Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey and legendary rapper Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter are funding The Bitcoin Academy (BA). Created as an exclusive program for residents of Marcy Houses, a New York City own apartment public housing complex, to provide access to free Bitcoin education classes.

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The program was created in collaboration with Crypto Blockchain Plug and Black Bitcoin Billionaire with two modalities: online and in person. Marcy House residents can sign up for the classes via the following link.

The program will receive “on the ground” support from Dorsey’s Block, and the Shawn Carter Foundation. This organization said the following about its objective:

This innovative program aims to educate and empower the community, remove some barriers to access, and enable residents to learn more about Bitcoin specifically and financial wellness in general.

In addition, the Shawn Carter Foundation claims the program will attempt to expand to other neighborhoods in the future. “Education is power”, the organization claimed.

Marcy, the city’s own housing complex, played a key role in Jay-Z’s upbringing. The legendary rapper said:

Marcy, a place that taught me so much, is hopefully the first of many. The simple goal is to provide people tools to build independence for themselves and then the community around them.

The program will have Lamar Wilson, featured on Vice News and The Breakfast Club, and Najah Roberts, featured on CNBC Fast Money and Afro Tech, as instructors. The classes will cover the basics of Bitcoin, the way it operates, how it operates, and how individuals can use it to “build” their “own financial future”.

The program will also teach about “finance in general” as a way to “empower the community with knowledge”. The classes will be offered, according to the official website, from June 22 through September 7.

Jack Dorsey’s Bitcoin-Based Initiative Aimed At Improving The World

One of the biggest barriers for people to learn about Bitcoin is access to the internet and devices. For that reason, participants will receive MiFi devices and a one-year limited data plan with smartphones “if needed”.

Participants will be able to keep the devices provided by the Bitcoin Academy. Those Marcy Houses residents looking to take part in the in-person classes will be served dinner.

The program contemplates the creation of a “Crypto Kids Camp” which will take place on two Saturdays and be oriented to kids and teens from the ages of 5 to 17, the official website said. Via his Twitter account, former Twitter and current Block CEO, Jack Dorsey said the following on BTC and the BA program:

bitcoin is becoming a critical tool for many in Africa and Central and South America. We believe the same potential exists within communities in the US. Our goal is to prove that making powerful tools more available to people enables them to build greater independence.

Dorsey emphasized that “Education is where we start”. The program is part of a long-term plan to empower communities around the world to use BTC and to help them gain more financial independence.

Jay-Z and Dorsey launched the Bitcoin Development Fund for India and Africa in 2021. The initiative was originally funded with a 500 BTC blind trust to support BTC development in the region.

The initiative announced relevant members of the BTC community as their board. The blind trust’s board members are Ojoma Ochai, Obi Nwosu, Abubakar Nur Khalil, and Carla Kirk-Cohen.

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At the time of writing, BTC’s price trades at $30,100 with sideways movement on the 4-hour chart.