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Draft:Clayton Banks

Clayton Banks
Born (1960-08-05) 5 August 1960 (age 64)
California
NationalityAmerican
Alma materCalifornia State University, Fullerton
Known forSocial entrepreneur
TitleCo-founder and CEO of Silicon Harlem

Clayton Banks (born August 5, 1960) is an American social innovator, who serve as the CEO of Silicon Harlem, a New York-based social enterprise, he co-founded in 2013.[1]

Biography

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Banks was born on August 5, 1960, in California. Banks earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from California State University, Fullerton in 1985. Later, in 2000, he furthered his education by completing the Executive Management Program at Harvard Business School.[2]

Career

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Early career

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Banks began his career at Showtime Networks in 1984. At Showtime, he served as regional director and later managed national accounts in various sales positions. In January 1995, Banks was appointed vice president for the Eastern Region at Sega Channel, where he directed the distribution and marketing efforts across the East Coast and negotiated agreements with multiple system operators (MSOs) until 1998.[3] In 1998, Banks founded Ember Media Corporation, specializing in multimedia and broadband content production for major brands such as Discovery Networks, HBO, and PepsiCo. One of his notable projects was the development of the "More Than A Mapp" smartphone application in 2013, which showcased over 300 African American landmarks. The app allows users to locate, experience, and contribute to African American history directly from their devices.[2] The initiative led to Banks being recognized among Advocates of the Year by the Society for Africans in Diaspora in 2018.[4][5]

Silicon Harlem

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In February 2013, Banks organized Harlem's first major technology meetup, which was attended by 500 participants as reported. The meetup inspired him to co-found Silicon Harlem, a social enterprise with a mission to transform Harlem into a hub for technology and innovation. The organization works on developing initiative which prepare communities for emerging technology and to ensure that no one gets left behind.[6] In collaboration with the New York City Department of Education, Silicon Harlem introduced initiatives like the Apps Youth Leadership Academy (AYLA), which teaches coding and video game development to local students.[7][8]

Activities

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Banks has played a role in expanding broadband access to underserved communities, particularly in Harlem.[9] In 2018, he led Silicon Harlem's portable broadband initiative, aimed at providing connectivity to low-income households. This initiative seeks to bridge the digital divide, offering reliable, affordable internet access to communities that often lack it. In 2018, Silicon Harlem also began building a resilient network in East Harlem, designed to ensure continued connectivity during natural disasters, further emphasizing the organization's commitment to reliable internet access in the community.[10]

Since 2013, Banks through Silicon Harlem, organizes the annual Next Gen Tech Conference, which highlights emerging technology trends in Harlem.[11][12] They also hosts the Annual Technology Conference, first held in 2020 in Harlem. The event, themed "Connected for Good," brought together hundreds of attendees and over 60 speakers who shared insights on technology’s evolving role in business.[13][14]

Recognitions

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  • 2018: Awarded among Advocates of the Year by the Society for Africans in Diaspora.[4]
  • 2020: Recognized in the edition of The Responsible 100 New Yorkers for his efforts in providing free internet in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.[15]
  • 2021: Banks was celebrated as a Harlem community hero in a comic strip.[9][16]

References

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  1. ^ "Silicon Harlem: Leading the Technological Transformation of Communities - The Harlem Times". 2024-11-23. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  2. ^ a b "Media Pioneer and Tech Businessman Clayton Banks on Increasing Our Value in The Digital Economy". Los Angeles Sentinel. 2020-01-09. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  3. ^ "Press release: 1995-01-10: Sega Channel announces the appointment of Clayton Banks as vice president Eastern region". Sega Retro. 2017-06-10. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  4. ^ a b Reports, AmNews Staff (2018-12-06). "The African Diaspora Awards 2018 held at the Schomburg Center". New York Amsterdam News. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  5. ^ "Larry's Blog: Black History Month Honoree Clayton Banks - CBS New York". www.cbsnews.com. 2018-02-01. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  6. ^ "Clayton Banks and Silicon Harlem Bring Technology to the Masses". GovTech. 2017-11-16. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  7. ^ "Silicon Harlem's Clayton Banks Brings Technology to the Masses". GovTech. 2018-01-04. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  8. ^ Mitchell, Jessi (2023-06-20). "Silicon Harlem opens digital learning lab with AT&T and NY Urban League - CBS New York". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  9. ^ a b "Clayton Banks – Inaugural "LRT Super Hero" Vanquishes the Digital Divi". Let's Rethink This. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  10. ^ "Move over Silicon Valley: Silicon Harlem is creating a technological renaissance in Harlem". PIX11. 2019-10-10. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  11. ^ "Is the next Silicon Valley in Harlem?". PIX11. 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  12. ^ Mwamba, Jay (2016-08-13). "Silicon Harlem events to empower youth, spark interest in technology". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  13. ^ "Keen on connection Entusiastas de las conexiones – Manhattan Times News". www.manhattantimesnews.com. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  14. ^ Merrilees, Kristin. "Silicon Harlem and C-Better Foundation host 11th annual Next Gen Tech Conference". Columbia Daily Spectator. Retrieved 2024-11-26.
  15. ^ "The 2020 Responsible 100". City & State NY. 2020-12-14. Retrieved 2024-11-27.
  16. ^ "Jerry Ashton". Let's Rethink This. Retrieved 2024-11-26.


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