EcoPower '26

Day 1: Excited

“That was my word, and I didn't fake it. I came in focused on tech and AI, wanting to build something real. What I got was a summer of learning that the build is only half the work — the other half is understanding who it's for.”

What I Knew vs. What I Know Now

“I mostly thought about technology from the aspect of building. Working around East Flatbush showed me that communities already have knowledge, experience and solutions of their own. Technology shouldn't replace that knowledge — it should make it easier to access. Good technology also requires listening, research, testing, and understanding the community it's meant to serve.”

The Session That Stuck

“Kevin's presentation session: being yourself and trusting what you have to say can make a much stronger impact. Dennine's session pushed me the other direction — think about how a sidequest gets bigger, reaches more people, reaches brands and companies. I'm holding both.”

What I'm Grateful For

“The people around me who continue to show up, encourage me, and challenge me to think bigger — and the opportunity to be in spaces where I can learn and contribute. Also: pizza. Genuinely grateful that pizza exists.”

What I Want to Build Next

“Intelligent systems that make a meaningful impact — object detection and AI tools that reach past a demo and into people's hands. And Tom Holland at my next community event. That's the standard I'm setting.”