Message from New York Chapter President

Dear BDPA Family and Friends,

One national mandate for BDPA chapters is to ensure that we participate in Black Family Technology Awareness Week (BFTAW). Thanks to our sponsors, National Grid, our chapter “showed up and showed out” to deliver to our community an outstanding 2010 BFTAW program.

Leading up to BFTAW, on February 4th, BDPA member and Yahoo! Engagement Manager, Eric Hamilton, joined us to deliver an outstanding presentation titled "Social Media Branding in the Age of Obama". The technology students of Winthrop Beacon and Bildersee Community Centers, located in Brooklyn, NY, loved his presentation. BDPA-NY thanked the students for participating by raffling his new book of the same name, “Social Media Branding in the Age of Obama”. Also a new member joined that evening - Welcome Aboard Ike Jurawan.

For our February 13th BFTAW Program, our Master of Ceremony was BDPA-NY’s Alain Leroy. He opened the program by sharing his experience of going from the classroom, as a former participant of HSCC in 1989, to the boardroom, as a current employee of WellPoint, a position he obtained through attending the 2009 National BDPA Conference Career Expo.

Highlights of the 2010 BFTAW program were:

• Presentation by our sponsor, National Grid, on their Products and Services, presented by National Grid employee and former BDPA National President Renee McClure.
• Presentation by BDPA member, Roxanne Clinton on "Netsmartz: Internet Safety for Our Youth". The purpose of this workshop was to increase children's safety awareness and self-confidence whenever they go online, enhance their ability to recognize dangers on the Internet and increase communication between adults and children about online safety.
• Panel Discussion on "Cost Effective Solutions for Business Owners", with panelists Eric Hamilton, Founder, The Web Academy, Maisha Walker, President, Message Medium, and Eula M. Young-Guest, COO, Griot's Roll Film Production & Services Inc. and expert in On-line Marketing, Video Consultant & Public Relations Social Media expert. The discussion allowed business owners the opportunity to share with National Grid and the community how they use technology to build and support their businesses.
• Lieutenant Commander Daniel Ortiz of the United States Navy shared with our audience more about US Naval ROTC scholarship programs as well as the discussed the exciting engineering and technology careers that the U.S. Navy offers.

Another highlight was the BDPA-NY Youth Technology Showcase. The goal of this presentation was to introduce to our community some of the exciting science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) projects that our youth participate in. We started this part of the program by introducing teams who are participating in the US FIRST 2010 Competition. The students of Eagle Foundation Academy are high school students who participate in the FIRST Robotics Competition by building a robot of their own design. The Girl Scouts of Westbury/New Cassel are middle school students, who participate in the FIRST Lego League, by designing, building and programming robots using LEGO MINDSTORMS® technology. Both teams are currently preparing for the upcoming FIRST competition and we were fortunate to have them for stop by and share their robot experiences.

BDPA SITES students presented their experience with BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) and IT Showcase. New York SITES students shared their experience of earning Bemley Scholarships with their 5th place performance at the 2009 National HSCC championships held in Raleigh NC. They also shared their experience attending the Teragrid Computing Conference. Also one student shared and described his experience being a student intern at UBS at their Stamford, CT location.

Finally, there was a technical presentation given by the 2009 BDPA IT Showcase winners from BDPA Northern Delaware. This dynamite team demonstrated their research and theories on advanced computing topics. Audiences were floored by presentations on topics such as Microprocessor meets Athletics Performance; Global Warming Impacts and Solutions (Saving the Polar Bear through Technology); and Buildings Wobble But They Don’t Fall Down (Skyscaper Swaying)

The day was phenomenal and I have to give a special acknowledgement and BDPA hug to:

• Community Leaders: - Ramon Ray, Technology Evangelist and author of "Technology Solutions for Growing Businesses”; William Diaz and Jim Harrison of Eagle Foundation Academy; and the Disney “Give a Day, Get a Day” Volunteers, who gave their time and talent to assist with the program
• BDPA Leaders: - National Grid Corporate Champion and former BDPA National President, Renee McClure Mills; Karen Smith, BDPA Northern Delaware President, who drove her SITES students after a snowstorm that crippled much of the East Coast; Eric Hamilton, who doesn’t hesitate to volunteer as a speaker and presenter; Roxanne Clinton - many, many thanks for stepping in to present on Netsmartz workshop; Councilman Coram Rimes, BDPA New Jersey President -- When I shared with him a story about one of our HSCC students, who couldn’t afford a computer at home and was saving his money to buy one for college in the fall, Councilman Rimes stopped by and delivered a brand new laptop for the student; BFTAW Chairpersons, Damon Holmes and Cheryl Nedwell, for organizing this year’s event; and the BDPA New York Executive Board for ensuring that the program was a success.

Thank you all once again. Please visit us on Facebook or Fotki to see pictures of our events. Also please come out to network with BDPA members and other IT Professionals at our upcoming Meet-N-Greet at B. Smith’s Restaurant on February 24.

If you are interested in learning about how you can volunteer or sponsor an event in the future, please send an email or call (212) 802-5341 or visit our website.

With BDPA Love,
Judaea Yarde Lane, President
BDPA New York
“Taking BDPA to the STEM Level”
phone: (212) 802-5341