OCT 2023
BUILDING BRIDGES
PAGE 4
SOL LAUDON’S JOURNEY TO EMPOWER AFGHAN IMMIGRANTS Laudon’s mission had a two-fold impact. First, it set an example for the St. Louis community, demonstrating the valuable contributions immigrants bring to the city. Second, it inspired innovative education models that could uplift underprivileged communities in the area. His efforts bore fruit as many of his students secured jobs in the tech industry, setting their families on a path to long-term success. Tech jobs, known for their flexibility and high pay, provided these resettled immigrants with opportunities to rebuild their lives and achieve the American Dream. One remarkable success story was that of a former World Bank employee from Afghanistan. Although he had managed to retain his job during the evacuation, it wasn’t sufficient to support his family in the United States. Laudon’s guidance helped him tailor his resume for American companies and prepare for technical interviews, ultimately landing him a job at a major healthcare company.
In the wake of Afghanistan’s tumultuous events in 2021, Sol Laudon, a seasoned software engineer and the Director for Refugee Technology Programs at the Zomia Center, embarked on a remarkable mission. He set out to empower Afghan refugees arriving in the United States with the transformative skill of coding, offering them a path to secure, well-paying jobs in the tech industry. Laudon’s journey began with inspiration from his close friend, Tom Peter, who had dedicated two decades to journalism and humanitarian efforts in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Witnessing Peter’s relentless commitment to assisting friends and colleagues evacuate Afghanistan in 2021 deeply moved Laudon. He saw an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of Afghan refugees, leveraging his skills and passion for technology. Despite his lack of formal teaching experience or nonprofit management background, Laudon took a bold step by resigning from his senior engineering position at S&P. He teamed up with Zomia to establish tailored software education programs for Afghan newcomers. These programs not only taught coding but also guided participants through the entire job-search process, from resume writing to interview preparation.
Laudon emphasized the importance of practical skills over certificates, ensuring that his students developed the actual skills needed for tech jobs. His program thrived through partnerships with refugee resettlement agencies, academic resources from Arizona State University, and donations from tech companies. Laudon proposed a shift in the dialogue surrounding education for immigrants and refugees, emphasizing its role as a tool for achieving specific economic outcomes. By fostering a sense of purpose, these programs could gain greater support from donors, grantmakers, and families. In closing, Laudon called on the community to take action, whether through small acts of kindness or more substantial contributions. He emphasized the importance of avoiding divisive engagement on social media, highlighting that true kindness and generosity could make a lasting impact in the lives of immigrants and refugees. Sol Laudon’s journey exemplified the power of one individual’s determination to make a difference, one line of code at a time, in the lives of those seeking refuge and hope in a new land.
