HENRY E. FORD Garfield Heights, Ohio January 16, 1941 – September 8, 2021
GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH (BDPA Cleveland)—During his 36 years employment and consulting with a world leader in the manufacture of earthmoving equipment, Henry Ford grew through the challenges of adapting to the corporate cultures of General Motors, White Motors, Daimler-Benz, Volvo, Clark Equipment Company, and Hitachi.
He survived many downsizings and reorganizations, and at retirement was retained as a long-term consultant. While still working, Henry began preparing for a second career, enrolling at Capital University, obtaining a degree in Business/Communications, and graduating magna cum laude.
An author, speaker, consultant and publisher of VISIONS Newsletter, Henry connected to audiences through personal examples, historical references and insightful vision. He inspired and challenged diverse audiences from the lectern, in his writings, and through inspirational messages shared around the world using the tools of Social Media, Internet Blogs and Opt-in Mailings.
A U.S, Army veteran, Henry’s community service included several years with REACT, helping insure safety on the nation’s highways; former board member of NAIC’s Northeast Ohio Council; a former Deputy Director of the 9th Street Project’s 1000 Churches Program, an initiative of Rainbow PUSH; and over 20 years of active involvement with National BDPA and BDPA’s Cleveland Chapter.
He was the recipient of the distinguished IEI award, Excellent Service in Education, Member of The Year BDPA-Cleveland, Achievement in Life, Bud Strong Achiever, and others. He has been recognized by the late author Alex Haley, five former members of Congress, and others. His work in Investment Education was acknowledged in the book, It’s About The Money. Henry also held an Insurance License in the State of Ohio. He was a member of the Mt. Zion Church of Oakwood Village. As a member of Eagles of Success International and People of Distinction Humanitarian Awards (PDHA), Henry continued his services to the community.
WASHINGTON ―The wait is finally over for the very end of 2020. The latest lists from Industry of top stories in tech, cyber, and STEM likely will loom much larger in the fog of 2021. Topping the charts for 2020 during National BDPA’s 45th Anniversary year were stories directly and indirectly related to COVID-19, Big Tech, Cybersecurity, and Social Unrest amidst a wider and much deeper ‘Digital Chasm‘ connecting underserved communities with their respective populations during a pandemic.
The Top 25
Most of the top 25 stories highlighted below for 2020 previously were shared with Industry, communities of color, traditionally marginalized communities, and underserved communities inside or on the covers of weekly and monthly publications.
25.Earth Day Tech Summit: BDPA and UDC Earth Day Summits go virtual due to COVID-19. [April 2020 edition of bdpatoday]
24.Digital Divide: 51,000 laptops with Internet services were provided to students in Detroit, MI. [bdpatoday.com]
23. U.S. Naval Academy: Midshipman First Class Sydney Barber becomes the first Black female to lead Brigade of Midshipmen. Upon graduation in May of 2021, MIDN Barber will receive her commission as an officer in the United States Marine Corps. [bdpatoday 11.14.20 ICYMI edition]
22. Zoom: In order to meet exponential growth and unprecedented demand, Oracle is selected as a cloud infrastructure provider for Zoom meetings. [bdpatoday 05.02.20 ICYMI edition]
21. U.S. Navy: LTJG Madeline G. Swegle becomes the U.S. Navy’s first Black female Tactical Air (TACAIR) jet pilot. [July 2020 edition of bdpatoday]
20.NIST: The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST) Privacy Framework Version 1.0 was released to help organizations identify and manage privacy risk for building innovative products and services while protecting individuals’ privacy. [ bdpatoday 01.18.20 ICYMI edition]
18. COVID-19: Apple and Google partner on contact-tracing technology. [bdpatoday.com]
17.Tesla: Headquarters and Gigafactory moves are heading to Austin, TX. [bdpatoday.com]
16.HPC: Lewis Hamilton wins 7th FIA Formula One championship powered by edge-to-core analytics with high-performance computing (HPC) from HPE. [bdpatoday 11.28.20 ICYMI edition]
15.COBOL: Federal, State, and Local governments call for more COBOL programmers to assist staff with stimulus, relief, and unemployment checks. [bdpatoday 04.04.20 ICYMI edition]
14. Exascale Day!: October 18th is Exascale Day. HPE, JEF, and BDPA welcomed “10 to the 18th power” or “10^18” during Exascale Day Weekend launching a series of supercomputer, HPC, and artificial intelligence (Ai) webinars. [October 2020 edition of bdpatoday]
13.Digital Divide: Best Buy Foundation awards a community grant to BDPA’s Tablets For Teensprogram and regional initiatives. [bdpatoday.com]
12.BDPA2020: National BDPA’s 45th Anniversary, Annual Technology Conference, Diversity Career Fair, I.T. Showcase, Mobile App Showcase, and the annual National High School Computer Competition (HSCC) collectively go 100-percent virtual for the first time in the Association’s history. #BDPA2020 was successfully delivered across all mobile platforms. [August 2020 Special Edition of bdpatoday]
11. USASMDC: The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) and BDPA Huntsville launch a new Cyber Workforce initiative with the U.S. Army’s Space and Missile Defense Command (USASMDC.) [bdpatoday 10.31.20 ICYMI edition]
10. Digital Divide: Microsoft awards $15 million in Community Skills Grants, an investment over three years to fifty (50) Black- and African American-led nonprofits that are working to increase skill development and economic opportunities. The H.O.P.E. Project DMV in partnership with National BDPA’s Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter (bdpadc.org) are one of Microsoft’s grant recipients for 2020. [bdpatoday.com]
9.AFRL: In fiscal year 2021 (FY21), the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program seeks to ink new and innovative deals with emerging small businesses and HBCU mission partners to meet or exceed the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) priorities. [bdpatoday May 2020 edition]
8. Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin’s latest rise in 2020. For the first time in its history, Bitcoin reached $20,000. According to CNBC, the world’s most-valuable virtual currency traded 5.6% higher on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, to a new price of around $20,600, taking its year-to-date gains north of 180%! [bdpatoday.com]
7. SpaceX: The launch of two NASA astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) marked the first private spaceflight company to send a crewed spacecraft into space. [bdpatoday June 2020 edition]
6. SolarWinds: Government agencies ‘hacked’ again ― stories from Federal, State, and Local agencies are still unfolding as we venture deeper into 2021. [bdpatoday.com]
5.Wall Street: Nasdaq advances “diversity” as stocks in 2020 across most major indices reached record highs. Nasdaq soon may adopt new listing rules related to board diversity and disclosures. [bdpatoday.com]
4.White House: As the daughter of two immigrants from Jamaica and India, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’ historic election breaks several barriers. “All eyes are on Georgia” as the next President of the Senate awaits Georgia’s runoff election results to determine control of the U.S. Senate. [bdpatoday November 2020 edition]
3.Big Tech vs. Uncle Sam: On October 6, 2020, bdpatoday.com featured a story about the House Judiciary Committee’s Antitrust Subcommittee’s release of findings of its more than 16-month long investigation into the state of competition in the digital economy, especially the challenges presented by the dominance of Apple, Amazon, Google, and Facebook and their business practices. On October 20, 2020, bdpatoday.com shared a story from the Department of Justice (DOJ.) DOJ — along with eleven state Attorneys General — filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to stop Google from unlawfully maintaining monopolies through anticompetitive and exclusionary practices in the search and search advertising markets and to remedy the competitive harms. In 2021 and the foreseeable future, “Big Tech” will have its day in Congress and the Courts from at least two branches of government. In the pipeline will be renewed battles over Section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 (at 47 U.S.C. § 230). “Section 230” provides immunity for content providers and website publishers from third-party content. [bdpatoday.com]
2. COVID-19: “All Hands On Deck” for scientists, engineers, physicians, logisticians, STEM technicians, and I.T. professionals. “Digital divides” and “heath desert” challenges across the globe in underserved communities are hampering vaccine distributions as 2020 fades away. [bdpatoday December 2020 edition]
Number 1. Digital Divide and Social Unrest: Black Data Matters, Black Tech Matters, Black Consumers Matter, all lives matter, every student ― #BDPAfuture ― really matters. Founded by Earl A. Pace, Jr. in Philadelphia, PA as Black Data Processing Associates, BDPA was established in 1975 to promote and share awareness across traditionally underserved or marginalized communities of new “Data Processing” careers with related technical job openings in “Computer Science” fields. Today, BDPA’s mission has not waivered.
The pandemic of 2020 coupled with civil unrest across several U.S. cities revealed widening ‘digital chasms’ with news deserts, health deserts, and food deserts in every corner of America leading up to our top stories for 2020. Systemic racism, cultural biases, social discord, oppression from deep within our society’s soul, and gerrymandered redlining transgressions still are shrewdly perpetuated today through outdated laws, discriminatory policies, algorithmic bias, obsolete technology, and dilapidated infrastructures. To this end, our lead success stories feature BDPA, its ICT Industry partners, major corporations, and local BDPA Chapter mission-partners making impact investments to help eliminate “deserts” within digitally divided communities as millions of students, teachers, and parents where forced home; many with little or no access to high speed Internet services. [bdpatoday.com]
In Memoriam
Last October, National BDPA celebrated the life of Vivian C. Wilson, the first women elected to the Association’s chief executive role of National BDPA President.
BDPA Nation also said goodbyes in 2020 to iconic Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman;Dr. George Robert Carruthers, an inventor, physicist, engineer and space scientist; Roderick “Rod” Wesley Flakes, former President, BDPA (Boston) Mass MetroWest Chapter and engineer at Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC); U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg; one of NASA’s “Hidden Figures” Katherine Johnson; U.S. Representative John Lewis; Norman Shakespeare, former Vice President of Strategic Planning, BDPA (Boston) Mass MetroWest Chapter; model and restaurateur Barbara “B” Smith; and Charles “Chuck” Yeager, World War II ace fighter pilot and U.S. Air Force quintessential test pilot.
Up Next
2021 has arrived! In May 2021, bdpatoday (ISSN 1946-1429) launches its 15th year to proudly serve more I.T. technicians and cybersecurity professionals, new HBCU Chapters, new student members, and new consumers in every industry. To add your team’s success stories in tech, cyber, and STEM along with new campaigns or press releases, contact our team directly at: info@bdpatoday.org – or – press@bdpadc.org.
From the Office of Earl A. Pace, Jr., National BDPA Co-Founder
It was with great sorrow that I received notice of the death of Vivian. Vivian was an incredibly special lady! I met Vivian through our membership in Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), an organization created, in 1975, to prepare African American and other minority youth for careers in Information Technology and to affect the upward mobility of African Americans and other minorities already in the IT industry.
Vivian C. Wilson
Vivian made an impact almost immediately upon joining BDPA and rose quickly to delivering that impact to the national level of the organization. In 1986, she received the first “Board of Directors National Outstanding Member of the Year”. Vivian was elected National Vice-President in 1987 and elevated to National President, by election, in 1989.
There have been 18 National Presidents of BDPA, eight have been women of color. Vivian was the 4th BDPA National President and the first female National President. Of all the past Presidents, I believe Vivian had the greatest impact on the organization! She had a way of making every member she met, her friend and part of the BDPA family. She introduced the “BDPA hug” that continues to be demonstrated to this day by the membership! The greatest increase in admitted BDPA Chapters occurred under Vivian’s presidency! She was organized and a true professional. After her 2 terms as president, Vivian and her developed team continued to contribute to BDPA by successfully organizing and conducting the organization’s Annual National Conferences until 1996.
Although not active in BDPA the past several years, there is no doubt that Vivian loved the organization and its objectives. It is also true that BDPA loved Vivian. ― bt
Cover photo courtesy National BDPA (L-R): Denise Holland, Gina Billings, Milt Haines, George Williams, Diane Davis, Vivian Wilson, Norman Mays, and Earl A. Pace, Jr.
WASHINGTON — Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg died this evening surrounded by her family at her home in Washington, D.C., due to complications of metastatic pancreas cancer. She was 87 years old. Justice Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Clinton in 1993. She was the second woman appointed to the Court and served more than 27 years. She is survived by her two children: Jane Carol Ginsburg (George Spera) and James Steven Ginsburg (Patrice Michaels), four grandchildren: Paul Spera (Francesca Toich), Clara Spera (Rory Boyd), Miranda Ginsburg, Abigail Ginsburg, two step-grandchildren: Harjinder Bedi, Satinder Bedi, and one great-grandchild: Lucrezia Spera. Her husband, Martin David Ginsburg, died in 2010.
Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. said of Justice Ginsburg: “Our Nation has lost a jurist of historic stature. We at the Supreme Court have lost a cherished colleague. Today we mourn, but with confidence that future generations will remember Ruth Bader Ginsburg as we knew her — a tireless and resolute champion of justice.”
Justice Ginsburg was born in Brooklyn, New York, March 15, 1933. She married Martin D. Ginsburg in 1954. She received her B.A. from Cornell University, attended Harvard Law School, and received her LL.B. from Columbia Law School. She served as a law clerk to the Honorable Edmund L. Palmieri, Judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, from 1959–1961. From 1961–1963, she was a research associate and then associate director of the Columbia Law School Project on International Procedure. She was a Professor of Law at Rutgers University School of Law from 1963–1972, and Columbia Law School from 1972–1980, and a fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences in Stanford, California from 1977–1978. In 1971, she was instrumental in launching the Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union, and served as the ACLU’s General Counsel from 1973–1980, and on the National Board of Directors from 1974–1980. She was appointed a Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in 1980. During her more than 40 years as a Judge and a Justice, she was served by 159 law clerks.
While on the Court, the Justice authored My Own Words (2016), a compilation of her speeches and writings.
A private interment service will be held at Arlington National Cemetery.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), who was a colleague of the late Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) first in the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and then in the House of Representatives, issued a statement today on the passing of her friend.
“John’s heroic courage came from principled conviction so deep that it led him to repeatedly risk his life to achieve equal treatment for all Americans. So searing was his example that John was elected chair of SNCC — not because he was strongest but because he was the bravest.
“John’s determination to “never give up or give in” was always leavened by his commitment to non-violence and love.
“In Congress, John Lewis brought the same combination of outspoken opposition on principled matters and reconciliation whenever it could be achieved.
“There will never be another like him.”
Source: Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton
Photos: Office of Congressman John Lewis
___________
Congressman John Robert Lewis, the iconic and legendary civil rights leader for Georgia’s 5th congressional district, died July 17, 2020. He was 80 years old and the last of the surviving 1963 ‘March on Washington‘ speakers. bt
BOSTON, MA — Roderick “Rod” Wesley Flakes passed away on Friday, April 17th at the age of 74 from the COVID-19 virus. Rod was born on October 3, 1945, son of the late John and Lurlene Flakes of Birmingham, AL.
Rod grew up in Birmingham, graduated from Ulman High School in 1963, went on to earn a BS in Electrical Engineering from Howard University in 1968 and continued his studies to earn a MS in Engineering Management from Northeastern University in 1976.
Rod lived in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, PA before settling in Medway, MA to raise his family. Rod spent 20 years working for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) as a Sales Engineer, then retired from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in 2012 as an IT Administrator.
In retirement, he continued to serve as the President of the Boston Metrowest Chapter of Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) – a networking organization for diverse working professionals in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). Rod found fellowship at the Greater Framingham Community Church where he was a faithful member of the choir and worked on the church’s scholarship fund. When his kids were younger, he logged countless miles on the road and endless hours on the field watching his kids play soccer. He enjoyed listening to jazz music, reading, playing golf and finding ways to stay warm through the winters.
He was a proud grandpa to four grandkids – traveling from Coast to Coast to spend time with them. His kind demeanor, infectious smile and joyful commentary made him a pleasure to be around. He will be missed by many. Rod is survived by his partner Lynda Wik of Auburn, his children Erica J. Flakes, John R. Flakes and his wife Maribeth of Milton, Phillip R. Flakes and his wife Abigail of San Diego, CA. He is also survived by his grandchildren; Grace and Olivia (MA) and Wesley and Parker (CA). In addition, Rod is survived by one sister, Janet E. Flakes of Birmingham, Alabama. His brother Larry Flakes and sister Auberrie Flakes preceded him in death.
A celebration of life service will be held at the Greater Framingham Community Church at a later date when we can all gather together again. In the meantime, the family invites you to share your memories of Rod virtually by visiting https://everloved.com/life-of/roderick-flakes/.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to Howard University – School of Engineering. Kindly visit our link provide below. https://giving.howard.edu/givenow.
BDPA Birmingham | BDPA Boston | BDPA Philadelphia | BDPA Washington, D.C.
Sources and photos: Flakes family, National BDPA, Digital Equipment Corporation [HP], and legacy.com
National BDPA (NBDPA) is mourning the loss of one of its Distinguished Members. Former National Executive Committee (NEC) Member and former NBDPA Chief Information Officer (CIO), Julius Clark, Sr., passed away on Saturday, September 7, 2019. He was 51.
In 2012, Mr. Clark (left, top photo) won NBDPA’s Epsilon Award for Professional Achievement during National BDPA’s annual Technology Conference. In 2001, he served as National BDPA’s Charlotte Chapter’s High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Coordinator. In 2007, he became the Chapter’s President-Elect and eventually served as the Chapter’s President from 2010 to 2012.
A native of Boston, Massachusetts, Julius Clark, Sr., MBA BSEE, was an Information Security Professional receiving CISSP, CISA, and MSCE Industry Certifications. He served on the Boards of National BDPA and CompTIA’s Creating IT Futures Foundation.
Memorial services for Mr. Clark will be this Saturday, Alexander Funeral Home, September 14, 2019 from 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM local time in Charlotte, North Carolina.
CINCINNATI, OH — OBITUARY | Richard Wayne Hicks, Jr.
It is with enormous sadness that we announce that Richard Wayne Hicks, Jr. passed peacefully at home on June 7, 2018.
For more than thirty years, Wayne was a tireless champion of the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) and promoting diversity in technology and expanding STEM experiences for youth in under-served communities and growing BDPA chapter membership and participation in Cincinnati, Detroit, and Los Angeles.
For the last twelve years, Wayne was the Executive Director of the Black Data Processing Associates Education and Technology Foundation (BETF). He also held various leadership positions within the IT professional organization, Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), including President of the National BDPA, 2004-2005 and Director of Corporate Sales.
Wayne started his career with the Internal Revenue Services (IRS), starting as a summer intern and progressing to a member of the Senior Executive Service. Later, Wayne led the Cincinnati Business Incubator as president (2003-2008).
Wayne is survived by his daughters Laura Hicks and Nailah McCloud, son Khalis Hicks, granddaughter Amara McCloud, his mother Elizabeth Hicks, sister Kyra, and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, other family, friends and colleagues.
The memorial service, with viewing, will be held Saturday, June 23, 2018, 1pm, at Thompson, Hall & Jordan Funeral Home, 11400 Winton Road, Forest Park, OH 45240, (513) 742-3600.
“John’s heroic courage came from principled conviction so deep that it led him to repeatedly risk his life to achieve equal treatment for all Americans. So searing was his example that John was elected chair of SNCC — not because he was strongest but because he was the bravest.
Rod grew up in Birmingham, graduated from Ulman High School in 1963, went on to earn a BS in Electrical Engineering from Howard University in 1968 and continued his studies to earn a MS in Engineering Management from Northeastern University in 1976.
