At the grand opening of the new Newark Tech World in Newark on Thursday, Oct. 13, the rev. Al Sharpton, National Action Network founder and television host, second from right, is joined by, from left, Metropolitan Baptist Church Pastor David Jefferson, Freeholder and Irvington National Action Network chapter President Lebby Jones and the Rev. Steven Bartley.
NEWARK, NJ — The Rev. Al Sharpton, founder of the National Action Network, was in Newark on Thursday, Oct. 13, to take part in the grand opening of the new NAN Newark Tech World. The technology center will offer after school enrichment classes to local students and community members.
“We are in the digital age,” Sharpton said Thursday, Oct. 13. “This is no longer a hobby; this is not something that’s cute to do. If you are on the wrong side of the digital divide, then you are at a disadvantage. This is a means to liberate generations that will not advance, if they are caught on this side of the digital divide.”
The reverend was joined at the grand opening by several luminaries, including Essex County Freeholder Lebby Jones, the founder and president of the Irvington National Action Network chapter; as well as Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith; Newark Mayor Ras Baraka; Newark City Council President Mildred Crump; Assemblyman Tom Giblin and Joseph Taylor, chairman and CEO of Panasonic North America.
“There is no more important civil right in the new millennium than having access to new and developing technology and understanding how to use it,” said Sharpton. “That’s why we’re building this, because we’re trying to even the playing field. Our children can compete with anyone, if they are given the tools and skills to do it. Imagine if you don’t (have) access to that and all your contemporaries do. They put you in places where you are not trained so, when you come through the door, they know that you can’t compete. That’s a social injustice that Ras Baraka starts breaking down by opening this academy.”
Sharpton also praised Taylor and Panasonic for being visionary leaders in Newark, not just good corporate neighbors.
“(Taylor) understands this vision, where America can’t succeed unless you have access to the Internet and technology,” said Sharpton. “You’ve got to be accessible. We are proud of Joe Taylor and we are going to bring in other partners to match him, corporate partners who will come in and join with us.”
“I was here to support NAN, the National Action Network, and they are bringing technology into the community to promote skills in our youth and even the whole community,” Jones said at the event. Everything is going on in Newark in Center City, but this center here is accessible to anybody that lives in the area that you don’t need transportation. And it’s something that will meet the needs from the youngest to the oldest and I’m just so happy to be a part of it.”
Jones thanked everyone who collaborated to make Newark Tech World possible. She said the model of cooperation created with it can serve as a blueprint for future collaborations with major corporations to create “win-win” situations for everyone involved.
“Thanks to the Rev. Bartley and our founder, the Rev. Al Sharpton, that this dream, these ideas and the work have come together and Panasonic heard them and they want to be a part of our community and it happened,” said Jones. “In the building is proof that it can be done, if other businesses would come to urban areas and help to change the lives of so many unfortunate or young people who need to move forward into the 21st century. Once you train a person, they can train others. By doing that, you can get a better citizen who … is able to help others and move this country forward.”
West Ward Councilwoman Charnette Frederic, who works as a scientist, said she would love to see Irvington follow Newark’s example by opening its own facility sometime soon, pointing out that, with the leadership of Jones, all that was needed was a corporate sponsor to make it happen.
“It’s definitely a great idea,” said Frederic on Thursday, Oct. 13. “As you know, with the technology growing, not even in the future but right now, it is important for our children to learn how to do it. It’s great to see something happening in our neighbor Newark and it would be great to see something like this in Irvington as well.”
Rev. Al Sharpton attends grand opening of Newark Tech World added by Chris Sykes on
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