The “Youth Innovation Night: Unleash your Super Powers” event held at Clemente Park in Fort Myers was a huge success, with nearly 300 people in attendance. The event took place right in front of the Williams Academy Black History Museum and featured the Latimer Fellows from the Lewis Latimer Fellowship Program. These fellows shared their wisdom and experience with the crowd, who listened attentively throughout the night.
Among the attendees were a robotics CEO and an astronaut, highlighting the importance of the national fellowship program’s mission to provide access and mentorship to exceptional Black innovators. The panelists at the event included the voice behind Miles Morales in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, adding an extra element of excitement for the audience. Some students even showed up in superhero costumes to match the theme of the night.
Students from the robotics team at Dunbar High School were given the opportunity to showcase their work, including a robot that they featured at the event. The Lewis Latimer Fellowship Program, named after one of Thomas Edison’s principal collaborators, honors Latimer’s contributions to helping Edison refine his vision of the lightbulb. The event was made possible by the Lee County Black History Society, in partnership with the Edison Awards and the fellowship program. It was a night filled with inspiration and innovation, celebrating the talents of Black innovators and encouraging the next generation to unleash their superpowers.