
Reid Russom – Volunteer and Data Coordinator at Code the Dream, 2024-2025 Supervisor, 2019-2020 JSC Alum
I’m Reid Russom, Volunteer and Data Coordinator at Code the Dream—and a proud alum of Johnson Service Corps. I’m thrilled to see these two incredible organizations partnering to create meaningful change.
At Code the Dream, we envision a world where tech innovation reflects and benefits everyone. Today, the people shaping our technology are far from representative of the country as a whole. This lack of diversity shows up in harmful ways—like AI tools that reinforce bias or social media platforms that prioritize profit over children’s mental health. Meanwhile, high-paying tech jobs remain out of reach for many, especially those without a college degree or the resources to afford expensive bootcamps.
Yet we know the power of diversity. Immigrant-founded companies are statistically more likely to succeed, and organizations with diverse leadership see above-average financial returns. That’s why we’re committed to breaking down barriers in tech and building a more inclusive future.
Code the Dream carries out its mission through two programs:
- CTD Learns is our free code school, where students learn the core skills of software development through a series of part-time classes. In 2024, CTD Learns served over 600 students in 43 states!
- CTD Labs is our nonprofit software development shop, offering full-time, paid apprenticeships where graduates work on real-world projects for nonprofits, local governments, and social enterprises.
Our programs uplift historically underrepresented communities: over two-thirds of participants identify as women or nonbinary, more than half are immigrants, and most come from low-income backgrounds. The results speak for themselves: over 90% of CTD graduates have landed jobs in software development, transforming their families’ futures and creating value for companies across the U.S.
This year, our JSC fellow Sydney has been instrumental to our work. She pioneered the “CTD Ambassadors” program, empowering students, alumni, and volunteers to spread the word about our mission. She’s also created motivational resources for students, conducted research on what drives success in our program, and taken the lead on key communications projects.
My own journey with JSC began in the 2019-2020 cohort, where I was placed at Code the Dream. JSC was a truly unique experience, giving me space to explore my career interests, reflect on my spiritual journey, and transition into adulthood with incredible support. My housemates taught me the secrets of mouthwatering fish curry, showed me every hiking trail around Durham, and helped me learn conflict resolution and community decision-making. My mentor, Nancy, has been a guiding light of wisdom even years later.
At Code the Dream, I was trusted with meaningful work, despite knowing little about code schools or software development when I started. That trust gave me confidence to grow.
After JSC, I became a middle school English teacher, following my love of education. But I missed the intersection of tech and learning, so when Code the Dream’s co-director Daisy called about an open position, I didn’t hesitate to say yes.
JSC shaped my life in profound ways, and I’ll always be grateful to the JSC community for its impact on me and so many others.
