Tag: tech-inclusion

NNPA Annual Convention Highlights 195 Years of the Black Press with Tributes From Readers, Politicians and Entertainers

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

NEW ORLEANS, LA—The National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) kicks off its annual convention in New Orleans this week with a slate of panels aimed at informing and inspiring Black America and increasing voter registration rolls among individuals of color.

The NNPA is a trade association representing the more than 230 African American newspapers and media companies that comprise the Black Press of America.

In celebration of the 195th anniversary of the Black Press of America, the overall theme of the four-day convention is “Amplifying Our Voices for Freedom, Justice, Equality, and Equity.”

“I’m looking forward to seeing everyone, including the hotel staff,” stated Cheryl Smith, an NNPA board member and publisher of Texas Metro News, the Garland Journal, and I Messenger Media.

On June 22 at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside, the convention begins with board meetings hosted by the NNPA and the NNPA Fund.

A Chairman’s Reception formally starts the convention with greetings and acknowledgments from NNPA Chair Karen Carter Richards, NNPA President Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis Jr., NNPA Convention Planning Committee Chair Terry Jones, New Orleans Tribune Publisher Beverly McKenna, Louisiana Weekly Publisher Renette Hall, and a proclamation from New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell.

The reception also will feature acknowledgments from convention partners, sponsors, and other guests.

Video and in-person tributes will include Vice President Kamala Harris, Congressional Black Caucus Chair Joyce Beatty, Universal Hip Hop Museum Executive Director Rocky Bucano, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, California Rep. Barbara Lee, and Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland.

Among the expected highlights are panel discussions like “Amplifying Voices of Generation Z and Millennials Through the Black Press of America,” moderated by Mark Thompson, the host of “Make It Plain.”

The panel plans to explore how young African Americans view the importance of the future of the Black Press. Featured panelists include Houston Forward Times On-Air Personality Jonita “Go JJ Go” Buchanan, Media Personality DaNeshia Bell, Videographer Joshua McMillian, The Bridge Publisher Lafayette Barnes, and New Orleans Data Weekly Journalist Melony Mainor.

Dr. Chavis will moderate “The Path to Inclusion is Electric: How GM Is Building an All-Inclusive Workforce to Build an All-Electric Future.”

Melinda Hightower, the managing director, and head of multicultural strategic client segments at UBS Bank, will host the session, “The Black Press on Equity and Wealth Building for Black America.”

Rosetta Miller-Perry, the publisher of the Tennessee Tribune, will join Baltimore Times Editor Paris Brown, Inglewood Today Publisher Ken Miller, and Washington Informer Reporter James Wright for the session.

Attorney Barbara Arnwine, the founder and president of Transformative Justice Coalition (TJC), and Daryl Jones, TJC’s chairman of the board, will host “Black America Get Out the Vote and the Black Press.”

Northern Kentucky University Professor Dr. David Childs will lead Defender Network Managing Editor ReShonda Tate-Billingsley, and Defender Network Social Justice Journalist Aswad Walker in a discussion about “The Black Press and the Antidote to Racism in America.”

The NNPA Fund will present its 2022 Messenger Awards during a dinner on Thursday, June 23.

Dr. John Warren, the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint publisher, plans to provide the invocation, while Mississippi Link Publisher Jackie Hampton will announce scholarship recipients.

NNPA Fund Chair and Wave Communications President & CEO Pluria Marshall Jr. and Fund Treasurer and Times Weekly Publisher Jayme Cain Casimere will present the Messenger Awards to NNPA journalists and publishers.

On Friday, June 24, the NNPA will host its 2022 Lifetime Achievement and Legacy Awards Gala. This year’s honorees include Westside Gazette Publisher Bobby Henry, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Jackson State University Football Coach Deion “Prime” Sanders and recording superstar and actress Stephanie Mills.

With hits like “Home,” “Never Knew Love Like This Before,” and “I Feel Good All Over,” Mills will speak about the importance of the Black Press in her life and perform a medley of her songs.

Source and images: Black Press USA

A Little About Me:
I’m the co-author of Blind Faith: The Miraculous Journey of Lula Hardaway and her son, Stevie Wonder (Simon & Schuster) and Michael Jackson: The Man Behind The Mask, An Insider’s Account of the King of Pop (Select Books Publishing, Inc.) My work can often be found in the Washington Informer, Baltimore Times, Philadelphia Tribune, Pocono Record, the New York Post, and Black Press USA.

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NNPA 2022 | 195 Years

Robots Compete during RoboJawn as Philly Tech Week Returns

PHILADELPHIA — Robots take the field for their initial rounds of competition during RoboJawn ‘22. FIRST Tech Challenge RoboJawn is similar to an official tournament in many ways.

Teams bring their robots and their Gracious Professionalism to compete in this year’s FREIGHT FRENZY challenge following FIRST‘s challenge rules.

Students inspect and calibrate their robots for RoboJawn 2022 bdpatoday photo © 2022

Similar to an official tournament, teams are interviewed by a panel of judges, and submit an engineering portfolio, to vie for judged awards.

Central High School in Philadelphia, PA hosted this year’s RoboJawn. For this year’s off-season competitions, bdpatoday co-sponsored Central High School’s and Philadelphia High School for Girls’ RoboJawn teams.

For upcoming RoboJawn events, visit → https://roboticscoalition.org/

— Source: Philadelphia Robotics Coalition | Cover photo: bdpatoday

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Octo
Explore new careers at Octo

OSTP Policy Statement on the 2022 Omnibus Appropriations Bill

WASHINGTON (White House) — “The passage of the bipartisan appropriations bill that is now headed to the President’s desk gives fresh momentum to the urgent science and technology priorities of the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Dr. Alondra Nelson, who is performing the duties of Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). “From the creation of Advanced Research Projects Agency-Health (ARPA-H), a new agency to kindle bold research and innovation on cancer and other deadly diseases, to new funding for science at National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that advances actionable information on climate change, this spending bill charts a hopeful course to the future.”

Since 1978, BDPA co-hosts regional career fairs and national technology conferences. — BDPA photo

“As our nation emerges from a pandemic that illustrated the life-saving importance of investment in biomedical and public health innovation, we are grateful to see a strong commitment to build on that success,” said OSTP Deputy Director for Health and Life Sciences Dr. Carrie Wolinetz. “Not only does the omnibus include $1 billion in funding and related authorities to stand up President Biden’s proposed ARPA-H, but it provides significant investments in public health infrastructure and workforce, readying us to meet the social and scientific challenges of emerging variants and future biological threats. In addition, as we move forward with our Community Connected Health initiative, which marries telemedicine technology with community-based health delivery, we are delighted to see the critical extension of telehealth flexibilities included in the bill.”

“We are grateful to Congress for providing increases for the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the Department of Energy, the U.S. Geological Survey, the US Department of Agriculture, and other science and technology agencies,” said OSTP Principal Deputy Director for Policy Kei Koizumi. “It is especially heartening to see NSF receive resources to establish a new directorate to support research for breakthrough technologies, for solutions to our challenges, for strengthening our global economic competitiveness, and to support a diverse and equitable STEM ecosystem across all of America.”

“With increases to the budgets of NOAA, NASA, and NSF, this omnibus will strengthen our efforts to confront the climate crisis with strong funding for climate research and mitigation,” said OSTP Deputy Director for Climate and Environment Dr. Jane Lubchenco. “The science that this bill will support will strengthen our resilience and better enable us to preserve the natural world so heavily impacted by the climate crisis.”

“Increases in funding for the Department of Energy’s game-changing research in clean energy technologies will increase the technology options for meeting our climate goals and increase our energy security” said OSTP Deputy Director for Energy Dr. Sally Benson. “The bill also marks a turning point, accelerating the development of fusion power by providing funding for the Milestone-Based Development Program that supports public-private partnerships to develop practical approaches for making electricity from fusion, the same process that powers the Sun.”

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Virtual Earth Day Tech Summit 2022
April 22-23, 2022

Earth Day Tech Summit
CyberEarth22—Earth Day Tech Summit 2022

BDPA Co-Founder, IT Hall of Famer, and Tech Industry Legend Earl A. Pace, Jr. passes away at 79

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

By Norman Mays, Kenneth Wilson, and Sharrarne Morton, BDPA

Earl A. Pace, Jr.

National BDPA photo by Charlie Perkins

LARGO, MD (BDPA) – Earl A. Pace, Jr.,  a computer programmer trainee at the Pennsylvania Railroad who went on to become an entrepreneur, an iconic figure of civil rights in the tech industry, and a staunch proponent of technology inclusion initiatives, died February 19, 2022, after enduring a long illness his family said in a statement.  He was 79.

“All of us will miss his caring, his love and his sound wisdom as co-founder of Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA). The date and details of a memorial service will be announced in the near future. Please keep us in your hearts and prayers.”

A distinguished alum of The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Mr. Pace has been in the Information Technology (IT) industry since 1965. He left the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1967. Over the next decade he rose through the ranks of programmer, programmer analyst, programming manager, and on to Vice President of a financial telecommunications company in Philadelphia, PA. He became a business owner in 1976 when he incorporated Pace Data Systems, a full service information technology firm providing services and support through its Philadelphia, PA and Washington, D.C. offices primarily to banks and savings banks.

In 1975, Mr. Pace co-founded BDPA  in Philadelphia and operated as its president for two years.  In 1978 he coordinated the formation of BDPA into a national organization and functioned as its first National President until 1980. National BDPA has grown into one of the largest professional organizations representing minorities across the IT industry.  In 1992, the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF or BDPA Foundation) chaired by Mr. Pace, was founded to support the education and technical programs of BDPA. In 2011, Mr. Pace was the first IT Innovator honored during CompTIA’s IT Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Within BDPA and on a broader industrial scale, Mr. Pace was a vocal advocate for business ownership. His primary message since starting BDPA has always been minorities should strive to rise above just ‘getting a job’ while pursuing  ownership, operating their own businesses, and landing a position on a Corporate Board of Directors.

About BDPA

BDPA, formerly known as Black Data Processing Associates, is an international organization with a diverse membership of professionals and students at all levels in the fields of information technology, computer science, data science, and related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Founded in Philadelphia, PA in 1975, BDPA Members and BDPA Student Members remain actively engaged in serving their respective communities through technology inclusion programs and STEM outreach events while charting the futures of IT and digital inclusivity with Industry. 

###

Contact

Norman Mays
216.310.2173
info@bdpatoday.org		Kenneth Wilson
216.773.0700
info@bdpatoday.org		Sharrarne Morton
240.463.6915
media@bdpadc.org

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NEW RELEASE – Amazon Prime
Order now!

This book was written to enrich lives. It is a story about helping people grow, build, and achieve greatness. The story of the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) – a non-profit organization of African-American computer professionals growing, building, and achieving success together – is one of developing diverse talent and improving their career options in the Information Technology industry. BDPA was born in 1975 because its founders believed African Americans in particular were marginalized in the burgeoning field of data processing, known today as information technology (IT), STEM, and cyber.

Blacks In Technology hosts the definitive conference to inspire, educate, and showcase Black tech excellence… because 3% is not enough

CLEVES, OH—Blacks In Technology (BIT) will be hosting BITCON 2021, a virtual conference, from October 13-15. BITCON will feature a variety of technology disciplines from cryptocurrency to cybersecurity, targeting IT practitioners, technology leaders, startup founders, and anyone interested in pursuing and advancing a career in tech.

Blacks In Technology Foundation

Blacks In Technology recognizes that there is a significant gap between people of African descent and the rest of the tech industry. Approximately 3% of workers at the top 75 technology companies identify as Black and Black founders received approximately 3% of all US venture capital in 2020. BITCON will provide practical tools, resources, innovative workshops, and inspiring discussions to help attendees “stomp the divide”, both individually and collectively. Additionally, BITCON will hosts hackathons, a startup pitch competition with a $10,000 cash prize, a diversity career fair, and provide over $15,000 in giveaways for hundreds of attendees.

The Blacks In Technology Foundation is sponsored by dozens of supporting technology organizations and companies such as Google, Disney, Square, and Palo Alto Networks. BITCON will reflect current technology trends and provide members of the Black community with catalysts to propel their career. The star-studded speaker lineup includes ABC’s Emmy Award winning TV show Shark Tank’s, Daymond John; investor, founder, and managing partner of Backstage Capital, Arlan Hamilton; world-renowned crisis management expert and inspiration for the hit TV show Scandal, Judy Smith; executive advisor and motivational speaker, Dr. Simon T. Bailey, and over 50 of the most influential Black thought leaders in tech. This continues BIT’s tradition of notable participants of past conferences, from the late rapper and entrepreneur Nipsey Hussle to presidential candidate and US Senator Amy Klobuchar.

“What’s always excited me most about BITCON is that we pride ourselves on being a true tech conference,” says Founder of Blacks In Technology, Greg Greenlee. “We are not a diversity conference so don’t attend this event expecting us to preach to the choir on issues we face as a marginalized group in this industry.”

The retro wave or synth wave portrait of a young happy smiling african man at studio. High Fashion male model in colorful bright neon lights posing on black background. Art design concept

The Blacks In Technology Foundation is proud to be one of a handful of organizations encouraging raised awareness of the importance of increased Black representation in tech. BIT provides resources that remove barriers to entry for those looking to enter technology. In 2021 the Blacks In Technology Foundation will provide over $1M in scholarships and grants for technical certifications and trainings resources to members representing 48 chapters led 100% by volunteers.  

If you would like more information about Blacks In Technology, the Blacks In Technology Foundation, and BITCON, visit www.bitcon2021.com.

—Source, logo, and photos: Blacks in Technology Foundation

CSAF delivers powerful message in new Air Force commercial

By Master Sgt. Chance Babin, Air Force Recruiting Service Public Affairs

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) — Air Force Chief of Staff General CQ Brown, Jr. delivers a powerful message about air power and diversity in a new Air Force commercial titled “Helmet.”

The dynamic 30-second spot aired for the first time on national TV during the NBA Finals pregame.

“I was a captain when I was asked to do an interview about diversity, and I shared this idea,” Brown said. “I want our adversaries to know that, no matter our respective backgrounds, our Airmen are unstoppable.”

For Air Force Recruiting Service’s top recruiter, the commercial is a slam dunk.

“The message is clear,” said Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas, AFRS commander. “As Airmen, we’re committed to ensuring we have the most capable and lethal air power in the world, and we want America’s best – the best from all of America – to come join us.”

Thomas emphasized that the Air Force is a warfighting organization, and the nation expects nothing less than the highest standards and a selection process that brings in the best Americans to become Airmen.

“When Gen. Brown became the CSAF, he clearly stated that the Air Force was going to  focus on what we do best – air power,” said Barry Dickey, AFRS director of strategic marketing. “We wanted to make a commercial that reinforced that priority, but also inspired Americans from all walks of life to serve in the Air Force.

“The power of this spot is in the underlying message and delivery. When I watch the commercial, I’m left with the understanding that the Air Force doesn’t care what you look like or where you come from,” Dickey said. “If you can do the job, we’ve got an opportunity for you. At the same time, I also get the message that the Air Force is about winning with air power, period. All of this is delivered by the leader of the Air Force in 30 seconds.”

AFRS and its advertising agency, GSD&M, originally planned to film two commercials with Brown at Edwards Air Force Base, California, with a focus on both diversity and air power.

The “Helmet” commercial was not in the original plans, but materialized as the day’s shooting progressed.

“While we were recording the voice-over for the commercials, Gen. Brown told a few stories and basically said what you hear in the commercial,” Dickey said. “When he did, I think everyone in the room immediately had the same thought – ‘we’ve got to record that!’ The creatives from GSD&M quickly turned his words into a script while we were filming and General Brown graciously agreed to perform on-camera.”

The commercial also fits squarely into AFRS Detachment 1’s efforts to reach into traditionally underserved communities to let people know about the opportunities to fly in the Air Force through programs designed to meet CSAF’s Rated Diversity Improvement initiative goals. For example, the Aim High Flight Academy gives disadvantaged youth a chance to learn to fly while being mentored by Air Force officers.

“We have a very healthy level of diversity in our enlisted ranks, but our officer and flying specialties look less like America,” Thomas said. “Air Force recruiting efforts have ramped up to better attract a cross-section of highly-qualified Americans into our ranks and specifically to consider flying opportunities.”

— Source and photos: United States Air Force (USAF)

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Visium Technologies Announces The Hiring of VP-Worldwide Sales

FAIRFAX, VA — Visium Technologies announced the appointment of Keith Scott as its Vice President of Sales and Client Success. Mr. Scott, brings with him more than 20 years’ experience at some of the world’s leading technology and cybersecurity enterprises, and will be responsible for all global direct sales and reseller functions. Keith’s responsibilities will encompass sales team leadership, accelerating Visium’s revenue through expanding Visium’s presence in new geographies, development of new channels, and contributing to the company’s marketing and business strategies.

Keith Scott “I’m pleased to have Keith coming aboard and am looking forward to seeing him make an immediate impact on sales and help us achieve significant growth,” said Mark Lucky, CEO of Visium Technologies.

“Keith has led winning sales operations teams for 20 years and he brings a strong track record of building global sales teams that are focused on delivering customer value and maximizing revenue opportunities.”

Mr. Scott brings a broad range of experience to his new position including executive sales and business development roles at both startups and large enterprise organizations, including with AppDynamics, FireEye, CA Technologies, Concord Communications, Getronics and J.G. Van Dyke & Associates. Three of these companies were acquired and two had successful IPOs. Moving quickly, Mr. Scott has already started an initiative to double Visium’s North American sales team by assembling the necessary regional and inside sales infrastructure including technical, channel and additional sales resources that will play an essential role in Visium’s revenue growth.

Keith Scott, (far right), is a U.S. Air Force veteran and Lifetime Member of BDPA. He brings with him more than 20 years’ experience at some of the world’s leading technology and cybersecurity enterprises supporting the Department of Defense and Intelligence Community (DOD/IC). Mr. Scott oversees regional Cyber Programs for National BDPA’s Greater Washington, D.C. Chapter (BDPA-DC). Above, Mr. Scott is participating in CyberEarth17, his region’s inaugural Earth Day Tech Summit with BDPA-DC and In3DC Incubator at Howard University. — Photo credit: Lynn Dunigan, © 2017 bdpatoday

“I’m honored to join the Visium team and help to build on the solid foundation of our context-based TruContextTM platform ensuring the best possible customer experience and enhancing the capabilities of existing cyber tools and technologies. Visium is perfectly positioned to help its clients improve business outcomes with visualizations and analytics. Exciting times!”

Source and top photo: Visium/ACCESSWIRE
Photos: bdpatoday

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P&G Aims to Improve Portrayal of “Black Life” on Screen, Expands Inclusion Efforts for Black Creators

CINCINNATI—The Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) today announced the creation of an expansive content creation, talent development and partnership platform that enables and advocates for increased inclusion of Black creators across the advertising, film and television industries. Titled “Widen The Screen,” it will include new films and initiatives that feature more diverse storytellers, combat bias against all people fueled by misrepresentation, increase investment in Black-owned and operated media and employ more diverse creators in a way that improves their trajectory for long-term success.

The anthem film “Widen The Screen” premiered during the 2021 NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, March 27 with a call to action to portray a more holistic view of Black life – one that is layered, beautiful and dynamic – not one that simply reinforces commonly told stereotypes. The film, created and produced by a team of largely Black creators in collaboration with Grey, and narrated by Academy Award-winning actor Mahershala Ali, ends with the line “Let’s widen the screen to widen our view” and challenges the expectations viewers have about the characters and stories often played by Black actors – fueled by a limited view of Black Life on screen.

The film and additional content at www.pg.com/widenthescreen helps people learn about how disparities in representation behind the camera lead to misrepresentation of people and communities that fuel bias in real life.

“While we’ve made equality a top priority within P&G and worked with other companies to do the same, we recognize that is just not enough. We have to address the systemic inequalities that exist in our industry, and that’s why ‘Widen The Screen’ is a critically important initiative, not just for P&G, but for the industry,” said Marc Pritchard, Chief Brand Officer, Procter & Gamble. “In stepping up and leveling the playing field for Black creators, we will enable change that will benefit all under-represented groups and result in higher quality, more relevant film, television and advertising content that deepens our appreciation of the richness of our society.”

“It is my hope, through this campaign, to encourage image makers to reveal the fullness of who we are as Black people. We don’t have to be ‘exceptional’ to be respected and valued. Our humanity isn’t dependent upon us being doctors, lawyers, engineers, or famous,” said Kevin Wilson, Jr., Director, Widen the Screen. “Yes, we are those things, but we also take up many spaces in this world and the love we share should be depicted as well. We are more than the brutality we often see in our depictions in television and film. We are the joy we experience with loved ones and the passion we have for one another.”

Widen The Screen is a significant expansion of prior P&G efforts aimed at increasing inclusion and representation of people of color in the advertising industry. Building on this success, Widen the Screen will provide even greater access and opportunity to break into an industry notorious for being difficult to enter, with an immediate focus on Black creators, and runway for future expansion.

Queen Collective, P&G’s signature multicultural talent development initiative returns for its third year in 2021. A partnership with Queen Latifah, Flavor Unit Entertainment and Tribeca Studios, this effort accelerates gender and racial equality behind the camera by opening doors to the next generation of up-and-coming Black women directors through mentorship, production support, and distribution opportunities. Two films were produced in each 2019 and 2020, and P&G is doubling production in 2021, greenlighting four documentary-style productions for women filmmakers.

This summer, P&G is increasing creative output for Black creatives and filmmakers in partnership with UNINTERRUPTED and SATURDAY MORNING, Black-owned creative and production partners, to help the world see their passion, potential and power – and to tell previously untold stories. P&G and UNINTERRUPTED, an athlete empowerment brand within The SpringHill Company built by LeBron James and Maverick Carter with the mission of empowering greatness in every individual, are collaborating on a project that will take viewers on a journey of a father and his son using the power of imagination to explore a range of opportunities beyond athletics. The film and associated community programs are intended to show young Black men that they can follow and achieve their dreams outside of sports, which aligns with UNINTERRUPTED’s “More Than An Athlete” mantra. P&G’s partner for “The Look,” SATURDAY MORNING is a creative agency that brings awareness to and shifts perceptions on racial bias and injustice. With SATURDAY MORNING, Tribeca and dozens of black creatives, P&G is creating scripted stories told in 8 minutes and 46 seconds to tell life-affirming stories of joy, love, and resilience.

P&G also announced support for efforts to increase the number of Black creators entering the industry through programs like the Marcus Graham Project and the One Club for Creativity’s One School Initiative; continued support of critical talent development initiatives like ADCOLOR; and increasing investment in a broad range of Black Owned and Operated companies and media platforms. Widen The Screen also includes important collaborations with a variety of majority-owned advertising agencies and partners, as they too strengthen their efforts to ensure increased representation and inclusion.

“True inclusion leads to greater creativity and innovation, provides access to opportunity, and leads to equity in income and wealth creation. Our hope is that we will create a ripple effect and the rest of the industry will follow suit,” Pritchard added.

Source and photo: Procter & Gamble/Business Wire

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CyberEarth ‘21 • A BDPA Virtual Earth Day Tech Summit • April 22-24, 2021

Call for “SMART City” presenters or panelists on or before April 10th, 2021. Email us at → events@bdpadc.org or visit → https://www.bdpadc.org/cyberearth/

The Gula Tech Foundation Announces Winners of $1 Million Grant Program

COLUMBIA, MD—Gula Tech Foundation, a nonprofit focused on awarding $1,000,000 in competitive grants to cybersecurity nonprofits several times each year, announced the winners of its initial competitive grant program. This competitive grant focuses on funding nonprofits with the mission to increase African American engagement in cybersecurity.

“We reviewed over a hundred submissions from impressive nonprofits impacting the cybersecurity industry. So many of the nonprofits that submitted are making a noticeable change in the industry and driving our industry forward,” said Ron & Cyndi Gula, Co-founders of The Gula Tech Foundation. “It was difficult to choose, but the three winners truly exemplify the mission, persistence and vision needed to succeed in this environment.”

2021 Winners:

First Place: $500,000

  • Black Cybersecurity Association: BCA creates a multigenerational pipeline of qualified professionals to enter the workplace and has more than 2,000 cybersecurity mentors enabling a variety of programs.

Second Place: $300,000

  • NPower Inc: NPower’s advanced Cybersecurity program is currently offered two times per year starting March or July for 100 students. The program is 14 weeks of full-time virtual classroom training followed by 12 weeks of on-the-job training and professional development through a paid internship in the cybersecurity departments of NPower’s corporate partners.

Third Place: $200,000

  • Girl Security: Girl Security provides multi-disciplinary, equity-informed programming through its “SEA Model,” where girls and young women are Secured, Empowered, and Advanced.

“We are thrilled to be announced as the first place winner of this initial competitive grant program. With a keen focus on creating qualified Black professionals to enter the cybersecurity workforce, this grant will enable us to accelerate this effort to reach 10,000 professionals by 2030,” said Darold Kelly Jr., President & CEO of Black Cybersecurity Association.

The Gula Tech Foundation’s March 2021 grant will support nonprofits that demonstrably raise public awareness about cybersecurity. Public awareness about cybersecurity is part of the Gula’s initiative to expand cybersecurity into the “Data Care” industry.  Applications for a competitive grant open March 22, 2021 and the winners will be announced May 20, 2021 as part of the 2021 RSA Conference.

“RSA Conference is very proud to partner with The Gula Foundation in their efforts to increase understanding of personal responsibility to care for data and, in doing so, positively impact inclusivity and diversity of those who seek out a career in our industry through their ‘Data Care’ grant,” said Britta Glade, Senior Director of Content & Curation for RSA Conference. “The ‘team sport’ vision that a Data Care term implicitly carries with it can help broaden the lens of who feels like our field is a possible career option. The Gula Foundation’s ‘Data Care’ Grant is a great way to move this important effort forward.”

To learn more about the next competitive grant competition, visit: https://www.gula.tech/foundation/.

About Gula Tech Adventures
Founded by cybersecurity entrepreneurs Ron and Cyndi Gula, Gula Tech Adventures invests in companies and nonprofits that help close the gap in needed technology and workforce to defend the country in cyberspace. They work directly with cybersecurity startups, investment funds and nonprofit organizations. Since 2017, the Gula’s have made more than 40 investments in cybersecurity startups like Automox, Cybrary, Huntress and Scythe, cybersecurity funds including Inner Loop Capital, DataTribe and Forgepoint Capital, and also supported cybersecurity nonprofits like Defending Digital Campaigns and voting.works.

— Source and images: Gula Tech Foundation

Nasdaq to Advance Diversity through New Proposed Listing Requirements

NEW YORK— Nasdaq today filed a proposal with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to adopt new listing rules related to board diversity and disclosure. If approved by the SEC, the new listing rules would require all companies listed on Nasdaq’s U.S. exchange to publicly disclose consistent, transparent diversity statistics regarding their board of directors. Additionally, the rules would require most Nasdaq-listed companies to have, or explain why they do not have, at least two diverse directors, including one who self-identifies as female and one who self-identifies as either an underrepresented minority1 or LGBTQ+. Foreign companies and smaller reporting companies would have additional flexibility in satisfying this requirement with two female directors.

The goal of the proposal is to provide stakeholders with a better understanding of the company’s current board composition and enhance investor confidence that all listed companies are considering diversity in the context of selecting directors, either by including at least two diverse directors on their boards or by explaining their rationale for not meeting that objective. As part of rationale for the new requirements, Nasdaq’s proposal presents an analysis of over two dozen studies that found an association between diverse boards and better financial performance and corporate governance.

Under the proposal, all Nasdaq-listed companies will be required to publicly disclose board-level diversity statistics through Nasdaq’s proposed disclosure framework within one year of the SEC’s approval of the listing rule. The timeframe to meet the minimum board composition expectations set forth in the proposal will be based on a company’s listing tier. Specifically, all companies will be expected to have one diverse director within two years of the SEC’s approval of the listing rule. Companies listed on the Nasdaq Global Select Market and Nasdaq Global Market will be expected to have two diverse directors within four years of the SEC’s approval of the listing rule. Companies listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market will be expected to have two diverse directors within five years of the SEC’s approval. For companies that are not in a position to meet the board composition objectives within the required timeframes, they will not be subject to delisting if they provide a public explanation of their reasons for not meeting the objectives.

“Nasdaq’s purpose is to champion inclusive growth and prosperity to power stronger economies,” said Adena Friedman, President and CEO, Nasdaq. “Our goal with this proposal is to provide a transparent framework for Nasdaq-listed companies to present their board composition and diversity philosophy effectively to all stakeholders; we believe this listing rule is one step in a broader journey to achieve inclusive representation across corporate America.”​

Nasdaq will also introduce a partnership with Equilar, the leading provider of corporate leadership data solutions, to aid Nasdaq-listed companies with board composition planning challenges. Through the Equilar BoardEdge platform, hosting nearly one million profiles and the Equilar Diversity Network, and by leveraging existing services through the Nasdaq Center for Board Excellence, the partnership will enable Nasdaq-listed companies that have not yet met the proposed diversity objectives to access a larger community of highly-qualified, diverse, board-ready candidates to amplify director search efforts.

“This proposal and partnership gives companies an opportunity to make progress toward increasing representation of women, underrepresented minorities and the LGBTQ+ community on their boards,” said Nelson Griggs, President of Nasdaq Stock Exchange. “Corporate diversity, at all levels, opens up a clear path to innovation and growth. We are inspired by the support from our issuers and the financial community with this effort and look forward to working together with companies of all sizes to create stronger and more inclusive boards.”

Through this proposal and other corporate initiatives, Nasdaq seeks to make a positive impact in the global community by leveraging the scale of its operations and client network. In September, Nasdaq announced the launch of its Purpose Initiative, designed to champion inclusive growth and prosperity for all stakeholders. This effort will include the relaunched Nasdaq Foundation and initiatives through the company’s employee volunteerism and philanthropic programs and the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center.

Stakeholder Endorsements:

“Successful companies must cultivate diversity to fuel innovation and to thrive in today’s era of ongoing environmental, social and economic change. The technology industry is committed to promoting inclusivity at all levels to ensure that our economy remains robust and innovative. We support Nasdaq’s proposal to advance diversity throughout corporate America.” – Linda Moore, President & CEO, TechNet

“By pushing its listed companies to address racial and gender equity in corporate boards, Nasdaq is heeding the call of the moment. Incremental change and window-dressing isn’t going to cut it anymore as consumers, stakeholders and the government increasingly hold corporate America’s feet to the fire. Nasdaq’s efforts to prod and push its listed companies is a welcomed and necessary first step. With increased representation of people of color, women and LGBTQ people on corporate boards, corporations will have to take actionable steps to ensure underrepresented communities have a seat at the table.” – Anthony Romero, executive director, American Civil Liberties Union

“Diversity of experience, gender, race, knowledge, and perspective means that a company is more capable of seeing the full picture, assessing risk and overcoming challenges with forward-looking, innovative solutions.” – Michael Splinter, Chairman, Nasdaq

“When we embrace diversity, we are better equipped to serve our clients, employees, partners, communities and shareholders.” – Charlene Begley, Director, Nasdaq

“Nasdaq’s diversity proposal marks a transformative moment in a larger movement toward greater representation of women and people of color in the boardroom and beyond.” – Alfred Zollar, Director, Nasdaq

1 – An “underrepresented minority” is an individual who self-identifies in one or more of the following groups: Black or African American, Hispanic or Latinx, Asian, Native American or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander or Two or More Races or Ethnicities.

About Nasdaq:

Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit NASDAQ on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

— Source: NASDAQ (Globe Newswire)

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