Year 2 of Raising Kings takes over 1313 Innovation Jan. 10

Martin Luther King planted a seed when he gave his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. Since that fateful moment in 1963, millions of people have been empowered to fight for the same beautiful dream King shared. From activists like Bryan Stevenson to former President Barack Obama, the seeds of that dream continue to spread to this day.

Garry Johnson is one of King’s seeds. As Co-Chair of Raising Kings week, Johnson created an “I Have a Dream” Pitch Competition in Wilmington. This is the second year of the event, which is a pitch competition for young men and boys of color. (Here’s who won last year.)

Johnson is a graduate student at the University of Delaware pursuing a master’s in entrepreneurship and design. Whether he is teaching how to turn ideas into action to TeenSHARP students or advocating for high-quality education in Delaware, Johnson is an active member of the community (and occasional Technical.ly contributor).

“The goal of the competition is to encourage entrepreneurship, foster creativity, and inspire the next generation of change agents,” Johnson explains. “Just like King did before, we need to tell young men of color that their voice matters and they can change the world for the better.”

Twenty teams from across the state will pitch their ideas for a chance to win prizes, with first place winning $1,000 in order to further develop their ventures. The pitch competition will be held Jan. 10 inside 1313 Innovation. It starts at 6 p.m.

The 2017 Raising Kings event. (Courtesy photo)