Naimah Wade Helps Cultivate ‘The Genius Within’

Naimah Wade enjoys helping people cultivate the genius within themselves, which is why she joined the Connect 313 team.

“What the most impactful people in my world did for me was reduce barriers or eliminate them all together,” Naimah says. “I am a part of this work to try to eliminate that vast hole between those that are engaging digitally and those who are not.”

Naimah is Connect 313’s Director of Research and Learning as well as the management lead for the Special Projects and Shared Resources Committee, which plans projects and initiatives such as neighborhood tech hubs, community ambassadors, and Connect 313 storytelling.

“Connect 313 is yet another example of innovative problem solving in the form of an organizational coalition that is making an incredible impact to move Detroiters from a position of being digitally divided to one of being digitally empowered,” she says.

Supporting digital empowerment is also Naimah’s focus at Wayne State University where she’s the Manager of Digital Inclusion. Naimah says many people don’t use technology because they fear the unknown – and that’s a barrier she’s working to break.

“It’s not that they don’t want to be involved, it’s that they’re afraid of not knowing,” she says. “Give yourself permission to make mistakes… jump in even though you’re nervous about not knowing. You may be wonderfully surprised.”

Wade is currently working on Connect 313’s inaugural research symposium, which will bring academic professionals in the digital research and teaching space to Detroit for the city’s annual Digital Inclusion Week in October.

Naimah is excited for the future of Detroit and its residents and, when asked what she loves most about the city, Naimah quotes Jeanette Pierce from the Detroit Experience Factory: “Detroit is big enough to matter in the world, but small enough that you matter in it.”

“This is what I love about Detroit,” she says. “You can reach out to practically anyone and begin to impart change in the way that you want to see your city evolve and I think that’s really powerful and magical, and I think it’s rare.”

To reach Naimah email naimah.wade@wayne.edu.