DC Tech Stories: How I/O Spaces is building community for African Diaspora entrepreneurs

DC Tech Stories goes inside the community of Silver Spring, Maryland’s I/O Spaces in the latest episode of the podcast featuring conversations with technologists and tech community leaders in the area.

Host Jessica Bell talks to I/O spaces cofounder Leslie Tita about creating a space for the African Diaspora in D.C. Since launch in 2015, it’s added incubation and education offerings for entrepreneurs. Tita is joined by Sheila Kasasa and Brian Leobig, two community members who have watched the space grow and are now involved in programming focused on skills training called I/O Learn.

Here are Bell’s thoughts on the episode:

I met Leslie at a DC Inno event a few years back. We chatted about the DC tech community and his coworking space in Silver Spring, I/O Spaces. I was interested in the story because Leslie made it clear that community was the central tenant of his space. He was building a space for the African Diaspora in D.C. to gather, work, and share their culture. I visited the space and chatted with him about his background and plans for the space. A few months later I invited him and his colleagues to come talk about what the space and community meant to them. I find it very special to marry tech and community – something we need more of in this field!

Listen below:

https://www.buzzsprout.com/108546/705287-leslie-shiela-and-brian-community-startups-and-the-african-diaspora-in-the-dmv.js?player=small