How to solve some of our city’s biggest problems via inclusion and entrepreneurship

When Kahiga Tiagha started The ITEM in February 2015, he had lofty goals: increase minority participation in Philadelphia’s burgeoning tech sector, and encourage business ownership as a means to reducing poverty and increasing equity.

The ITEM stands for The Inclusive Technology and Entrepreneurship Movement — though the M might change to Mentorship, Tiagha shared. The group hosts meetups every third Tuesday of the month that comprise of networking, elevator pitches and a keynote speech. Though the word “inclusive” has become a buzzword of sorts, Tiagha insists that in the case of The ITEM’s meetings, inclusive really does mean inclusive — “Everyone’s invited.”

The group also hosts educational programming and has so far assisted 35 people in their search for tech employment. In his Around the Corner interview with Generocity Editor Julie Zeglen, Tiagha discusses how similarly minded orgs can mobilize people around their cause and how mentorship plays a role in advancing The ITEM’s mission.

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