Samia Zuber, Executive Director of the Hack the Hood, sits down with GSOM to chat about Warriors hoops and supporting youth in tech.
Wednesday night the Golden State Warriors came back from a large deficit and overcame the Oklahoma City Thunder in front of Dub Nation in Chase Center. And for this thrilling contest, the Warriors hosted a local community organization “Hack The Hood” through the Warriors Community Foundation’s initiative “Hoops for Kids” presented by Salesforce.
This program highlights and reinforces the Warriors’ commitment and support for impactful programs such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland/San Francisco, East Oakland Youth Development Center, Playworks Northern California, StreetCode Academy, We Lead Ours (WELO), Mindful Life Project, and of course Hack the Hood.
I had a chance to speak with Hack the Hood’s Executive Director Samia Zuber and learn more about her organization and how the Warriors have been a blessing for them on and off the court.
Daniel: Tell me a little bit about your org and just how the heck y’all ended up at one of the biggest Warriors games of the year Wednesday night?
Samia: Hack the Hood is an Oakland based nonprofit that provides free tech education programs serving transitional age youth who identify as Black, Latinx, Indigenous and AAPI.
So this year for the 2024-2025 season, Hack the Hood is one of the Warriors Foundation’s beneficiaries for the “Hoops for Kids” program. That means that with every 3 point shot the Warriors make, they add $500 into a pot that is split between seven different community organizations.
Daniel: Awesome! And what’s your role with the company?
Samia: I am the Executive Director of the organization; I lead our organization’s strategy, operations, and partnerships to move our mission forward.
Daniel: And where are you from originally?
Samia: I am born and raised in San Francisco. I lived in Oakland for a bit and moved back to San Francisco recently… kind of like the Warriors!
Daniel: Haha that’s great. How would you describe your personal level of Warriors fandom?
Samia: I’ve been a Warriors fan ever since I can remember. Back when I was in elementary I remember when Thunder, Golden State’s old mascot, came to our school assembly and was like, doing flips and dunks on trampolines. I thought he was like the coolest thing ever.
So it’s been just such a blessing to see the Warriors grow and succeed. And now to be recognized by the same organization for the work that we’re doing AND to be able to give back to the community that I love so much? Yeah, it’s super special.
Daniel: Fantastic. You know, the Dubs went from underdogs to champions through building culture, innovation and teamwork. What’s the biggest lesson the Warriors dynasty can teach young folks trying to break into tech, and how can that mindset help underrepresented youth succeed in the tech industry?
Samia: That’s a good question. And it just makes me think about Steph, Klay and Dray. And how we had homegrown talent that everyone underestimated and didn’t really see coming.
I remember when Mark Jackson said he had the best shooting backcourt in NBA history and everyone thought he was absolutely insane. But he knew the caliber of talent that we had on our team, and I feel the same way about the young folks and people in the Bay.
I think that there’s a lot of untapped talent, underestimated talent, that just needs the right support, the right opportunities, and the right coaching. With that, I believe they’ll be able to shine in the same way that the Warriors have been able to.
Daniel: Awesome, I love that! Okay so if you could build a Warriors inspired coding challenge, what would it look like?
Samia: Wow, a Warrior’s inspired coding challenge!
Daniel: Yeah, like, let’s say the young coders have to program something Warriors related like maybe a shot chart simulator or a “Who said it: Draymond or AI bot?” quiz. Orr maybe a Steph Curry deep learning shooting algorithm??
Samia: Oooh, it’s between the “Who said it: Draymond or AI bot?” or the Steph Curry deep learning shooting algorithm. I mean, it has to be the Steph algorithm, right? Like everyone wants to learn how to shoot like Steph.
Daniel: That’s right, that’d be a dream come true. You know, the Dubs always talk about Strength in Numbers. How does that show up in your work? Whether it’s supporting students or collaborating with orgs like Hoops for Kids. Or even in the everyday grind, how does Hack the Hood embody that same team first mentality?
Samia: Well first, we’re a small and mighty team. So we’re all about partnerships and collaborations. And that’s really where we see the next leg of our work: working with different community organizations, industry partners, and different stakeholders to be able to fulfill our mission.
Because I do believe that there is strength in numbers, and that it’s powerful when you bring forces together to be able to accomplish something. I think that’s what we can do at Hack the Hood.
Daniel: Beautiful, I love that. And now…who’s your favorite all-time Warrior?
Samia: Has to be Steph! I just vividly remember being in high school during the We Believe era and I was always waiting for the day and the time when the Warriors would be good. I’ve always loved the Warriors. So winners or not I love the warriors and that’s just it. I feel really blessed to have witnessed an era of Warriors basketball where they were able to shine as bright as they did and Steph is like a really big part of that.
And of course I’m partial to Klay.
Daniel: Of course, Splash Bros forever. Never Splash alone! Okay here’s my final question. If you have to give a message to Warriors fans for this season and beyond what would you say?
Samia: What would I say? I would say the only constant in life is change. And I’m so grateful for the era of Warriors basketball that we’ve been able to witness and be a part of and I’m excited for what the future holds, and I think that the Warriors organization has really developed. Just such a strong organization and culture. I have faith that the warriors will stay strong for years to come.
To learn more about the Hack the Hood, please visit their website www.hackthehood.org.