EdTech is based on 80’s research with privileged white kids. Yet, today, these tools are used by black kids with 24/7 access to a phone and Roblox a click away. We’ll explore how and why user researchers should go from validating wire frames to building product strategy directly with the communities they serve. We’ll show how students at the Boys & Girls Club have helped companies reinvent reading, test-taking, and foundational skills. Spoiler: it’s like nothing you could have imagined.