Rodney Sampson is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor who helped organize #CodeStart, a 13-month program in Atlanta that teaches disconnected youth and under-employed young adults skills like coding, entrepreneurship, and career and financial preparation.
Upon graduation, the program helps students find entry-level programming and engineering jobs. The students also receive housing and a monthly stipend for living expenses during the program.
Earlier this week, one of Sampson’s students tried to cash a money order for his monthly living stipend. Sampson documented the exchange on Twitter:
What a day to say the least? Hope you’ll hear me out as we work to hack some major systemic issues that impact black/brown/poor youth.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Today, our #CodeStart students received their monthly living stipends. Many went to deposit them during lunch break.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
We encouraged all of them to go their banks. Most of the students have bank account. A few don’t for whatever reason. cc: @OperationHOPE
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
One of the male students went to Atlanta Check Cashing, 31 Forsyth Street, Atl, GA 30303, (404) 577-6413. Note: He has an “account” here
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
One of the male students went to Atlanta Check Cashing, 31 Forsyth Street, Atl, GA 30303, (404) 577-6413. Note: He has an “account” here
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
He presented a United States Postal Service money order and his state issue I.D. to cash the check. Mind you, the fee was going to be 10%!!
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
The manager of the check cashing establishment went on to illegally hold the students I.D & USPS legitimate money order. cc: @OperationHOPE
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Our student was falsely accused by the manager of Atlanta Check Cashing (404-577-6413) of trying to cash a legitimate USPS money order.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Rather than give our student his ID back and the money order, she illegally held it against his will & told him to call APD to get it back.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
It is illegal 2 withhold another person’s identification, i.e. their property. ATL Cash Checking broke the law. Let them know, 404-577-6413
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Our student, being compliant, actually called the police as instructed. Upon APD’s arrival, they proceeded to arrest him on the scene.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
While being detained in the police car, the student’s cell phone (text messages) were allegedly searched by the arresting officer.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
According to our student, the police officer assured him that no one cared about him and that he was going to jail. He did nothing wrong.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Before the arrest, the student was able to call our resident director who called me. I was asked to prove that I purchased the money orders.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
I left my meeting at @TechSquare, jumped in an @Uber & headed to Atl Check Cashing to intervene! pic.twitter.com/09C1u9hCWx
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
I called my wife to let her know where I was headed…just in case. I, too, have to remember, that I am a black man in America. Seriously.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
I had to actually show proof of purchase & a receipt for the specific USPS money order in question for the cops to release our student.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
One of the cops then preceded to ask one of the store employees why they did what they did. Their answer? pic.twitter.com/IyBy9pqHXa
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
The employee answered by saying, “we didn’t see the money order in OUR system”. So he was criminalized for their out of date technology!
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
I now have a new level of respect for @MikeTSterling & the work he does for disconnected youth @AtlWorkforce. He left his meeting to come!
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Of course, our student was shaken up!
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Here he is, doing the right thing, grinding to learn Java which isn’t easy to learn; but he is still being impacted by predatory racism.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
The check cashing industry is a predatory ecosystem that preys on poor, disconnected & unbanked people. Greater appreciation @OperationHOPE
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
This young black male working to change his life was targeted by a black woman working in the cash checking establishment. This is real.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
This young man was not only profiled but advised to call the police on himself to retrieve his own state ID that was held against his will.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
The pain points we are hacking @TechSquare @AtlWorkforce @OHUBAtl @TheIronYard are much larger than teaching the hard skills of coding.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
I stood in amazement watching the police tell this young man that they did him a favor by not hauling him off to jail immediately.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
He was livid. I was livid. I literally wanted to break down crying on the spot. It took everything in me to stand tall & resolute.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
I felt this young man’s pain. It reminded me of the times that I had been profiled in highschool, college, medical school, MBA, startup trep
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
We have to have the hard skills; but we have 2 be taught 2 navigate simply transactions like cashing a check, interacting w/ law enforcement
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
The cops were adamant to suggest that our student fit the profile of previous offenders. I asked what was the profile of previous customers?
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
At the end of the day, all we can do is keep grinding for the least of these. Creating more coders/entrepreneurs who won’t look backwards!
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Opening more bank accounts. Teaching financial literacy. Teaching wealth building.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Teaching career readiness. Teaching culture fit. Teaching agile. Teaching meditation. Teaching conflict resolution. Teaching prayer.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Teaching the importance of registering to vote. Teaching the importance of actually voting. Teaching the importance of supporting campaigns.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Teaching our youth how to simply navigate life while they work to create a better opportunity for themselves & their communities.
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
Silver lining. Back @TechSquare grinding in code class. All students accounted for. #buildsomethingfromnothing. pic.twitter.com/5jos3UZkKp
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
This is just week one. Pray our strength. #definitivepurpose
— Rodney Sampson (@rodneysampson) March 29, 2016
@rodneysampson We have so much work to do. So much.
— Michael T. Sterling (@MikeTSterling) March 29, 2016
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