Inspire AI: Transforming RVA Through Technology and Automation
Our mission is to cultivate AI literacy in the Greater Richmond Region through awareness, community engagement, education, and advocacy. In this podcast, we spotlight companies and individuals in the region who are pioneering the development and use of AI.
Inspire AI: Transforming RVA Through Technology and Automation
Ep 54 - Access is Destiny: Opening Doors To AI With Mark Cuban Foundation And AI Ready RVA
Curiosity beats credentials. We head to Richmond, Virginia, to share how a free, hands-on AI bootcamp turns nervous high schoolers into confident creators and how a local nonprofit, AI Ready RVA, keeps the doors open long after the weekend ends. Guided by industry mentors and anchored in real-world problems, students explore core AI concepts, question ethics and bias, and build capstone projects they can cite on college essays and internship applications. Along the way, a quiet sophomore finds her voice with a practical idea to cut household food waste—and a new sense of what’s possible.
We unpack the design that makes this model work: project-first learning, zero prerequisites, and a clear invitation that says AI is for everyone. You’ll hear how AI Ready RVA recruits students, supports families, trains mentors, and connects graduates to next steps like online courses, internships, and community events. We also zoom out to the big picture: why AI literacy now matters across healthcare, energy, finance, public policy, and nonprofits; how access shapes opportunity; and what it takes to build a pipeline of diverse, local talent with the courage to solve real problems.
By the end, you’ll have a playbook to bring similar programs to your city: partner with schools, center ethics, recruit relatable mentors, and root projects in local needs. Parents, educators, business leaders, and students will find simple, concrete steps to get started today. If this story moves you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs the nudge, and leave a quick review so more people can discover it. Your support helps young innovators hear the words that change everything: you belong here.
Want to join a community of AI learners and enthusiasts? AI Ready RVA is leading the conversation and is rapidly rising as a hub for AI in the Richmond Region. Become a member and support our AI literacy initiatives.
Welcome back to Inspire AI, the podcast where we explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping creativity, work, and the world around us, and where we shine a light on the innovators making AI more accessible, more equitable, and more human. I'm your host, Jason McGinsey. And today, we're taking you to Richmond, Virginia, where something powerful is happening. Something that shows what can unfold when you put opportunity in the hands of young people and simply ask them, What will you create with AI? This episode dives into the Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp and the local nonprofit champion helping bring it to life, AI Ready RVA, and all of its wonderful volunteers and leaders. Together, they're not just teaching skills, they're opening the doors, shifting minds, and building future innovators. So let's jump in. Picture this. It's a crisp Saturday morning in downtown Richmond. The doors open at the Coastar Event Center. A group of high schoolers walk in, some excited, many nervous, some not totally sure what they've signed up for. Most of them have never written a line of code. A few whisper to each other, I don't know if I'm techie enough for this, but by the end of the day, these same students will be building real AI projects, asking big questions, sketching solutions, and seeing for themselves, maybe for the first time, the possibility of themselves in the tech future. This isn't a high pressure hackathon. It's not even a competition. And it's not a you must already know AI kind of deal. It's an invitation. And that is the heart behind the Mark Cuban Foundation AI boot camp, a free, hands-on introduction to AI for high school students designed to demystify the field and show them that AI isn't just for Silicon Valley, it's for them. And here in Richmond, one organization proudly stepped forward to make it happen locally. AI Ready RVA. So what does this boot camp look like anyway? It's a 20-hour experience spread across weekends. Students learn AI concepts in a way that's interactive, visual, and real. Not textbook heavy, not lecture heavy, project heavy. They explore what AI actually is, how machine learning models work, why ethics matter, how AI affects communities, and how to design solutions to real problems. They also build a capstone project, something tangible, something they can talk about in college essays, sponsorship applications, or future interviews. They're coached by industry mentors. They work in teams, they get guidance, not just in how to build, but in why to build. And unlike many tech programs, there is no cost, no prerequisites, and no experience required, just curiosity. But even with the national program in place, every city needs local champions to bring it to life. And that's where Richmond's own AI Ready RVA enters the story. AI Ready RVA is a five hundred one C three nonprofit with a clear vision. Prepare Richmond students and communities to thrive in an AI powered world. They are the bridge between national programs and local students, between industry mentors and classrooms, between opportunity and access. AI Ready RVA's team recruits students, supports families, organizes mentors, hosts events, and importantly, continues to support students long after the boot camp ends. Because building a future in AI isn't about a single weekend. It's about momentum. And that's where their work shines. Many students who participate in the boot camp go on to one, pursue additional learning because it's fascinating. Two, test new project ideas because that's where the fun is. Three, get paired with mentors because everyone needs support. Four, explore internships because structured programs really do help. And finally, simply stay curious long enough to try something they never thought they could do. And that is where passion begins. AI Ready RVA understands something many communities are just beginning to realize. Access to AI education is access to future opportunity. And when you make local access possible, you change the trajectory of students who might have never imagined themselves in that world. So let me share a moment that really captures this. There was a student, let's call her Jasmine, a sophomore in high school. Quiet, brilliant. She didn't quite see it in herself. On day one, she sat toward the edge of the room. She listened more than she talked. When the coaches asked the room, what would you create if you could build anything with AI? Jasmine didn't raise her hand. Fast forward to day three, capstone day. Jasmine stands in front of her group explaining a prototype app idea, an AI tool that helps reduce food waste by predicting what foods in a home are at risk of expiring, helping families plan meals around them. She talked about her family, she talked about our neighborhood, and she talked about the impact it could make. And when she finished, one of the mentors said, Have you ever considered studying computer science or entrepreneurship? She smiled and said, I never thought I could. But maybe. And that maybe is everything. That maybe is why this work matters. So I'd like to zoom out for a moment. AI will be part of every industry, energy, healthcare, finance, public policy, nonprofits, entrepreneurship, not just coding, not just engineering. Programs like Mark Cuban Foundation Bootcamp and organizations like AI Ready RVA are doing way more than teaching technical skills. They're building confidence, they're expanding access, they're creating pipelines for diverse future talent, they're connecting students to mentors and role models, and they are helping communities reimagine what technology careers look like. And here's the truth. If we want AI to benefit society, we need more voices shaping it, not fewer. Young voices, local voices, underrepresented voices, students who understand the challenges inside their own communities and want to build the solutions for them. That's what makes this partnership powerful. It's not about creating the next generation of engineers, although some will go that route. It's about helping young people see themselves as creators, thinkers, and problem solvers in an AI-enabled world. So, what can you take from this story? If you're a parent, encourage your child to explore. They don't have to be great at math. They just need curiosity. If you're an educator, look for programs like this. Bring them to your school. Partner with nonprofits, champions that make change. If you're a business or community leader, consider supporting mentorship, hosting workshops, or funding scholarships. If you're a student listening, understand this deeply. You don't need permission to start learning AI. You don't need to be the top student. You don't need a tech background. You just need to take the first step. And if you're in Virginia or anywhere really, organizations like AI Ready RVA are here to walk alongside you. The future isn't just being built by big tech. It's being built by young innovators in cities like Richmond. Innovators who simply needed someone to say, you belong here. So thank you for joining me on this journey with Inspire AI. A huge shout out to the Mark Cuban Foundation, AI Bootcamp, and the dedicated team at AI ReadyRVA for opening doors and inspiring the next generation of creators. And if you enjoyed this conversation, be sure to subscribe, share this episode, and leave a review. It helps more people discover stories like this. Until next time, stay curious, stay inspired, and keep imagining what's possible when AI becomes a tool for everyone.
