational experiences and skills they need to become first-generation professionals in STEAM fields. The Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub is making this happen by connecting HSIs to resources, thought leaders, and one another, sharing what works to accelerate educational equity, all of which leads to a more inclusive and diverse workforce.

The Global HSI Equity Innovation Hub signifies a shift in the paradigm from what students must do to be successful to what HSIs must do to serve students intentionally. It puts the onus on leadership to shine an equity lens on their structures, policies, and practices. It empowers students, faculty, and staff to transform institutions, which Dr. Quintero says is key to an effective equity-centered approach to education. The other key is engaging the families of first-generation college students, who are often disconnected from campus life. "The first time my family ever set foot on a college campus was the day of my graduation," says Dr. Quintero. "And I don’t want that to be the experience of other students."

Montea Robinson (left) and Alyse Arteaga at Ghetto Film School in Los Angeles

When Alyse Arteaga applied to Ghetto Film School (GFS), she was skeptical.

"I assumed that a free program at a nonprofit was going to be a fun summer camp where I’d learn how to write a good story, and that was going to be it," she says. But the school taught her far more than good storytelling skills. It provided Arteaga with a supportive community of fellow filmmakers and creatives who encouraged her to realize her dreams.

Today, Arteaga works as a professional director and filmmaker and says GFS was instrumental to her success.

With locations in New York, Los Angeles, and London, GFS gives young creatives from underserved communities training, hands-on experience, and professional development to better prepare them for creative fields.

Arteaga is among the many GFS graduates who have pursued careers in entertainment. "About 75 percent of GFS alums go on to pursue media studies in prestigious programs at New York University, University of Southern California, and University of California, Los Angeles, among other institutions," says Montea Robinson, former student and current CEO of GFS. She attributes the program’s success to its student-led, hands-on, equity-focused approach. Robinson also says that Apple plays a critical role.

"The generous donations and contributions Apple has made have allowed our students to create wherever they are," says Robinson. "Having the tools of storytelling in your pocket leads to accessibility for everyone."

Apple’s partnership with GFS began in 2020 through Today at Apple Creative Studios, a program that provides underserved youth with access to creative education and hands-on experience. Through the 14-week multidisciplinary program, GFS students made Shot on iPhone short films and other creative projects. In 2021, Apple Music mentored the school’s Los Angeles–based students on topics ranging from planning their careers to navigating the industry. Apple’s GFS partnership further expanded in 2023 and 2024 with all three GFS locations receiving a REJI grant as part of Apple’s Black Unity Collection launch.

With Apple’s support of their Fellows and Roster programs, by the end of 2023, GFS had matched more than 200 students with industry jobs through their media network.

"Our goal is to put ourselves out of business," says Robinson. "We want to create an industry that is so diverse and so well trained that there isn’t a need for us in the future."

SUMA Wealth’s Beatriz Acevedo, Daniela Corrente, and Mary Hernandez (left to right)

For too long, Beatriz Acevedo and Mary Hernandez heard stories from people in the Hispanic/Latinx communities about keeping their money under a mattress — or stashed away in a safe in their homes. They did this because the U.S. financial system has historically failed to understand and serve their needs. Acevedo and Hernandez knew they wanted to rectify this wrong by supporting their community in taking control of its finances.

So along with Xavier Gutierrez, they founded SUMA Wealth. The Latina-led financial technology company, with Chief Operations Officer Hernandez, Chief Executive Officer Acevedo, and Chief Strategy and Business Development Officer Daniela Corrente, first focused on gaining their community’s trust.

Corrente adds: "Many institutions think because they put a sign in Spanish, they are going to attract people from the Latino community, but that’s not what inclusivity means."

For its part, SUMA Wealth is both an app and website that speaks directly to Hispanic/Latinx communities and their financial needs in culturally relevant and fun ways. A "dinero toolkit" offers tips like how to pay off credit cards, while another section of the site provides answers to "401 qué" questions.

The startup receives support from Apple partner VamosVentures, which funds diverse entrepreneurs with groundbreaking ideas. Just over a year after launching, SUMA reaches more than five million users each month. And within three months of starting the program, these users go from no savings to an average of 500ドル in emergency savings.

"Ultimately, we want SUMA to be that all-in-one financial platform that fully supports our community at building generational wealth," says Acevedo.

Carly Stanley, CEO of Deadly Connections

Carly Stanley knew that things needed to change. The criminal legal system that systemically targeted Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples needed to change. The child protection services that separated babies, children, and young people from their culture and community needed to change. And Stanley, who had witnessed these injustices firsthand, believed she could fight for that change.

So Stanley and her husband, Keenan Mundine, created the Australian, Aboriginal community–led nonprofit Deadly Connections, which started in Sydney as an outreach program for Aboriginal young people who were frequently targeted by police. "The vision of Deadly Connections is to address systemic racial disparities through advocacy and various initiatives and to continue to dismantle and disrupt the harmful systems that have caused and continue to cause a lot of pain for our community," says Stanley.

Her outreach initially consisted of playing sports with the kids to help keep them engaged and connected. From there, Deadly Connections grew into an advocacy and support organization for adults and children affected by the child protection and criminal legal systems. "The prison experience is detrimental not only for the individual, but for the whole family and community. That’s why everything we do is grounded in culture and community. We know culture is a protective factor," says Stanley.

Deadly Connections’ grassroots support includes logistical assistance for families such as ensuring that people can get to their appointments. And the nonprofit, supported by an Apple grant, helps kids and young people stay connected to their culture with one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, and pop-up community events.

The organization is also addressing systemic issues at the policy level, including supporting Raise the Age, a national campaign striving to stop Australia from locking up young children and sending them to prison. Currently children as young as 10 can be incarcerated in Australia, younger than the age set by most other countries. Stanley is advocating for all of these changes so that Aboriginal peoples don’t just survive, but thrive.

Journey Allen, Director of Youth Education at Arts New Orleans

In Louisiana, kids as young as 10 can be arrested, prosecuted, and incarcerated in the juvenile justice system. And 95 percent of these children are Black. They are exposed to the traumas of incarceration and denied the educational and development opportunities that every child deserves.

For Journey Allen, this makes her work as the Director of Youth Education at Arts New Orleans for its Young Artist Movement (YAM) Diversion Program that much more important. It’s why she works tirelessly to be a source of healing and guidance for system-involved youth so they can find a path toward a brighter future.

YAM, cofounded by Judge Arthur Hunter Jr. in 2021, acts as an alternative to prosecution for children and youth with nonviolent offenses. Apple has partnered with Arts New Orleans, a nonprofit organization that supports arts and culture around the city, to take a stand against the incarceration of children by increasing support for the program. YAM is the only arts-based diversion program offered through the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. After completion of the program, youths’ cases are dismissed.

Allen has witnessed firsthand how working with young people through the arts gives them a second chance, as well as a sense of hope and possibility. "A lot of the kids that come through the diversion program have a true desire to do well," she says. "They’re just still searching for that thing that will capture their attention."

One such outlet is mural painting, which has quickly become one of the youths’ favorite forms of creative expression. Local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and city agencies commission these projects, and the kids gain real-world experience working with clients. They use iPad devices to film the mural-making process and have even used digital animation software on iPad to project their mural designs onto city buildings.

In addition to broadening their capabilities as artists, YAM helps its participants leverage art to speak to the issues directly affecting their communities. "The YAM program encouraged us to help people and shed light on different topics," says Aliyah Pflueger, a YAM student artist who applied to the program as a way to help develop her creative abilities. "We have a voice through this program to say something. People want to hear what kids have to say and what’s going on around them. We’re telling our story and helping our community."

Sam Lewis, Executive Director of the Anti-Recidivism Coalition

Black, Hispanic/Latinx, and Indigenous communities continue to be disproportionately harmed by disparities in the criminal justice system. Black Americans are incarcerated in state prisons at nearly five times the rate of white Americans. Latin Americans are incarcerated at 1.3 times the rate of white Americans, and Native Americans are incarcerated at a rate 38 percent higher than the national average — the highest rate of any demographic. That’s why Apple continues to support and donate to organizations dedicating their time, talents, and resources to fight for systems that serve everyone equally.

Our grant projects in Australia support Indigenous-owned and ‑operated efforts such as the Art Gallery of New South Wales (NSW) Djamu Youth Justice Program, which supports Indigenous young people impacted by the justice system through art and culture. Programming includes creative workshops, artistic projects, and discussions with local artists.

Apple is also donating to domestic groups whose work is laying the foundation for meaningful reform within the United States. Our grant recipients include the following groups:

• The Anti-Recidivism Coalition (ARC) works to end mass incarceration in California by empowering formerly and currently incarcerated people through a support network, comprehensive reentry services — including transitional housing, clinical therapy, case management, and workforce development — and grassroots policy advocacy to create a more just and equitable criminal justice system for all people.
• Turn2U Inc.’s The Last Mile program (TLM) offers opportunities for personal and professional growth for justice-impacted individuals, both in-system and post-release, through education and technology training.
• Recidiviz is a tech nonprofit that partners with criminal justice agencies to advance their use of data to safely and equitably reduce incarceration at scale.
• The Vera Institute of Justice brings researchers, organizers, and government leaders together to create evidence-based solutions that restore communities and end mass incarceration.
• Defy Ventures helps currently and formerly incarcerated people across the country find success in reentry through employment and entrepreneurship.

Apple is grateful to all of the trailblazing organizations we’re partnering with for their tireless dedication to equity as we work toward a better future together.