Program Proposal · Design in Service

Design in Service

The Depot
Community AI
Readiness Initiative

A culturally grounded, father-centered program for Harlem.

Sessions9 Sessions

ScheduleMondays · 5–7 PM

Format80% Online / 20% In-Person

Prepared ForMenton Smith

Prepared ByEdwin · Senior Designer + M.A.

Program Overview

Built for
The Depot

The Depot: Community AI Readiness Initiative is a culturally grounded, father-centered program designed to help participants build confidence, digital literacy, and leadership capacity through practical, responsible use of AI.

Rather than presenting AI as a technical course, this initiative frames it as a community readiness strategy — aligning with civic and philanthropic priorities including digital equity, workforce access, and community resilience. Edwin is the architect of a high-level, mission-aligned program, not simply a classroom instructor.

The Depot Fatherhood Initiative · Harlem, NY

Program Goals

What We're
Building Together

01Build AI literacy among fathers and community leaders
02Strengthen self-awareness, intentionality, and reflective practice
03Support better communication and presence within families
04Encourage collaborative leadership and community-based problem-solving
05Provide a culturally relevant model for digital equity and readiness

Community in session · The Depot, Harlem

Session Structure

The Rhythm

Every session follows a consistent three-part structure to keep the learning accessible and grounded.

Part One

Activity

Hands-on engagement with technology or a reflective exercise. Participants learn by doing.

Part Two

Teach-In

Focused instruction on concepts, technology history, or prompting techniques.

Part Three

Sharing

Group reflection connecting the experience to fatherhood, leadership, and community life.

Learning Stages

Self · Home · Crew

The program moves intentionally from the individual outward — connecting personal growth to relational growth to community impact.

Stage 1

The Body

Self-awareness, intention & positionality

Participants use AI to reflect on who they are and what they value. Introduces the Playbook — a physical notebook for capturing prompts and reflections. AI as a tool for clarity, not speed.

Stage 2

The Home

Relationships, presence & learning as support

AI supports fathers in their roles at home. Participants build "recipes" — practical guides for recurring family challenges. Closes with a love letter to self showing both technical and emotional growth.

Stage 3

The Crew

Community, orchestration & legacy

Focus shifts from individual growth to collective action. Participants use AI to collaborate, organize, and strengthen community leadership. The Depot spirit: brotherhood, mutual support, shared responsibility.

Curriculum

9-Session Arc

Each session builds on the last — moving from foundational literacy to applied practice to community impact.

Session 1

Prompt Engineering Fundamentals

(clear instructions, context setting, role assignment)

Session 2

LLM Basics

(ChatGPT/Claude anatomy, chat vs. search engines)

Session 3

AI Privacy Foundations

(what data to avoid sharing, basic retention rules)

Session 4

Context Management

(Research, arrive prepared for the impossible)

Session 5

Generative Text Applications

Session 6

AI for Jobs and Opportunity Seeking

Session 7

Project Organization

Session 8

Collaborative AI Workflows

(What to expect in the future)

Session 9

Synthesis and showcase

(Multimedia final project)

Delivery Model

How It Runs

Standard · 6 In-Person + 3 Online

Standard

$4,545 $3,180

After 30% non-profit discount

Six sessions in person and three sessions online. Balances strong cohort presence with digital flexibility.

S1 · In PersonS2 · In PersonS3 · In PersonS4 · In Person S5 · In PersonS6 · In Person S7 OnlineS8 OnlineS9 Online

Full · Full In-Person (9)

Full

$5,040 $3,530

After 30% non-profit discount

All nine sessions delivered in person for maximum engagement, momentum, and relational depth.

S1 · In PersonS2 · In PersonS3 · In PersonS4 · In Person S5 · In PersonS6 · In PersonS7 · In PersonS8 · In PersonS9 · In Person

Why Edwin

The Expertise
I Offer

A composite of graduate-level design training, senior professional experience, AI specialization, and culturally grounded community practice — not simply hours of facilitation.

Area	Basis
Master's Degree	Graduate-level training in systems thinking, social innovation, and design practice
Senior Practitioner	10+ years cross-sector experience with international clients (Plan International, UN Women, UNODC)
AI Specialization	Applied LLM tools, prompt engineering, context design, and API infrastructure literacy
Community Design Focus	Culturally grounded facilitation in Harlem and Bolivia with high-need communities
University Teaching Role	Catholic University La Paz — accredited educator and practitioner
Market Position	Senior designer · AI specialist · Educator · Social sector practitioner