Jay’Aina “Jay Jay” Patton and her father Antoine are taking their Photo Patch app to new levels after recently appearing on The Ellen Degeneres Show and receiving $20,000 in donations from rapper Ludacris and Ellen herself.
Photo Patch serves as a portal that helps connect incarcerated parents with their children. It’s something Jay Jay and Antoine experienced firsthand during Antoine’s time behind bars.
On Wednesday, The Ellen Show highlighted the Photo Patch creators and gave them some resources to help towards their mission.
“Right now, I’m on a mission to help 10,000 girls of color get into the world of tech and start their career path,” Jay Jay shared. “Just for me, there’s not much representation of people who look like me in the world of tech and I know other little girls want to get into this world. They don’t see that they can do it.”
Through her scholarship fund, Jay Jay wants to help secure the future of other Black girls in tech.
“I want
to be that guide and help them do it — and just start them off with their career,” she said. “I actually have a scholarship fund as well that we’re raising awareness for to help these women and girls start their career.”With Ludacris having incarcerated family members himself, he saw the value in what Photo Patch offers its users.
“I love what you guys are doing,” Ludacris told Jay Jay and Antoine. “[I] absolutely love what you’re doing. I have family members that are incarcerated and all they ever ask for is pictures.”
“You guys are connecting the world. I have my own foundation that helps facilitate dreams for young ladies like yourself. I came here personally because I want to donate $10,000 to what you’re doing.”
Ellen being “da generous queen” she’s known to be decided to match Ludacris’s donation with another $10,000 towards the Photo Patch initiative.