 
|
Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, September 25, 2011
|

The BDPA Insider - September 25, 2011
What better way to start the day than
with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Job Seekers
Forum
BDPA iRadio Show - September 27, 2011
Minnesota
Spokesman-Recorder, 9/21/2011 (BDPA Twin Cities)
President Profile: Allison Aheart (BDPA Hampton Roads)
Take Five: Barbara Allen (BDPA Cleveland)
Obama's Weekly Address: Strengthening the American Education System
bdpatoday - September 2011 Issue
Open Source Tools in a Web 2.0 World (BDPA Atlanta)
Click here for the
latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-insider-september-25-2011.html
Click here for "The
BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Job Seekers Forum
Why is my job search taking so long?
Date: Monday, September 26, 2011
Time: 7:30-8:30 p.m. Central Time, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Eastern
Time
Dial-in Number: 1-940-287-4000 (new number)
Participant Access Code: 671366
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.org/JobSeekerFocusGroup.aspx
BDPA iRadio Show - September 27, 2011

The BDPA iRadio Show creates a vibrant communications
platform that speaks to all BDPA stakeholders.
We have an exciting line-up for our show on September 27.
Todd Q. Adams, Co-owner, Visibility Marketing
Paulette Johnson-Davis, VP-Member Services, National BDPA
Wanda Gray, Chapter President, BDPA Cincinnati
Lahesha Williams, Founder, Career Help for Christians
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-iradio-show-september-27-2011.html
Minnesota
Spokesman-Recorder, 9/21/2011 (BDPA Twin Cities)

BDPA Twin Cities Place 5th at National Computer
Competition. The Twin Cities Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) Minnesota
teams won first and fifth place at the 2011 National BDPA High School Computer
Competition, which was part of the 2011 33rd Annual BDPA Technology Conference
held August 3-6 in Chicago.
The members of the High School Computer (HSCC) team were
Cedric Cyrus (Como HS), Samantha Spears (Woodbury HS), Jorian Wulf (St. Paul
Central HS) and Douglas Callahan (St. Paul Central HS). The Twin Cities Chapter
High School Competition Team took fifth place out of 45 teams. The Rochester
team won first place, Detroit team placed second, Columbus, Ohio team placed
third, and the Atlanta team placed fourth.
Click here for more:
http://www.spokesman-recorder.com/?p=6269
President Profile: Allison Aheart (BDPA Hampton Roads)

BDPA Hampton Roads chapter was founded in February 2009.
It is one of the youngest chapters in BDPA with only two chapter
presidents in its history. The
current chapter president is Allison Aheart.
Allison Aheart has over 14 years of leadership and
management experience in corporate and non-profit business environments with
special focus on budgeting and resource management, business process
improvement, technology implementation, business & research analysis, software
application management & administration, and project management across multiple
disciplines. She is diplomatic, an effective communicator, a problem solver, a
relationship builder, and brings value to any leadership team.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/president-profile-allison-aheart-bdpa.html
Take Five: Barbara Allen (BDPA Cleveland)

BDPA is transitioning its governance to include regional
representatives. Barbara Allen
became the first-ever BDPA Midwest Regional Vice President when she won the
election held last month at the national conference in Chicago.
Barbara moved to Cleveland in January 2007 after spending
the previous 27 years in northern California. She served as an officer in the
past for both BDPA Bay Area and BDPA Cleveland chapter. We asked Barbara to
share her insights as part of our 'Take Five' interview series.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/take-five-barbara-allen-bdpa-cleveland.html
Obama's Weekly Address: Strengthening the American Education System

President Obama explains that states will have greater
flexibility to find innovative ways of improving the education system, so that
we can raise standards in our classrooms and prepare the next generation to
succeed in the global economy.
I think that President Obama is absolutely correct when he
talks about the need for us to significantly improve our educational system if
America ever hopes to 'win the future'. It is disappointing to hear the
Republican presidential candidates talking about abolishing the Department of
Education. Don't they understand that our nation's future is tied to the
improved competitiveness and education of our young people?
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/obamas-weekly-address-strengthening.html
bdpatoday - September 2011 Issue
Subscribe to the BDPA
Foundation Blog via email:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=649683
Subscribe to
the BDPA Community Blog:
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
Subscribe to Blacks Gone Geek Blog via email:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social
Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team:
socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends,
co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key
is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, September 18, 2011
|

The BDPA Insider - September 18, 2011
What better way to start the day than
with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Geeks Gone Great Chats with National BDPA President Yvette Graham
Job Seekers
Forum
BDPA Dallas HSCC Team (2011)
Take Five: Kelly Hill (BDPA Los Angeles)
Why Technology Networks Are Important to African Americans
Job Hunters – A Resource Guide to Landing the Job
Confidence is King: One Day in a Job Search
Microsoft Tour and Demo
(BDPA Los Angeles)
Two Simple Questions To Avoid Value-Free Change
Blacks In Technology Podcast #19: Kellep Charles (SecurityOrb.com)
bdpatoday - September 2011 Issue
Click here for the
latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-insider-september-18-2011.html
Click here for "The
BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Geeks Gone Great Chats with National BDPA President Yvette Graham

Yvette Graham has grown up in Black Data Processing
Associates, BDPA, and is currently enjoying the crest of her term as national
president of the premiere organization for African Americans in Information
Technology.
A BDPA leader since the early 80’s, Yvette Graham has made
an indelible impression throughout the organization since her early years of
service with the Chicago chapter, up through recent years, to emerge as
spokesperson and chief executive officer representing over 40+ chapters across
the United States.
I had the opportunity to chat with Ms. Graham, just after
the August 2011 BDPA Technology Conference in Chicago.
She shares her perspective on attaining success with BDPA as well as key
values she ascribes to. It was a
very special space shared...
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.org/YvetteGraham.aspx
Job Seekers Forum
Why is my job search taking so long?

Date: Monday, September 26, 2011
Time: 7:30-8:30 p.m. Central Time, 8:30-9:30 p.m. Eastern
Time
Dial-in Number: 1-940-287-4000 (new number)
Participant Access Code: 671366
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.org/JobSeekerFocusGroup.aspx
BDPA
Dallas HSCC Team (2011)

Gilbert Mfitumukiza, Bridget Mfitumukiza, Kiera Robinson
and Kayla Rhodes
These are the young people trained by BDPA Dallas chapter
to compete in the 2011 national High School Computer Competition (HSCC)
championship held last month in Chicago.
BDPA Dallas created their Student Information Technology
Education & Scholarship (SITES) program to expose young people to the fields of
computer science and IT. The
chapter seeks to increase the understanding and accessibility of science,
technology, engineering and math in historically disenfranchised communities.
The SITES curriculum focused on industry standard programming languages,
problem-solving techniques and conceptual design.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-dallas-hscc-team-2011.html
Take Five: Kelly Hill (BDPA Los Angeles)

BDPA is proud of its efforts to advance the careers of its
members from 'the classroom to the boardroom'. One of real-life examples of that
effort can be seen embodied in the person of Kelly Hill. Kelly is a Clark
Atlanta University graduate (Class of 2008) who currently works for Lockheed
Martin.
As a youngster Kelly represented BDPA Los Angeles chapter
in the national high school computer competitions held in Chicago (2001),
Orlando (2002) and Philadelphia (2003). She is a positive example of the power
of our student information technology education & scholarship (SITES) program.
Kelly was kind enough to participate in our Take Five interview series.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/take-five-kelly-hill-bdpa-los-angeles.html
Why Technology Networks Are Important to African Americans
by Kai Dupé

The lack of support networks has been identified as a
critical aspect to involving more African Americans in the fields of science,
technology, engineering and math (STEM).
While I agree that this is very important, I do not agree that African
Americans lack technology support groups.
I assert that the problem is that the African American community at large
is not aware of the networks that do exist.
There are three that I have worked with over the years. I
am sure there are others and I am even more certain that most of our people,
particularly our young people are not aware of these groups.
I know this because I do quite a bit of public speaking around the
country. When I ask students if
they are familiar with The Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), BiTWiSE, or
Blacks In Technology the answer is invariably no.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-technology-networks-are-important.html
Job Hunters – A Resource Guide to Landing the Job

Samantha, a student at the Coastal Academy in California,
found a really nice resource website for job seekers. It’s got links to
resources and tips on resume/curriculum vitae, cover letter, interview
etiquette, follow-up, career websites and staffing agencies. Thanks Samantha!
Finding a career you
enjoy is a worthwhile endeavor, but it does take some legwork on your part to
get the job of your dreams. Today’s employers want to get a comprehensive look
at their potential employees before they make a hiring decision. As a job
seeker, understanding the information that businesses are looking for can mean
the difference between getting hired and just adding your resume to their files.
It is essential to understand the process and know where to look for the job
that will be the right fit for you.
Click here for more:
http://www.businessdegree.net/resources/job-hunters-a-resource-guide-to-landing-the-job/
Confidence is King: One Day in a Job Search

One day a call will come from a networking friend.
Someone I’ve shared coffee with and someone who knows my job search
objectives. Turns out that a job
has opened up with one of my target companies.
One day my resume will be walked into a hiring manager
whose eyes will sparkle as they read about my background.
One day I will get a call from that same company who thinks
I might be a good fit for their new position.
They will be right.
Click here for more:
http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2011/09/09/confidence-is-king-one-day-in-a-job-search/
Microsoft Tour and Demo (BDPA
Los Angeles)

We encourage all of our BETF-Blog readers in Southern
California to join BDPA Los Angeles chapter on October 4, 2011 for a tour of the
newly opened Microsoft Store in the Westfield Century City Mall. Join the
chapter's leadership as they check out the latest technologies from Microsoft
and network with others.
The tour will include a personal demonstration of the new
Windows 7 phone.
Microsoft Tour and Demo:
October 4, 2011
7:00 - 8:30 pm (PST)
Westfield Century City Mall
10250 Santa Monica Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90067
You can click here to RSVP
for the tour:
http://bdpala-oct2011.eventbrite.com/
Two Simple Questions To Avoid Value-Free Change
Posted on September 17, 2011 by Mark E. Calabrese

Often times we’re tempted to add new processes, new
templates or tools, modify existing procedures, re-organize – you name it.
Sometimes such changes are called for, but other times they’re performed
for the sake of performing them.
Change for its own sake is never good.
It can be a drain on time, resources and on morale.
When confronted with such ideas – whether your own or from
others – try asking these two simple questions:
Click here for more:
http://mecmusings.com/2011/09/17/two-simple-questions-to-avoid-value-free-change/
Blacks In Technology Podcast #19: Kellep Charles (SecurityOrb.com)

This blog seeks to support the efforts of the Blacks In
Technology folks as they interview remarkable IT professionals of color.
In this podcast Greg Greenlee along with guest co-host
Ronnie Hash, speak with IT Security consultant and guru Kellep Charles. Kellep
operates and is also an IT Security consultant for SecurityOrb, an information
security knowledge based website for security members. The flows into
information security, latest data security threats and an interesting review of
the log management tool Splunk.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/blacks-in-technology-podcast-19-kellep.html
bdpatoday - September 2011 Issue
Subscribe to the BDPA
Foundation Blog via email:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=649683
Subscribe to
the BDPA Community Blog:
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
Subscribe to Blacks Gone Geek Blog via email:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social
Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team:
socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends,
co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key
is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Saturday, September 17, 2011
|

Yvette Graham has
grown up in Black Data Processing Associates,
BDPA, and is currently enjoying the crest of her term as national president
of the premiere organization for African Americans in Information Technology.
A BDPA leader since
the early 80’s, Yvette Graham has made an indelible impression throughout the
organization since her early years of service with the Chicago chapter, up
through recent years, to emerge as spokesperson and chief executive officer
representing over 40+ chapters across the
United States.
I had the
opportunity to chat with Ms. Graham, just after the August 2011 BDPA Technology
Conference in Chicago.
She shares her perspective on attaining success with BDPA as well as key
values she ascribes to. It was a
very special space shared...
BGG: Madame
President, what would you like to share regarding how your experiences as a
young person helped to shape the woman and leader you are today?
YG: Well I’ve
been fortunate every step of my journey to have the help of special people who
are close to me. Right out of school I was fortunate enough to land a position
with Allstate, which would prove to be a career defining move.
It was actually at Allstate where I received my first exposure to BDPA.
I found out about the corporate chapter there, and was asked to be a
guest speaker to present on "DB2 Relational Databases”.
I had no idea then that I would dare to achieve the many successes I’ve
enjoyed with BDPA. BDPA helped me to be
a stronger professional and leader at Allstate. But I must also credit my strong
church background as an early influence that shaped who I am.
And I would be remised if I did not speak of the support that I have
received from my husband. For 25 years, he has supported me throughout my
journey of who I am today. So you see I’ve had strong support systems along the
way that have helped me to learn and grow.
BGG:
A strong support system is everything….and you have given us an idea of
how you were able to embrace your success.
Who would you say has been your greatest inspiration from a mentor
perspective?
YG: In terms of
a mentor role, as far as corporate America goes, I have to say there is
a gentleman from my church who provided many years of guidance and mentoring.
In fact I admire this person so, because he is one of the first African
American officers at
Comm Ed. He worked very hard to
come up through the ranks to become an executive. He is the type of person who
believes in giving back and therefore helped to mentor me professionally.
He has given me a great deal of advice, for example something so simple
like learning from the good habits of people. I have learned how to observe
others as well. To this day I can
refer to the "toolkit” created in my mind that holds those handy tips that I can
use when I need to.
I also can thank my personal mentor, my mother, who really
instilled in me the value of being a lady.
No matter the situation, she instructed me to always be a lady – from
dressing like a lady, to behavior. It’s been something that I’ve carried out,
and it works for me. I don’t try to
be someone other than who I am in any circle I travel in.
Although I interact with a largely male population, I conduct myself in a
manner that people can respect.
BGG: For anyone
who does not know, let’s talk about the many roles you’ve held with BDPA over
the years. Tell us about your
evolution and also the work that launched you to another level?
YG:
I had chaired the AllState Corporate
Chapter, which I have to say was a wonderful introduction to the senior officers
at my company. My management was
committed to invest in my development and has been extremely supportive through
the years.
The number 1 thing I was so passionate to accomplish was
the work to help our young people. In fact, BDPA created a position just for me,
which was centered on college students.
This presented my first really big introduction to corporate America,
having to create a national internship process.
All of these resumes started rolling in, from all over the United States,
mind you, and I had to articulate to corporate CIO’s and the like, the value of
our program and help to place these students.
I stayed actively involved with all stakeholders to create a strong model
for this program. Eventually
National BDPA asked to take over the program which was the SIP (Student
Internship Program).
The work I was able to accomplish there, paved the way for
my leadership role with Chicago.
I continued to learn and develop, with the support and backing of my company to
evolve into a stronger leader, both where BDPA was concerned and also as a
director at Allstate. As president of Chicago chapter, I started
attending national board meetings and began to identify where I could help and a
new level within the National organization, and the rest as they say is history.
BGG:
As a wife, mother of a college senior, church leader, and leader in
corporate America, you are responsible for so much, on top of being president of
a national organization, which requires a rigorous travel schedule, countless
appearances, chairing untold board meetings, etc. What advice would you impart
for such success for others with high ambition?
YG:
I learned very early to balance, but I also have the help of many great
people who do wonderful work. Who you have on your team is very important for
your success. I would say building relationships is so important, I can’t say
enough about the value of good relationships I continue learning many things
from observation. And whenever I am faced with major decisions, I don’t make a
move without weighing all the circumstances and without prayer.
Towards the end of my presidency with National BDPA, I can
say that I’ve grown mentally and spiritually. My time in office was met with
many challenges and opportunities that have stretched me. I’ve learned so much
and I’m not even the same person I used to be.
And it’s funny, but I really never thought that I would be national
president; I had no ambitions towards being national president of BDPA.
BGG:
Really??! It seems with the
various roles you’ve held at the local Chicago level, and then
moving on to hold offices at the national level, that it would be a logical
transition to position to run for higher office?
YG: No, never
did I think of it. I’ll tell you.
I had worked with so many people along the way - I knew so many people
across the organization (nationally) that 6 different chapters nominated me for
national president, including Chicago.
I looked at the situation from the point of the opportunity was
presenting itself to me. But before
I made one move, I weighed it. I
had conversations with my husband, I discussed with my Chicago Chapter leaders,
and I discussed with my All
State
organization. I had the backing and
support of all three. If I had not
had the encouragement of any one of them, I would not have run!
BGG:
Every president has a legacy. BDPA has existed since 1975, now for the
first time, starting in 2012 the regionalization of chapters, will be attributed
to your administration, correct? What challenges were overcome to deliver
this major organizational change effort?
YG: This is
correct, although the research and initial
analysis on moving the organization to a regional model took place under the
prior administration (which I was a part of), it was this administration that
moved it forward by including it within our 2010-2011 Strategy where a team was
pulled together to: 1) design the bylaws to support Regionalization; 2) define
the breakout of chapters aligned to the four regions; and 3) finalize the stage
of electing the Regional Vice Presidents and Regional Directors during this past
delegates meeting held in Chicago.
As far as challenges, I would have to say it centered on
communication. Change is very difficult for everyone, but to overcome that
change we had to ensure that we were communicating the right message to the
right people at the right time. As a leadership team, we had to be sure that we
provided a message for the local chapter presidents, for the local chapter
"incoming presidents”, as well as being available to discuss this with all
members of the organization.
Finally, because this new model was starting under our
incoming president, Monique Berry, we decided that she should be the voice of
this change since it will be led by her. This gave BDPA the opportunity to begin
hearing from Monique, instead of me. I believe all of this helped with the
implementation of Regionalization.
BGG: What are
the greatest advantages to regionalization and what are the important
nextstepsmembers can look forward to?
YG:
The greatest advantage of regionalization is that more focus can be
placed on the needs of chapters. Under the current structure of BDPA, it is
expected that the National Executive Committee would be able to design programs
that would support our 40+ chapters. This was a great model in the 70s and 80s,
because we were a growing organization without as many chapters. Now that we
have grown, to better serve our chapters, we needed to put leaders in place that
support the needs of the chapters within a region (for example the programs
needed on the east coast could be completely different that the programs needed
for the Midwest).
BGG: So, what’s
next for Yvette Graham?
YG:
I really don’t know!!
There’s a lot of talk and speculation around my next move, to be honest, I
really haven’t fully processed that yet. I’ve had a very full term as national
president with so much activity going on, and I even served as Chair of my
church’s 90th Anniversary Program last year, in addition to
everything else going on in my life!
There wasn’t any time to think about what will come next for me.
I do know that at some point I would
like to hold a corporate board seat, but as for right now, I’m just enjoying my
time! I will just say I’m having fun
considering the possibilities!
#
# #
This article was written by Sheila
Marionneaux, contributing editor for Blacks Gone Geek.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, September 11, 2011
|

The BDPA Insider - September 11, 2011
What better way to start the day than
with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Job Seekers Forum -
September 12, 7:30 pm Central
Top Three (3) Ways to Build Your IT Community
BDPA iRadio Show - Youth Technology Camp Students (August 25, 2011)
BDPA Philadelphia HSCC Team (2011)
How Many Mobile Apps are Produced by African-Americans?
Congressional Black Caucus: 'African Americans Joining the Leading Edge of the
High Tech Boom'
6 Tips to Make a Great Impression in an Interview
Click here for the
latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-insider-september-11-2011.html
Click here for "The
BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Job Seekers Forum -
September 12, 7:30 pm Central

Agenda:
Introductions
--Come prepared with your elevator pitch!
Discussion Topics:
--The Pierson Method--Job Search Work Teams
(http://www.highlyeffectivejobsearch.com/teams-orgs/jobsearchworkteam.htm)
--Q&A
Bring your tough job search questions to the meeting.
Roundtable:
--Good News
--Upcoming events
--Volunteer Opportunities
Date: Monday, September 12, 2011
Start Time: 07:30 PM Central Daylight Time, 8:30 PM Eastern
End Time: 08:25 PM Central Daylight Time, 9:25 PM Eastern
Dial-in Number: 1-213-289-0500 (Los Angeles)
Participant Access Code: 671366
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.org/JobSeekerFocusGroup.aspx
Top Three (3) Ways to Build Your IT Community
September 6th, 2011
By Ricardo Wilkins

As IT Professionals, we spend many years developing our
crafts and investing in our careers. Along the way, we have all been fortunate
enough to get help from many sources, including colleagues and mentors who
decided to take the time to share their knowledge and experience with us.
As a result, we grow in our profession. Most of us
inevitably ask the question – what can I do to give back and make the same
investment in others someone made in me? Fortunately, there are many ways in
which we can ‘return the favor’ in the IT Community while making a positive
impact on our industry.
Click here for more:
http://www.itmartini.com/columbus/stories/ways-of-giving-back-to-the-it-community/
BDPA iRadio Show - Youth Technology Camp Students (August 25, 2011)

BDPA iRadio Show host Franne McNeal hosted a Special
Edition of the Internet radio show that featured student participants in the
2011 BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) held last month in Chicago. This annual
event provides interactive, hands-on workshops, seminars, and activities for
students seeking to gain valuable exposure in leading edge technology topics.
This event gives students the opportunity to network with young entrepreneurs
and other youth from around the country who are pursuing academic and
professional futures in the computer technology industry.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-iradio-show-youth-technology-camp.html
BDPA Philadelphia HSCC Team (2011)

L-R: William Morgan, Samuel Gonzalez, Brian Stempin
(trainer), Norman Morrison, Hayward West (chapter president) and Pedro Soto
The Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship
(SITES) program hosted by our BDPA Philadelphia chapter covers a variety of
topics in the world of information technology. Instruction is provided in
creating databases using MySQL, programming, Java, Linux and web development.
The training not only prepares students to compete in regional and national
competitions, but also provides them with skills in team building that can be
valuable as they enter into the workforce.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-philadelphia-hscc-team-2011.html
How Many Mobile Apps are Produced by African-Americans?
Article by Kai Dupé, Cross-posted from Atlanta Post

There are over 425,000 mobile apps available on Apple’s App
Store for the iPhone. The Android Marketplace now has well over 30,000 apps for
their devices. According to the website TechCrunch, there has been more than 1
Billion downloads from the App Store as of April 2009. Here is a question? How
many of these apps are produced by African Americans?
I would venture to guess we are producing very little.
Mobile phones are the most ubiquitous way people communicate and interact with
information. With more than 5 billions users communicating and interacting on
these devices, the lack of African Americans producing mobile apps has to
change.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/how-many-mobile-apps-are-produced-by.html
Congressional Black Caucus: 'African Americans Joining the Leading Edge of the
High Tech Boom'

Soulclap to the folks at Black Web 2.0 for letting us know
that the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation will dedicate some time in their
annual conference to talk about a topic that is increasingly popular by the day,
technology. Technology entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, along with members
of the African American tech community will take part in the Congressional Black
Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C at the
Walter E. Washington Convention Center.
During the Annual Legislative Conference, held on September
23rd from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) will host an
issue forum, entitled 'African Americans Joining the Leading Edge of the High
Tech Boom'.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/congressional-black-caucus-african.html
6 Tips to Make a Great Impression in an Interview

Interviews can be daunting, but you can rock them with a
little preparation and practice! Not sure how to make a great impression in an
interview? Impress your future employer with these interview tips:
- Prepare for the interview
- Dress well
- Arrive on time
- Act confident
- Ask intelligent questions
- Say "Thanks”
Read more on the Simply
Hired Blog:
http://blog.simplyhired.com/2011/08/6-tips-to-make-a-great-impression-in-an-interview.html
Subscribe to the BDPA
Foundation Blog via email:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=649683
Subscribe to
the BDPA Community Blog:
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
Subscribe to Blacks Gone Geek Blog via email:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social
Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team:
socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends,
co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key
is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, September 04, 2011
|

The BDPA Insider - September 4, 2011
What better way to start the day than
with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Happy Birthday: Curtis Jenkins
Chronicles of an IT Job Seeker-Job Search is a Team Sport!
Job Seekers
Forum - September 12, 7:30 pm Central
Take Five: Jamesetta James (BDPA Greater Columbia)
BDPA Philadelphia Supports Pennsylvania MESA Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
"Should-hood”
Cloud Brokerage is Gaining Ground
Gates Millennium Scholarship Program
Hundreds of U.S. Data Centers Closing
Click here for the
latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-insider-september-4-2011.html
Click here for "The
BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Happy Birthday: Curtis Jenkins

One of the most accomplished BDPA leaders in our history is
Curtis Jenkins. He celebrates his birthday today!
Curtis has been an active member and leader of the BDPA
Philadelphia Chapter since 2002. Curtis Jenkins served as the Immediate Past
President for 2008 and 2009 and also the Corporate Advisory Council Chairperson
for BDPA Philadelphia. In his duties as Immediate Past President, he served as
an ambassador, mentor, and voting member of the BDPA Philadelphia Executive
Committee sharing his experiences as a President and member of the National
Board of Directors for BDPA. As Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) Chairperson,
Curtis is primarily responsible for the solicitation of CAC membership,
scheduling and facilitating the quarterly meetings, maintaining the CAC Charter
and serving as the focal point for information between the CAC and the BDPA
Executive Board.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/happy-birthday-curtis-jenkins.html
Chronicles of an IT Job Seeker-Job Search is a Team Sport!
by Milt Haynes

This has been an exciting week! I joined a Job Search Work
Team where I learned about thePierson
Method. Now I'm convinced that finding a job is a team sport. It's like
basketball, football and soccer, it takes a group of people working together
toward common goals to win on the field.
What is a Job Search Work Team?
A job search work team is:
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/09/chronicles-of-it-job-seeker-job-search.html
Job Seekers Forum -
September 12, 7:30 pm Central

Agenda:
Introductions
--Come prepared with your elevator pitch!
Discussion Topics:
--The Pierson Method--Job Search Work Teams
(http://www.highlyeffectivejobsearch.com/teams-orgs/jobsearchworkteam.htm)
--Q&A
Bring your tough job search questions to the meeting.
Roundtable:
--Good News
--Upcoming events
--Volunteer Opportunities
Date: Monday, September 12, 2011
Start Time: 07:30 PM Central Daylight Time, 8:30 PM Eastern
End Time: 08:25 PM Central Daylight Time, 9:25 PM Eastern
Dial-in Number: 1-213-289-0500 (Los Angeles)
Participant Access Code: 671366
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.org/JobSeekerFocusGroup.aspx
Take Five: Jamesetta James (BDPA Greater Columbia)

Jamesetta James has worked the past few years as the
national coordinator of the BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC).
Earlier this year she provided her review of the 2011 YTC experience in
Chicago. She has had a positive impact on hundreds of young people over the
years and we thought it would be good to hear from Jamesetta as part of our Take
Five interview series:
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/take-five-jamesetta-james-bdpa-greater.html
BDPA Philadelphia Supports Pennsylvania MESA Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony

BDPA seeks to advance the careers of African Americans in
the Information Technology (IT) industry from the classroom to the boardroom. An
important element of that process is ensuring that our young people have
exposure and experience to as many STEM (science, technology, engineering and
math) programs as possible.
As such, it was a no-brainer for our BDPA Philadelphia
chapter leadership to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the
nationally-recognized Math Engineering Science Achievement (MESA) initiative in
Pennsylvania. MESA is an academic preparation program for K-12, community
college and university-level students that was originally created in 1970. The
program provides academic support to students from educationally disadvantaged
backgrounds throughout the education pathway so they will excel in math and
science and ultimately attain four-year degrees in STEM fields. The program has
successfully been replicated in over a dozen other states.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/bdpa-philadelphia-supports-pennsylvania.html
"Should-hood”
Posted on September 2, 2011 by Mark E. Calabrese

A friend of mine out in Baltimore used to tell me,
"Should-hood leads to Shit-hood”.
This is particularly applicable to those of us in management roles.
Whether you’re managing a project, a team or even your own life, focusing
on the ‘should’ can be a good thing or a bad thing.
"Should-hood” – the
mindset of focusing on what should be – isn’t bad in the right context.
Focusing on what ‘should be’ is how we apply our core values to our own
words and actions. ‘Should’ is a
very powerful mindset…..when applied to oneself.
The problem comes when we focus on what ‘should
be’ when it comes to the words and actions of others.
Click here for more:
http://mecmusings.com/2011/09/02/should-hood/
Cloud Brokerage is Gaining Ground
by Daryl Plummer
| August 31, 2011

All of a sudden, everyone is interested in cloud services
brokerage. Well, by everyone, I mean end customers looking for an easier way to
integrate cloud computing into their plans and vendors seeking a new set of
markets to mine. But no matter the interested party, one thing is clear. The
options for doing cloud brokerage are growing steadily.
When we introduced cloud services brokerage in 2009, we
described a concept about intermediation between services. The value was in
having a third party take on a lot of the work of aggregating, integrating,
customizing, or governing (nee managing) cloud services on behalf of the end
consumer. In a subsequent update last year, we did a number of reports,
including a piece called "Cloud Services Brokerage: Taking Intermediation to the
next Level” that described the concept in even more detail. But through all of
that, the activity around cloud brokerage remained mostly at the application and
platform level of cloud services. Companies like Appirio and Jamcracker were
getting a lot of attention for integrating or aggregating cloud services into
new application solutions. GXS, Hubspan, and Liaison were among the B2B networks
starting to see interest grow – a case study on Mohawk Fine Papers that we
recently published illustrates this. And this week, Dell has announced its plans
to broker Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and other cloud SaaS solutions by
aggregating and integrating using the Boomi brokerage enabling technology which
they acquired. This is part of the steady growth at the applications level. But
now, we are beginning to see the rise of brokerage at the infrastructure level
as well.
Click here for more:
http://blogs.gartner.com/daryl_plummer/2011/08/31/cloud-brokerage-is-gaining-ground/
Gates
Millennium Scholarship Program

The Gates Millennium Scholarship Program will select 1,000
talented students next year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to
use at any college or university of their choice.
The deadline for submitting an application is January 11, 2012.
Scholars will also be provided with personal and
professional development through their leadership programs, along with academic
support throughout their college career.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/09/gates-millennium-scholarship-program.html
Hundreds of U.S. Data Centers Closing

To save money, the U.S. government will shut down hundreds
of data centers across the country and consolidate their services into its
remaining data centers. The White House Office of Management and Budget recently
announced that it would be shutting down 373 U.S. government data centers by
2012.
Over the last two years, the number of U.S. data centers
has quadrupled, and yet they are running at only about 27 percent utilization,
according to the Office of Management and Budget. The maintenance costs of these
data centers, including backup power supplies, air conditioning,
fire-suppression and special security devices, has been astronomical, causing
them to consume 200 times more power than the typical office space. By more
fully utilizing the remaining data centers, the White House hopes to maintain
current service levels while drastically cutting costs
Click here for more:
http://bdpadet-tac.blogspot.com/2011/08/hundreds-of-us-data-centers-closing.html
Subscribe to the BDPA
Foundation Blog via email:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=649683
Subscribe to
the BDPA Community Blog:
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
Subscribe to Blacks Gone Geek Blog via email:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social
Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team:
socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends,
co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key
is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, August 28, 2011
|

The BDPA Insider - August 28, 2011
What better way to start the day than
with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Chronicles of an IT Job Seeker - The Pierson Method
BDPA Detroit HSCC Team (2011)
National BDPA Election Results (2012-2013)
Message from Hampton Roads Chapter President
Take Five: Allison Haymore (BDPA Hampton Roads)
Pieces of Gold in Those Job Postings
Job Seekers Forum - August 29, 7:30 pm Central
Help Launch a Student’s Future. Become a Making It Count Speaker.
Click here for the
latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-insider-august-28-2011.html
Click here for "The
BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Chronicles of an IT Job Seeker - The Pierson Method
by Milt Haynes

I attended a Job Search Work Team (JSWT) meeting and found
it very enlightening. The JSWT team follows the Pierson Method found in the book
"The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search” by Orville Pierson.
The Pierson Method is a job hunting system that uses a
Project Plan and Progress Measurements. It guides you step-by-step through a
highly effective job search in three phases:
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/chronicles-of-it-job-seeker-pierson.html
BDPA
Detroit HSCC Team (2011)

Wayne Askew, Daniel Rothchild and Austin Little are the
three young squires trained by BDPA Detroit chapter to participate in the 2011
National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Championship held in
Chicago, IL. They took home the silver medal!
Click here for more:
http://www.bdpa.org/group/DE
National BDPA Election Results (2012-2013)

National BDPA conducted its bi-annual elections earlier
this month. Here are election
results for the organization's board of directors. The two-year terms of the
newly elected board members will begin January 1, 2012. Election results for the
National BDPA Board of Directors are as follows.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/national-bdpa-election-results-2012.html
Message from Hampton Roads Chapter President

Allison Haymore didn't win the election for National BDPA
Vice President ... however, she demonstrated her skills, talents and aspirations
in this nomination speech. I hope that she stays on board as a strong chapter
president taking BDPA Hampton Roads chapter to unreached heights in 2012 and
beyond...
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/message-from-hampton-roads-chapter.html
Take Five: Allison Haymore (BDPA Hampton Roads)

Allison Haymore is a BDPA leader with vision. She was the
founder of a BDPA student chapter when she attended college in Virginia.
Currently she serves as the BDPA Hampton Roads chapter president. She was a
nominee for the National BDPA Vice President vacancy earlier this month.
Although she didn't win the election I think it is fair to say that we will be
seeing more of Allison in the coming months and years!
We asked her to become part of the Take Five interview
series. Here is what Allison had to say:
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/take-five-allison-haymore-bdpa-hampton.html
Pieces of Gold in Those Job Postings
fromBDPA
Detroit TACbyCliff Samuels Jr

Job Postings are "pieces of gold.” They are your customer’s
wish lists.
Any sales person would tell you that in order to sell
someone something you have to know what they need.
Read through job postings to find out what your customer
(the employer) is looking for – what is the need?
By familiarizing yourself with the language of the job
posting you will be able to not only read the words and the content, but you
will be able to read between the lines.
Here’s an exercise that will help you find the "gold” and
make good use of it once you discover it.
Click here for more:
http://bdpadet-tac.blogspot.com/2011/08/pieces-of-gold-in-those-job-postings.html
Job Seekers Forum - August 29, 7:30 pm Central

Agenda:
Introductions
--Come prepared with your elevator pitch!
Discussion Topics: --Job Seekers Success Mindset Training
(part 2)
--Job Seekers Checklist
--Q&A
Bring your tough job search questions to the meeting.
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/job-seekers-forum-august-29-730-pm.html
Help Launch a Student’s Future. Become a Making It Count Speaker.

Do you enjoy public speaking? Are you interested in helping
students succeed in high school, college and beyond? Do you think you have what
it takes to empower and entertain? If the answer to these questions is "yes,”
then becoming a speaker for Making It Count might be perfect for you!
Making It Count Programs, a division of Monster Worldwide,
is the largest public speaking force in the country, and has been providing
live, in-school success presentations to more than 2.5 million high school and
college students each year since 1998. Their presentations provide students with
valuable information on how to succeed in high school, college and career, in an
"edutaining” format that includes interactive on-stage activities and audience
participation.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/help-launch-students-future-become.html
Subscribe to the BDPA
Foundation Blog via email:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=649683
Subscribe to
the BDPA Community Blog:
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
Subscribe to Blacks Gone Geek Blog via email:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social
Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team:
socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends,
co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key
is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, August 21, 2011
|

The BDPA Insider - August 21, 2011
What better way to start the day than
with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Job Seekers Forum - August 29, 7:30 pm Central
Review: 2011 BDPA Youth Technology Camp
BDPA Southern Minnesota HSCC Team (2011)
BDPA Twin Cities HSCC Team (2011)
BDPA Cincinnati Students Shine at 2011 BDPA Conference in Chicago
BDPA Middle Tennessee HSCC Team (2011)
NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing
Fundraising Tip: How To Bring More Donors To Your Cause
Click here for the
latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-insider-august-21-2011.html
Click here for "The
BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Job Seekers Forum - August 29, 7:30 pm Central

Agenda:
Introductions
--Come prepared with your elevator pitch!
Discussion Topics: --Job Seekers Success Mindset Training
(part 2)
--Job Seekers Checklist
--Q&A
Bring your tough job search questions to the meeting.
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/job-seekers-forum-august-29-730-pm.html
Review: 2011 BDPA Youth Technology Camp

National BDPA Youth Technology Camp (YTC) coordinator
Jamesetta James and her team provided a comprehensive program of hands-on
activities and workshops for about 100 middle- and high-school students during
the national BDPA conference held earlier this month. Jamesetta has high
expectations for BDPA youth. As she wrote,
"I fully expect young IT professionals and entrepreneurs to
emerge from this conference. Let me tell you why:
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/review-2011-bdpa-youth-technology-camp.html
BDPA Southern Minnesota HSCC Team (2011)

These are the smiling faces of the 2011 National BDPA High
School Computer Competition (HSCC) Champions. The team hails from Rochester, MN.
The gentleman in the middle is Zack Garbow. Zack has been training the BDPA
Southern Minnesota chapter HSCC teams for the past decade or so. His teams have
now won 6 out of 7 national HSCC championships ... and 5 in a row!
Zack shared his HSCC insights on the August 9th episode of the BDPA
iRadio Show.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-southern-minnesota-hscc-team-2011.html
BDPA Twin Cities HSCC Team (2011)

These are members of the 2011 HSCC team trained by BDPA
Twin Cities chapter. This team earned Jesse Bemley Scholarships due to their 5th
place finish at the 2011 National BDPA HSCC Championship held in Chicago IL.
The members of the team are shown in the above photo (L-R):
Cedric Cyrus (Como HS), Samantha Spears (Woodbury HS), Jorian Wulf (St. Paul
Central HS) and Douglas Callahan (St. Paul Central HS).
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-twin-cities-hscc-team-2011.html
BDPA Cincinnati Students Shine at 2011 BDPA Conference in Chicago

HSCC Team & Founder Earl Pace
Stock market gyrations, debt ceiling debates and the
worries over the upcoming Cincinnati Bengals football season have dominated
local headlines in recent weeks. Few in our city were focused on the remarkable
achievements of Cincinnati-area high school students in a national computer
programming competition, or appreciate the training it takes to excel in this
intellectual effort.
So the 13th-place finish of Cincinnati's team (out of 45
BDPA chapters) in the National High School Computer Competition (HSCC)
Championship sponsored by BDPA (Black Data Processing Associates) didn't draw a
lot of attention. But the four team members went through a comprehensive
training program with the local BDPA chapter before they pitted their skills
against other teams at the national BDPA technology conference in Chicago.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-cincinnati-students-shine-at-2011.html
BDPA
Middle Tennessee HSCC Team (2011)

These are the BDPA Middle Tennessee student members (C.J.
Stewart, Marques Jackson Tabb and Xavier B. Thaxter) who participated in the
national High School Computer Competition Championship during the 2011 BDPA
Technology Conference in Chicago, IL. [Photo Credit: V. Charlene Christmon]
Click here for more:
http://www.bdpamiddletn.org/
NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing

Calling all digital divas, web chix, and coder girls!
The National Center for Women & Information Technology
(NCWIT) is a coalition of more than 200 corporations, academic institutions,
government agencies and nonprofits working to increase women’s participation in
IT.
NCWIT seeks high-school-level young women to apply for the
NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing! The NCWIT Award for Aspirations in
Computing honors young women active and interested in computing and encourages
them to pursue their passion for technology.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/ncwit-award-for-aspirations-in.html
Fundraising Tip: How To Bring More Donors To Your Cause

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is
convinced that our cause is a worthy one. After all, if our nation is to win the
future then STEM-based programs like we have in 45 cities around the nation are
a key component. As such, our challenge is getting IT professionals and other
African Americans to see what we're all about. How can we attract more eyeballs
to our online message?
I think that the following fundraising tip provides some
excellent ideas for getting more donors to check out your nonprofit organization
(or local BDPA chapter).
Apply for a Google Grant
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/fundraising-tip-how-to-bring-more.html
Subscribe to the BDPA
Foundation Blog via email:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=649683
Subscribe to
the BDPA Community Blog:
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
Subscribe to Blacks Gone Geek Blog via email:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social
Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team:
socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends,
co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key
is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
Tags:
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, August 14, 2011
|
The BDPA Insider - August 14, 2011
What better way to start the day than with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Message from Columbus Chapter President
Chronicles of an IT Job Seeker
Back by popular demand! Job Seekers Forum-August 15, 2011
BDPA New Jersey HSCC Team (2011)
BDPA New York Honored as 'Chapter of the Year'
BDPA Foundation Announces 2011 Eli Lilly Scholarship Winners
Fundraising Tip: How To Secure Corporate Support
Click here for the latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-insider-august-14-2011.html
Click here for "The BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Message from Columbus Chapter President

Everyone,
I am writing you all to thank you for your support of our High School students that went to Chicago to compete in the National Computer Competition. They placed 3rd in the nationals. This is a record for the BDPA Columbus Chapter. All things are good through God.
We want to keep this momentum going as our chapter is currently in the spotlight and shining. What a wonderful accomplishment to be third in the nation for the national competition. Our students conducted themselves professionally, did well on the written and oral competition and their technical skills impressed the judges. I remember when the students first started out in the program, they were like full of giggles, some were shy with their heads in the clouds.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/message-from-columbus-chapter-president.html
Chronicles of an IT Job Seeker

Somebody said I should write a book about Careers in IT and how to succeed in this challenging job market. Maybe I will one day, but until then you'll just have to keep reading my blog posts to stay abreast of the latest happenings. Yeah, that's right, not only has the technology changed dramatically over the last few years, the format for resumes, interviewing styles and job search strategies have changed dramatically too.
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/chronicles-of-it-job-seeker.html
Back by popular demand! Job Seekers Forum-August 15, 2011

Agenda:
Introductions
--Come prepared with your elevator pitch!
Discussion Topics:
--Job Seekers Success Mindset Training
--Q&A
Bring your tough job search questions to the meeting.
Roundtable:
--Good News
--Upcoming events
--Volunteer Opportunities
Date: Monday, August 15, 2011
Start Time: 07:30 PM Central Daylight Time, 8:30 PM Eastern
End Time: 08:25 PM Central Daylight Time, 9:25 PM Eastern
Dial-in Number: 1-213-289-0500 (Los Angeles)
Participant Access Code: 671366
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.org/JobSeekerFocusGroup.aspx
BDPA New Jersey HSCC Team (2011)
by Wayne Hicks

I've looked over a number of resumes in my career. However, I must admit that I enjoyed the three resumes that I received from members of the BDPA New Jersey High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team members Matthew Clark, Andrew Hall and Dakari Jones. The three young men were sharing their qualifications with many of the corporations at the BDPA career fair last week in Chicago. I see a bright future for these young men.
BDPA New Jersey chapter's HSCC team members performed well at the BDPA Northeast Regional HSCC Championship held earlier this summer at Bowie State University. The competition consisted of an oral exam, written exam and a problem which required the students to create a web-based programming solution.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-new-jersey-hscc-team-2011.html
BDPA New York Honored as 'Chapter of the Year'

BDPA New York was awarded the 2011 Chapter of the Year Award at the National BDPA Conference Awards Gala, at the Hilton Chicago, on Saturday, August 6, 2011. The award was presented by BDPA co-founder Earl Pace. Accepting on behalf of the chapter was current BDPA New York chapter president Renetta English, who was both "ignited and inspired" by the win, referring to the 2011 Conference theme: Ignite, Inspire & Empower.
This award goes to the chapter with the best overall Chapter achievements for the previous year in areas such as membership, community service, professional development, and chapter management.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-new-york-honored-as-chapter-of.html
BDPA Foundation Announces 2011 Eli Lilly Scholarship Winners

The BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF), in coordination with Eli Lilly and Company, is pleased to announce the winner of the fifth annual Eli Lilly and Company Scholarship for BDPA Students. The two winners this year are Jala Cruz, a graduating senior at North Central High School (Indianapolis, IN) and Adwait Walimbe, a rising senior at John Marshall High School (Rochester, MN).
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-foundation-announces-2011-eli.html
Fundraising Tip: How To Secure Corporate Support

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) spends a good deal of our energy trying to ensure that we don't have conflicts with the corporate sales efforts of National BDPA or any of the 45 local BDPA chapters. However, it has become more and more apparent over the past few years that our ability to generate revenues improves exponentially if we find ways to work together.
I think that the following fundraising tip provides some excellent food-for-thought on non-traditional ways that any nonprofit can find support from Corporate America as we continue through these tough economic times.
Pursue In-Kind Donations, Contributed Media and Technical Expertise
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/fundraising-tip-how-to-secure-corporate.html
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Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team: socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends, co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Monday, August 08, 2011
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The BDPA Insider - August 7, 2011
What better way to start the day than
with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
BDPA Columbus earns 3rd Place in national competition!!!
Take Five: Monique Berry (BDPA Philadelphia)
Bemley Scholar Courtney Elzy Heads to Illinois State University
Fundraising Tip: How to Raise Money on Facebook
Facebook Marketing
Reflections on BDPA Dignitaries Reception
Fundraising Tip: How To Raise More Money Online
Fundraising Tip: Map Donations to Impact
Click here for the
latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/08/bdpa-insider-august-7-2011.html
Click here for "The
BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
BDPA Columbus earns 3rd Place in national competition!!!
Posted by Ricardo Wilkins on 7 Aug 2011

The results are in! As we close out the 33rd Annual BDPA
National Conference and High School Computer Competition, I’m proud to announce
that the BDPA Columbus high school team scored THIRD PLACE this year out of 19
participating teams!
Click here for more:
http://www.rixbits.com/2011/08/bdpa-columbus-earns-3rd-place-in.html
Take Five: Monique Berry (BDPA Philadelphia)

National BDPA president-elect Monique Berry has been a
leader for many years. She is now only a few months away from becoming the
national president of the most dynamic association of African American
Information Technology professionals in the universe.
We asked Monique to share some insights with us as part of
our ongoing 'Take Five' interview series.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/take-five-monique-berry-bdpa.html
Bemley Scholar Courtney Elzy Heads to Illinois State University

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) has given
out hundreds of college scholarships over the year. It never gets old! There are
BETF scholarship winners attending major colleges and universities all over the
nation.
Today we learn that Courtney Elzy -- a member of the 2008
BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Championship bronze-medalists
trained by BDPA Chicago chapter -- plans to use her Jesse Bemley Scholarship to
study graphics design at Illinois State University.
Courtney shared insights on her BDPA experience with us:
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/bemley-scholar-courtney-elzy-heads-to.html
Fundraising Tip: How to Raise Money on Facebook

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) first
joined Facebook back in May 2008.
We have discussed Facebook in one way or another quite often via this blog.
However, we have never been able to raise any serious money on Facebook.
Has your nonprofit organization or local BDPA chapter had success raising
money on Facebook?
I think that the following fundraising tip may be a helpful
reminder to all of us nonprofit advocates who still think that Facebook is for
kids.
Create and Tap Your Social Network
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/fundraising-tip-how-to-raise-money-on.html
Facebook Marketing
by Kai Dupe

A couple of weeks ago I was having breakfast with a friend
at a restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. The food was delicious. I remember
thinking to myself I can’t wait to tell my friends about this place. So after we
finished eating I decided to ask the proprietor if he had a Facebook page.
His answer was "Yes, but it is more trouble that it’s
worth”. Translation; He does have a Facebook page but he does not do anything to
manage the content. How tragic! I was so shocked by this statement that I could
not stop ranting to my friend on the drive home about how we continue to miss
out on opportunities in business because we are not taking advantage of
important technologies like social media.
Click here for more:
http://whereareblacksintechnology.blogspot.com/2011/08/facebook-marketing.html
Reflections on BDPA Dignitaries Reception

I spent a few hours yesterday at the BDPA Dignitaries
Reception sponsored by BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois, New Mexico, Oklahoma
and Texas. It was a remarkable gathering of IT talent. BDPA founder Earl Pace
began the evening with a poignant toast to the work being done by BDPA
volunteers and Corporate America in the efforts to advance the careers of
African Americans in the IT industry.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/reflections-on-bdpa-dignitaries.html
Fundraising Tip: How To Raise More Money Online

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) exists to
raise money to support BDPA programs all over the nation.
Our story of helping young people win the future by working with them on
science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs is a powerful
one. Our challenge is turning the
power of that story into donations to our nonprofit.
We need to do a much better job in meeting our fundraising goals.
I think that the following fundraising tip may be a helpful
reminder to all of us that work with nonprofits that are doing good works.
Make Your Donation Button Shine
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/fundraising-tip-how-to-raise-more-money.html
Fundraising Tip: Map Donations to Impact

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) spends so
much time interacting with the students, volunteers and IT professionals that
participate in our programs ... sometimes we take it for granted. One thing that
we're learning is that we cannot take for granted the impact that our BDPA
programs and services are having on the lives of real people around the country.
In fact, we need to do a much better job of documenting the impact we are making
if we want to do better in meeting our fundraising goals.
I think that the following fundraising tip may be a helpful
reminder to all of us that work with nonprofits that are doing good works.
How to Build Loyal, Happy Donors
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/08/fundraising-tip-map-donations-to-impact.html
Subscribe to the BDPA
Foundation Blog via email:
http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/emailverifySubmit?feedId=649683
Subscribe to
the BDPA Community Blog:
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
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http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter:
http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA:
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social
Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team:
socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends,
co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key
is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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Posted By Milt Haynes,
Sunday, July 31, 2011
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The BDPA Insider - July 31, 2011
What better way to start the day than with your weekly message from BDPA!
In this issue:
Fundraising Tip: Make Specific and Direct Asks for Money
Fundraising Tip: Never Apply for a Grant Without Contacting the Foundation First
Is Your Digital Tattoo Attracting or Repulsing Customers?
Job Seeker Mindset Training
The future of IT will be reduced to three kinds of jobs
BDPA CHICAGO CHAPTER'S FANTASTIC VOYAGE - 8/5/2011
2011 BDPA Technology Conference Video
BDPA Conference Workshop: 'Everybody Matters' (LaShawn Sithole)
BDPA Conference Workshop: CyberLife Tutors, 7/26/2011 (April Williams)
Blacks Gone Geek Live! 2011 National BDPA Conference
BDPA National Conference Career Fair Registration Now Open
2011 National BDPA Conference Registration Now Open
Click here for the latest issue of "The BDPA Insider":
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/07/bdpa-insider-july-31-2011.html
Click here for "The BDPA Insider" Archives:
http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_Insider_Archive
Fundraising Tip: Make Specific and Direct Asks for Money

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) spends a good deal of time talking with people about BDPA programs and services. We think that the worthiness of these programs is so self-evident that the money should be flowing in from donors to help us expand them. Of course, we've learned over time that we're just having a 'pleasant conversation' if we don't close the deal. I think that the following fundraising tip may be a helpful reminder to all of us that work with nonprofits that are doing good works.
Make Specific and Direct Asks for Money:
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/07/fundraising-tip-make-specific-and.html
Fundraising Tip: Never Apply for a Grant Without Contacting the Foundation First

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) spends a good deal of time writing grant proposals. Our success rate isn't very high. I think that the following fundraising tip may be helpful to us as we move forward in our grant-writing campaign.
Never Apply for a Grant Without Contacting the Foundation First:
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/07/fundraising-tip-never-apply-for-grant.html
Is Your Digital Tattoo Attracting or Repulsing Customers?
by Tonya R. Taylor

It's a fact, love them or hate them tattoos are popular and (almost) permanent. The tattoo design choice, or body art, says something about you; well actually a lot about you. It may convey your mood at a particular moment in time, it may have a deep personal meaning, you may like the artwork or some may think they're just stylish.
Even though tattoos have become incredibly mainstream the kind I am talking about has nothing to do with body art. This type of tattoo is about your business or career; yes even if you have a small business, be a college student or work in corporate America. Let me ask you a simple question, what does your digital tattoo say about your business?
Before you can answer that, I need to explain exactly what a Digital Tattoo is.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/07/is-your-digital-tattoo-attracting-or.html
Job Seeker Mindset Training

When you think about it, you truly are an amazing being. How you think causes how you feel (emotions), which in turn urges what you do (performance), thereby creating your results and how others perceive you (impressions). It all begins with how you think. Your thoughts, about 60,000 per day, arise from what you believe and how you choose to observe and interpret the world. In effect, you keep making thoughts up and believing they are real, without realizing you are the master of how you made yourself feel and what you achieve. Each minute of every day, you have the option to think in a manner to produce joy, optimism, enthusiasm, gratitude and love, or just as easily, you can produce fear, worry, envy, doubt and anger. No one controls how you think but you, and you can produce either of these emotions at will or without regard to your actual circumstances. For example, you can cause yourself to feel upbeat during bad times, or you can allow yourself to feel beat down during good times. The biggest challenge you face every day is controlling how you think in order to self-motivate your best performance, results and impressions. So how is that working out for you?
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/07/job-seeker-mindset-training.html
The future of IT will be reduced to three kinds of jobs
from BDPA Detroit TAC by Cliff Samuels Jr
By Jason Hiner

Takeaway: The IT profession and the IT job market are in the midst of seismic changes that are going to shift the focus to three types of jobs.
There's a general anxiety that has settled over much of the IT profession in recent years. It's a stark contrast to the situation just over a decade ago. At the end of the 1990s, IT pros were the belles of the ball. The IT labor shortage regularly made headlines and IT pros were able to command excellent salaries by getting training and certification, job hopping, and, in many cases, being the only qualified candidate for a key position in a thinly-stretched job market. At the time, IT was held up as one of the professions of the future, where more and more of the best jobs would be migrating as computer-automated processes replaced manual ones.
Unfortunately, that idea of the future has disappeared, or at least morphed into something much different.
Click here for more:
http://bdpadet-tac.blogspot.com/2011/07/future-of-it-will-be-reduced-to-three.html
BDPA CHICAGO CHAPTER'S FANTASTIC VOYAGE - 8/5/2011

AFTER A PRODUCTIVE DAY AT THE NATIONAL BDPA TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE...
Join your host chapter for a
FANTASTIC VOYAGE ABOARD THE ANITA DEE II
Click here for more:
http://www.bdpa.org/events/event_details.asp?id=172187
2011 BDPA Technology Conference Video

This video provides a preview of the 33rd annual BDPA Technology Conference set to take place August 3-6, 2011 in Chicago, IL.
Video Credits: LeVern Danley (LAD4 Creations)
Click here for more:
http://youtu.be/d-6_ThFDPxY
BDPA Conference Workshop: 'Everybody Matters' (LaShawn Sithole)

Wayne Hicks & LaShawn Sithole
The 2011 BDPA Technology Conference begins next week. One of the people that I'm looking forward to seeing is LaShawn Sithole (owner, One In a Billion Consulting). I met LaShawn a few years ago at a BDPA conference (see photo) and have followed the growth of her business interests since. In fact, my hope is that the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation will work closely the Next Young Phenom Foundation in the coming weeks and months.
It is for these reasons that I'm looking forward to sitting in on LaShawn's workshop next week in Chicago.
Click here for more:
http://betf.blogspot.com/2011/07/bdpa-conference-workshop-everybody.html
BDPA Conference Workshop: CyberLife Tutors, 7/26/2011 (April Williams)

Black Data Processing Associates Conference Features April M. Williams. The 2011 National Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA) Technology conference will feature April M. Williams, an executive coach and author of "Social Networking Throughout Your Career.” She will present two sessions, 'Creating Buzz Marketing for Professionals' and 'Facebook: Your Chapter PR Friend.'
During these 90 minute sessions, BDPA conference attendees will engage in interactive sessions to promote their professional careers using social networking tools. As a result of these presentations, participants will be armed to promote themselves effectively in the marketplace and demonstrate the value of their skills.
Click here for more:
http://bdpa-news.blogspot.com/2011/07/cyberlife-tutors-7262011-april-williams.html
Blacks Gone Geek Live! 2011 National BDPA Conference

Careers in Technology and much, much more
The objective of this workshop is to inspire you to embrace and effectively use Information Technology inyour academic pursuitsand professional career.
Careers in Technology and much, much more
Who:Milt Haynes, Founder, Blacks Gone Geek [bio]
Date:Friday, August 5, 2011
Time:2:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Where:Hilton Chicago
Room:TBD
Address:720 South Michigan,Chicago, IL 60605
Click here for more:
http://blacksgonegeek.blogspot.com/2011/07/blacks-gone-geek-live-2011-national.html
BDPA National Conference Career Fair Registration Now Open


Are you taking your career in a new direction?
...or are you just entering the workforce?
...or are you undecided about your career path?
Then this EXPO is for you!!
August 5-6, 2011
Chicago Hilton
720 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60605
Click here to download the Career Fair Flyer to give to a friend:
http://www.bdpa.org/resource/resmgr/2011_National_Conference/2011Flyeronly.pdf
Click here to register for the Friday event:
http://www.bdpa.org/event/Career_Expo_Friday
Click here to register for the Saturday event:
http://www.bdpa.org/event/Career_Expo_Saturday
2011 National BDPA Conference Registration Now Open
Please accept our invitation to join us in the City of the Big Shoulders by registering for the 33rd Annual National BDPA Conference, August 3-6, 2011 at the Hilton Chicago.
Click here to register for the 2011 National BDPA Conference today!
http://bdpa.site-ym.com/?page=Conference2011
Hilton Chicago
720 S. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60603
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Subscribe to the BDPA Community Blog: http://bdpa.site-ym.com/members/blog_view.asp?id=637492
Subscribe to Blacks Gone Geek Blog via email:
http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=blogspot/BlacksGoneGeek&loc=en_US
Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/BDPA
Find the buzz on Twitter BDPA: http://search.twitter.com/search?q=BDPA
This message has been brought to you by the BDPA Social Networking Team: http://www.bdpa.org/?page=BDPA_SNet
Contact the BDPA Social Networking Team: socialnetworking@bdpa.org
PS: Please share this information with your friends, co-workers, church members, etc so that they can help us pass the word. The key is that we must share what we know with others so we can all grow and prosper.
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