I must admit that I'm excited to see the the future evolution of the BDPA chapter in Charlotte, NC. The chapter is about to be energized by the youthful intensity and integrity of the incoming president -- Julius Clark. Julius is part of the new generation of African American leadership that is beginning to take control of our BDPA chapters around the nation.Julius participated in our Take Five interview series:
- How did you get involved in working with BDPA? - I am a native of Boston and first heard of BDPA while living there, but I never had the opportunity to attend a meeting. I built a good IT employment network in Boston and after moving to Charlotte in 1999 it was very important for me to establish my employment ne
twork in this city. In 2000 I discovered that BDPA had a Charlotte chapter. I attended my first BDPA Charlotte meeting and was delighted to be in the company of African American brothers and sisters who all shared a passion for Information Technology like I did. Being new to Charlotte I made sure I attended every monthly meeting. At that time Archie Lucy was president. He followed up with me each month after I had attended to a few meetings, which made me feel very connected with the local BDPA organization. The board asked if I would like to talk to Johnson C. Smith College students about the Information Technology profession, and soon after that they asked me to become Coordinator for our High School Computer Competition program.
- What is the most rewarding aspect of working with BDPA? - Being able to help introduce high school students to the Information Technology and mentor adults in the field is the most rewarding. Since I graduated from high school, I always wanted to give back to the African American community in a huge way. The BDPA allows me to give back to my community with something I love; technology!
- Tell us about a defining moment in your life? - One defining life moment was when I received my BS in Electronic Engineering, with both of my parents both in the audience; I was the first person in my family to earn a college degree.
- Who is your hero and why? - Besides my parents, Malcolm X became my hero. After reading the Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley at the age of 21, my perspective on my life and community changed; It’s like a light switch got turned on in my thinking and I instantly knew how to be a strong Black leader for my community.
- Any advice for people considering donation to BETF? - My advice is to give what you can afford, and just don’t allow it to only be monetary-- get involved with your local BDPA Chapter or the BETF and donate Thought Leadership to make it more personal and share your experience and excitement about our cause with others.
Julius is taking over a chapter that is the 15th largest in the nation. I suspect his leadership team will have BDPA Charlotte chapter in the Top 10 before long! What say u?
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I have browse BDPA site and I think it can help you advance your career in the IT profession. We give professionals, executives, entrepreneurs and students an IT career pathway from the "Classroom to the Boardroom". Through education, mentoring, services and business networking, BDPA promotes innovation, technical skills, business savvy and personal growth.
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