Kayla Austin, a 19-year-old sophomore at Howard University, pitched and won $25,000 at Pharrell Williams’ Mighty Dream Forum and Black Ambition in Norfolk, Virginia, last year. Her patent-pending technology called “My Gun’s Been Moved” provides gun owners with a 24/7 monitor and notification if their gun has been moved. The idea was one of many to win at last year’s Mighty Dream Forum which took place in November.
The idea came about at 12 years old after participating in a youth program, hearing a family member’s story, and watching the news on gun violence in Chicago. She had many sleepless nights thinking about how she could use technology to provide better gun safety for parents to protect their children.
Austin has facilitated and participated in many events supporting gun safety education, laws, and practices. Her intense community activism has granted her recognition from the State of Illinois and Congress. As a result, she was excited to share her invention with the Mighty Dream Forum three months ago. This network provides access and opportunity to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs, “I’m still trying to process it all,” said Austin, a film and digital media major in her sophomore year at Howard University. “To receive support from my favorite artist is a dream come true.”
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