Hello

​My name is Dr. Lonneishea Meeks, and I’m the founder of [AI]gnition Hub. I created it because I saw a painful gap—between people in small towns and the tech opportunities that could change their lives. I’ve taught on college campuses, spoken at major conferences, and worked with some of the biggest names in tech. But every time I met someone who had traveled hours—sometimes from towns without even a major airport—just to access knowledge others take for granted, I knew something had to change.

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Big tech events spend millions hosting conferences in major cities. But why do we always go where it’s popular? Why do we overlook the brilliance in small towns?

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People see my name—Dr. Lonneishea Meeks, AI Architect, former Microsoft and NASA engineer, with a doctorate in Computer Science and multiple degrees—and assume I got here because of big cities and elite institutions. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

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I grew up in a small town where the biggest businesses were HEB, Radioshack, and the federal prison. No one showed us what was possible. I was smart, but I was bored. Like many neurodivergent students, I underperformed—not because I couldn’t succeed, but because I wasn’t being challenged. I graduated with honors, but I had no plan. College felt distant. The military seemed like my only option.

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Then Lamar Institute of Technology and the Taylor Career Center came to my high school. They showed me that learning a trade could double my earning potential—and that tech was a path I could actually take. I enrolled, earned a 4.0 GPA in Computer Networking, and graduated with an associate’s degree just 10 months after high school. That experience changed everything.

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At LIT, I sat beside adults who had lost careers during the recession. I saw firsthand how fragile opportunity could be—and how important it is to build a flexible foundation. LIT gave me hands-on experience, real certifications, and a deep understanding of systems before cloud and AI became mainstream. It was the seed that grew my entire career.

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But when I tried to find work in my hometown, I was overqualified. I had to leave to grow. That journey took me to Prairie View A&M, then to NASA, then to the University of Houston, where Baker Hughes recruited me before I even finished my bachelor’s degree. From there, I launched into six-figure roles in consulting, architecture, and IT management—all because of a seed planted in a small town.

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I’m not the only one. And I won’t be the last.

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But here’s the question: how does a town grow if every seed it plants leaves to bloom elsewhere? Should everyone have to leave home to succeed?

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Small Town Big Tech is my answer. This event is about showcasing the talent in overlooked communities, highlighting the cost-saving potential for businesses, and inspiring youth to dream bigger. It’s about preventing the cycle of underachievement, petty crime, and depression that comes from lack of access.

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I’m just one person—but I believe in the power of community. With your help, we can build something extraordinary.

 

Whether you’re in tech or not, whether you’re from a small town or a big city, your support matters.

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Let’s bring innovation home.