Book Shelf of BDPA Authors

This will be a recurring post sharing information on BDPA members that have authored books. BDPA members come from a diverse background. As such, we should not be surprised to see our members writing fiction and non-fiction books on a wide variety of topics.

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'This Far by Faith: How to Put God First in Everyday Living' by Linnie Frank Bailey and the late Andria Hall -

Published by WaterBrook Press; Reprint edition (September 19, 2000), 272 pages. Linnie is past president of BDPA Washington DC chapter and founder of the BDPA Inland Empire chapter.

"If your faith is the size of a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." - Matthew 17:20

A clarion call for those who want to have God in their lives every day and not just on Sundays, 'This Far by Faith' offers clear-sighted, friendly advice that will guide readers gently into the future. Bailey and Hall share the "Faith Formula" they have developed in their work together, which they use in their own lives to conquer daily obstacles.

Through Scripture, original prayers and affirmations, and plain old-fashioned "straight talk," the authors tackle issues ranging from friendship, family, love, marriage, child-rearing, and work, all while underscoring the importance of faith and perseverance as a way of maintaining balance in today's busy world. In chapters such as "What You Won't Do for Love," "Keeping the Home Fires Burning," "A House Is Not a Home," "Jobs, Career, and Callings," and "Give Me That Old Time Religion," Bailey and Hall discuss ways to "live in the light."

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Please let us know if there are other current or former BDPA members who have published a book. We would love to add them to this recurring blog post.

Do you have any books that you recommend for BDPA members? What are you reading now?

Member on the Move: Midge Johnson ('They Didn't Get That Way By Themselves')

Earl Pace, Midge Johnson, Wayne Hicks

Margaret 'Midge' Johnson has a powerful legacy within BDPA. She served as the BDPA Washington DC chapter president in 1989-1990. Her chapter's HSCC team finished in second (1989) and first (1990) place during those two years. Her chapter hosted the 1990 National BDPA Technology Conference. Midge subsequently became the first-ever executive director for National BDPA.

Midge is now a 70 year-old mother and grandmother with a career in the Information Technology industry that spanned over 50 years until her recent retirement from GEICO. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Business Management and a Master's Degree in Public Administration with a specialization in Management Systems Analysis. Her degrees were earned over a period of 16 years of going to school at night and on the weekends. During those 16 years she was married, worked a full time job and she was mother to two sons and a daughter. She has been a married parent and a single parent. She is currently a member of Rainbow Family Christian Center in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Midge wrote a book entitled, 'They Didn't Get That Way By Themselves'. The book has a remarkable narrative, funny stories, the wisdom and the Word of God along with prayers. Use them all to train your children to prepare them for growing up to be responsible, self-reliant adults with integrity.



Midge grew up in a home with both parents after the first three years of her life (her father went off to World War II about 3 days after she was born). Her mother lived with her father's mother until he came back from the war. She had the benefit of both parents for about 6 of her first 15 years (her parents would separate and go back together intermittently). After that time, her mother raised her with the help of her paternal grandmother and her estranged father. She learned, observed and heard a lot of things related to "training" children through the years and decided that maybe she could help new parents and maybe some who were already parents.

"I didn't always make the best decisions concerning my children but I sure gave it my best based on what I experienced, what I was taught and what I learned as they grew. In retrospect, I have accumulated some nuggets on "training" children that eventually worked for my children as well as for my grandchildren."

Well done Midge! Now it is up to BDPA members and supporters to remember that old adage, 'BUY BDPA'!

Hard Truths Your Board Members Must Face If They Want to Raise Big Money

Excerpted from the second edition of Fundraising Realities Every Board Member Must Face: A 1-Hour Crash Course on Raising Major Gifts for Nonprofit Organizations

"You can't handle the truth!" is Jack Nicholson's memorable line in A Few Good Men.

Fortunately, your board members are a hardier lot than Tom Cruise's character. They can in fact accept the truth - in this case, three fundraising truths - if you carefully explain the validity of each.   Those truths are:

1. Go Figure
2. Each According to His or Her Means
3. Those Who Ask Must Give First

Click here to read the full GuideStar article.

Related articles

• Four tips for a successful fundraising year
• A Book in 5 Minutes: "Startup Boards" by Brad Feld and Mahendra Ramsinghani

Three Fundraising Realities Every Board Member Must Face

There are 43 'realities' about big-gifts fundraising described by David Landsdowne in his book, 'Fundraising Realities Every Board Member Must Face: A 1-Hour Crash Course on Raising Major Gifts for Nonprofit Organizations'. He goes into some detail on each of them.

Three of those 'realities' are:

1. Wealth Alone Doesn't Determine
2. A Few Contribute the Most
3. The Secret to Success

Read the full GuideStar article to learn more from the author about these three fundraising tips.

Related articles

• Fundraising reflections for 2013
• Fundraising - Setting Right Donor Expectations

7 Success Principles of Steve Jobs

Soulclap to Donald White for sharing these seven principles with us. I thought that our blog readers would enjoy these insights from the late Steve Jobs.
Principle One: Do what you love. Steve Jobs once told a group of employees, “People with passion can change the world for the better.” Jobs has followed his heart his entire life and that passion, he says, has made all the difference. It’s very difficult to come up with new, creative, and novel ideas unless you are passionate about moving society forward.

Principle Two: Put a dent in the universe. Passion fuels the rocket, but vision directs the rocket to its ultimate destination. In 1976, when Jobs and Steve Wozniak co-founded Apple, Jobs’ vision was to put a computer in the hands of everyday people. In 1979, Jobs saw an early and crude graphical user interface being demonstrated at the Xerox research facility in Palo Alto, California.

He knew immediately that the technology would make computers appealing to “everyday people.” That technology eventually became The Macintosh, which changed everything about the way we interact with computers. Xerox scientists didn’t realize its potential because their “vision” was limited to making new copiers. Two people can see the exactly the same thing, but perceive it differently based on their vision.

Principle Three: Kick start your brain. Steve Jobs once said “Creativity is connecting things.” Connecting things means seeking inspiration from other industries. At various times, Jobs has found inspiration in a phone book, Zen meditation, visiting India, a food processor at Macy’s, or The Four Seasons hotel chain. Jobs doesn’t “steal” ideas as much as he uses ideas from other industries to inspire his own creativity.

Principle Four: Sell dreams, not products. To Steve Jobs, people who buy Apple products are not “consumers.” They are people with hopes, dreams and ambitions. He builds products to help people achieve their dreams. He once said, “some people think you’ve got to be crazy to buy a Mac, but in that craziness we see genius.” How do you see your customers? Help them unleash their inner genius and you’ll win over their hearts and minds.

Principle Five: Say no to 1,000 things. Steve Jobs once said, “I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.” He is committed to building products with simple, uncluttered design. And that commitment extends beyond products. From the design of the iPod to the iPad, from the packaging of Apple’s products, to the functionality of the Web site, in Apple’s world, innovation means eliminating the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.

Principle Six: Create insanely great experiences. The Apple store has become the world’s best retailer by introducing simple innovations any business can adopt to create deeper, more emotional connections with their customers. For example, there are no cashiers in an Apple store. There are experts, consultants, even geniuses, but no cashiers. Why? Because Apple is not in the business of moving boxes; they are in the business of enriching lives. Big difference.

Principle Seven: Master the message. Steve Jobs is the world’s greatest corporate storyteller, turning product launches into an art form. You can have the most innovative idea in the world, but if you can’t get people excited about it, it doesn’t matter.

'The Business Landscape of Cloud Computing' by Daryl Plummer

Daryl Plummer is a past member of the National BDPA Board of Directors. He served as our outside director for a couple of years. Daryl is a Gartner Fellow responsible for that companies research into Cloud Computing and Emerging Technologies. He is one of the highest-ranking African Americans in the consulting realm of the IT industry.

One of the things I always appreciated about Daryl was his ability to break down high-powered technology and leadership concepts into practical language and images that everyone could understand. He continues to demonstrate that skill with the publication of a new eBook, The Business Landscape of Cloud Computing.

He breaks down the concept of 'Cloud Computing' in the following way:

"Cloud computing means someone else runs your computers and software while you use what they deliver and focus on delivering value."

All of the most important cloud computing topics are covered including security, ROI, Cloud Services Brokerage (third party intermediaries), and the ever present question of private vs. public. Mr. Plummer even ventures into macro economic territory in looking at the impact of cloud computing, job creation, and as more companies move into the cloud, the question of whether or not some cloud infrastructure providers become Too Big to Fail?

If you are new to cloud, this is a must read. If you have been working with the cloud for a while now, it is a great reminder that the real value of the cloud is what is possible because of the cloud, or to use Daryl’s words the cloud allows you to focus on value [rather than technology].

I encourage all BDPA members to check out this eBook.

Geeks Gone Great: Steve Pemberton (Walgreen Company)

by Sheila Marionneaux
Blacks Gone Geek

Steve Pemberton is Chief Diversity Officer and Divisional Vice-President for Walgreens, the first such person to hold that responsibility in the company's 110 year history. One of America's most inspiring executives, Steve's journey to corporate America has been all but traditional. He has become recognized as one of the nation's leaders on matters of diversity and inclusion and its importance to the growth of the American industrial complex. In 2006, Fortune named Steve Pemberton one of the Top 20 Chief Diversity Officers in corporate America. In 2007, Steve was called to Capitol Hill to provide expert testimony on best practices in diversity recruiting and in 2008 he was named by Savoy as one of The Top 100 most influential African-Americans in corporate America. Steve currently serves on several boards including The Home for Little Wanderers and UCAN to provide guidance and inspiration to children in need. The Pemberton Fund For The Future has been established at The Home For Little Wanderers to assist children aging out of the foster care system.


A ward of the state for much of his childhood, Steve has made opportunity, access and equality pillars of his personal and professional life. His memoir, A Chance in the World, was published by Thomas Nelson in January of 2012. A Chance In The World: An Orphan Boy, a Mysterious Past, and How He Found a Place Called Home is his riveting autobiography that chronicles Steve's difficult path through foster care and determined search for his family. It is an inspirational story that crosses generations and cultures, but specifically whispers to those who have had the odds stacked against them. Steve's relentless journey to overcome, find his biological family, and right the wrongs of his parents' past, is a model for all families to follow. It is a true testament of faith, fortitude and forgiveness. A Chance In The World achieved a favorable Kirkus review, was recently featured in People Magazine earning 3.5/4.0 stars, and Amazon reviews give A Chance In The World 5 stars!

Steve is a graduate of Boston College. He is married and has three children.

Read the full Blacks Gone Geek interview.

Connect With Monique: The 11 Secrets of Highly Influential IT Leaders

by Monique Berry, president
National BDPA

I was given this book, "The 11 Secrets of Highly Influential IT Leaders" by a friend. I must admit, I didn't put it at the top of my reading list. Something in the mystery genre is more my speed. Having read many IT and general management books I thought it would be good for those nights when getting to sleep can be difficult BUT I have to say this was not your typical management book and once started I needed to finish it.

It is a very easy to read book, about the right length and packed full (well 11 actually) of some extremely useful information.

The author has done an excellent job in researching what makes a successful IT leader and put the answers into an easy to understand style that makes you want to start putting them into action straight away.

Each reader will relate to different parts of the book, based on his/her individual experiences and will find different parts to be either commonplaces or insightful. No surprise, since we each bring very different experiences and beliefs to the book. But I'm sure that anyone who faces off with end users and business stakeholders will take away something of value.

I recommend this book to CIOs, IT Directors, IT Managers, Program and Project managers and those that want to aspire to those positions. I believe you will truly learn something from this book that will help you to become more successful.

Book Shelf of BDPA Authors

This will be a recurring post sharing information on BDPA members that have authored books. BDPA members come from a diverse background. As such, we should not be surprised to see our members writing fiction and non-fiction books on a wide variety of topics.

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1. Choose to Lead (Paperback) - by Deborah Chima (BDPA Chicago), Business Growth Publications, May 2006, 168 pages.
   
   Are you doing all you can to become a leader? This book that will show you the path to leadership and how to make a conscious choice to lead rather than falling into a leadership role by chance. This book is for women who want to learn to lead in powerful and effective ways. Choose to Lead addresses the main issues that challenge women such as constant pressure to achieve a manageable work/life balance. You learn how to determine "what matters most" in the ongoing quest for managing a career and personal life.
   
   Deborah Chambers Chima, president and CEO of Chambers Consulting Group (CCG) is passionate about helping leaders unleash their leadership potential. She is a longtime member of our BDPA Chicago chapter. Among the high profile clients signing on to her high-energy organizational consulting programs are Navistar International, Ortho- Biotech (J&J), Shell Oil, Alltel Wireless, Pro-Line International, Sears Holding Company, CSL Behring, Lowes and McDonald’s Corporation.
2. Due North (Hardback) - by Jylla Foster (BDPA Chicago), Crystal Stairs, November 2002, 180 pages.
   
   Jylla Moore Foster shares her leadership journey in Due North! through stories about her life experiences as a corporate executive, entrepreneur, community activist and mother. The roadmap she offers those who join her on this journey includes mile markers of Coachable Moments, masterfully intertwined with elements of her professional training as an executive coach. She provides a Coach Approach for you to develop greater self-awareness, achieve professional breakthroughs and reach personal goals.
   
   Jylla Foster is a former BDPA Chicago chapter member. She is founder, president and CEO of Crystal Stairs. She is also a nationally renowned business executive, whose corporate, entrepreneurial, and coaching experiences, as well as her expertise in marketing, sales, channels, operations and technology across multiple industries and various customer sizes, have propelled her to the forefront of her field.
3. Corporate Leadership Selection: Impact on American Business, Employees, and Society (Paperback) - by Dr. Reginald Gardner (BDPA Chicago), AuthorHouse, January 2009, 152 pages.
   
   We are watching unethical and immoral corporate leadership behavior in the current economic crisis in companies like AIG. This book strikes a nerve in those who have the moral courage to blow the whistle on their observed corporate wrongdoing; and open the hearts of those who will encounter questionable leadership activity in the future. This book is geared toward existing corporate leaders; newly selected corporate leaders; those who aspire to become corporate leaders; and students who study and research corporate leader selection. The U.S. remains the greatest country in the world. It is fueled by successful American corporations. However, like any other entity or process, there is always room for improvement.
   
   Dr. Gardner is a long-time BDPA leader. He served as president of our Chicago chapter, national vice-president, and director of BDPA Education & Technology Foundation. Gardner obtained his Ph.D. after a long career in corporate America. He currently serves as CIO for a family-owned business in the Chicago area.
4. Read Between the Lines: Principles of Communicating and Facilitating (Paperback) - by Andree Justin (BDPA Los Angeles), Unlock Publishing House, November 2010.
   
   It is not just the spoken words that complete the communication; it is your entire being that is presented to the receiver of your words, expression and emotions that complete the process. Successful meetings occur when you know how to plan an agenda, understand the communication process and possess skills to keep you on the path to achieving your goals. Use this book as a handy guide to give yourself a tune-up when preparing for meetings, small or large. Use it as a refresher course in years to come and you will find that facilitating successful meetings is one of your better skills, and a skill that allows you to be successful in many other endeavors.
   
   Andree Justin is past president of BDPA Los Angeles chapter and a certified project manager with extensive experience in software development projects in a variety of industries. It is wonderful that she has taken her experiences and placed them into a book for the rest of us!
5. New Science of Success: How to Outsource Proof Your Job and Prosper in a Web 2.0 Economy (Paperback) - by Frank Shines (BDPA Greater Tampa Bay), Skill of Success Publishing, April 2007, 155 pages.
   
   We stand at the brink of a new era of wealth creation in which India, China and other emerging countries are positioned to outpace the economic growth of the U.S. By mid-century China will become the largest economy in the world. For the USA, this brings with it the growing fear of American jobs being outsourced en masse to low-cost labor markets. This book outlines what you can do to survive -- and thrive -- in the new DIY Web 2.0 economy.
   
   Frank Shines is president of our Tampa Bay chapter. Currently, Frank serves as the Director of Business Development at Industriaplex, a next generation global sourcing and consulting firm, where he focuses on the intersection of business, technology and organizational change. He holds a BS in Management from the US Air Force Academy and MBA in Marketing Statistics from National University of Sacramento.

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Please let us know if there are other current or former BDPA members who have published a book. We would love to add them to this recurring blog post.

Do you have any books that you recommend for BDPA members? What are you reading now?

Black Faces in White Places: Becoming a Game Changer in a Competitive World

Randal D. Pinkett, PhD, MBA, and leaders in philanthropy, education, community building, and social entrepreneurship gathered earlier this year to discuss strategies for Black men and boys to "redefine the game" at work, at home, and in their communities.   Here is a video of the entire event:





The event was hosted by the Open Society Campaign for Black Male Achievement, in partnership with the Association of Black Foundation Executives, the 21st Century Foundation and the Schott Foundation for Public Education Black Male Donor Collaborative.

In their book Black Faces in White Places, authors Randal D. Pinkett and Jeffrey Robinson seek to answer the question "What happens once you break past the glass ceiling?" Based on interviews with dozens of prominent African Americans and the authors' considerable experiences in business, in the public eye, and in the minority, the book offers 10 "game-changing strategies" for learning, playing, mastering, and redefining the game for the current generation. Ultimately, it is about changing the very concept of success itself.

Panelists

• Nicole Sharpe, Director, Schott Foundation for Public Education Black Male Donor Collaborative (moderator)
• Susan Taylor Batten, President/CEO, Association of Black Foundation Executives
• Chandra Anderson, Interim President, 21st Century Foundation
• Roger Blissett, Managing Director, US Strategy, RBC Capital Markets
• Michael Lewis, Member, Hunter College's Black Male Initiative Program

Stuck in the Shallow End: Education, Race and Computing

The number of African Americans receiving undergraduate and advanced degrees in computer science is disproportionately low, according to recent surveys. And relatively few African American high school students receive the kind of institutional encouragement, educational opportunities, and preparation needed for them to choose computer science as a field of study and profession.

In Stuck in the Shallow End, Jane Margolis looks at the daily experiences of students and teachers in three Los Angeles public high schools: an overcrowded urban high school, a math and science magnet school, and a well-funded school in an affluent neighborhood. She finds an insidious "virtual segregation" that maintains inequality.

Two of the three schools studied offer only low-level, how-to (keyboarding, cutting and pasting) introductory computing classes. The third and wealthiest school offers advanced courses, but very few students of color enroll in them. The race gap in computer science, Margolis finds, is one example of the way students of color are denied a wide range of occupational and educational futures. Margolis traces the interplay of school structures (such factors as course offerings and student-to-counselor ratios) and belief systems—including teachers' assumptions about their students and students' assumptions about themselves.

Stuck in the Shallow End is a story of how inequality is reproduced in America -- and how students and teachers, given the necessary tools, can change the system.




The information in this book makes it more imperative than ever that BDPA chapters get serious about their efforts to implement a meaningful Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship (SITES) program in their city. We can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines.

Contact BETF by email or phone (513.284-4968) if you want support in SITES fundraising.

Social Media Branding in the Age of Obama (Eric Hamilton)

There are going to be over 50 tremendous workshops at the 32nd annual BDPA Technology Conference in Philadelphia on July 28-31, 2010. One of those workshops is being presented by Involver client services manager Eric Hamilton.  His workshop is entitled Social Media Branding in the Age of Obama.   The workshop is scheduled for Friday, July 30th at 1:30 PM.

Eric Hamilton is an internet and web development veteran with over 20 years of technology work experience.  Currently, Eric works for Involver which is a social media technology company. Involver’s technology powers over 70,000 Facebook fan pages and over 130 million Facebook fan experiences.

Eric is the author of “Social Media Branding in the Age of Obama”. This book is a social media guide which gives social media strategies for small businesses and personal development.





Eric's workshop is inspired by the 2008 presidential campaign when Barack Obama made history by not only becoming the United States' first African American President, but by using social media technology to get elected. Never has a presidential candidate used the internet and social media so effectively. President Barack Obama used social media web sites such as Facebook, LinkedIN, Twitter, Myspace, Blogger, BlogTalk Radio, YouTube and other web sites as a cohesive, collective social juggernaut. Never in the history of human civilization has the common man been able to control his media perception and catapult himself on to the big stage in this manner.

The agenda for Eric's workshop is as follows:

Social Media Branding in the Age of Obama

View more presentations from Wayne Hicks.

I plan on attending this workshop! How about you? Anyhow, Eric is available to answer any questions you might have in advance of the actual workshop in Philadelphia. What would you like to ask him?

Conversations with Octavia Butler

Octavia Butler (1947-2006) is one of my favorite authors. Her work was unique and provided an afrocentric view of science fiction. I'm pleased to see that many of her interviews from 1980 until just before her sudden death in 2006 have been gathered together into a book, 'Conversations with Octavia Butler'.

I plan to read this book.




Are you a science fiction fan? If so, what are your views on Octavia Butler and her works?

2010 HSCC Textbook: Schaum's Outline Principles of Computer Science

BDPA will train over 800 students this year as part of our Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program. Click here if you are interested in reviewing the recommended training topics documentation. The file contains the topics that will be covered in the Oral and Written quizzes.

The main textbook that will be used is Schaum's Outline Principles of Computer Science. Please let us know if you want to provide funds to purchase 1 or more books to be donated to chapter in your area. There are other books and resources shared in the training documentation.

Post a comment if you have questions or want to pledge funding. You can also reach out to Danna Sturdivant (National SITES Coordinator) on (800) 727-2372 for any questions about the training materials.

Barnes & Noble Corporate Contributions Program

We seek to share funding sources for the consideration of local BDPA chapters or other nonprofit organizations. BETF is willing to partner with any interested BDPA chapter or other IT-based nonprofit as per our documented funding process.

Here is information about the Barnes and Noble corporate contributions program.

Eligibility: Donations criteria we consider include those that:

• Reach a wider audience
  
• Serve the greater good both nationally and locally
  
• Offer opportunities for in-store events
  
• Are able to work with Barnes & Noble and other appropriate sponsors on promotion and execution of the program
  
• Are fully detailed and submitted in writing on your organization's letterhead

Barnes & Noble is also committed to literary-based sponsorships and partners with organizations that focus their core businesses on higher learning, literacy and the arts. These partnerships will foster not only community good will, but also promote our brand. Sponsors can be both for-profit and non-profit organizations. A suitable sponsorship is one that benefits Barnes & Noble and the communities it serves. Funding is limited.

Purpose: Barnes & Noble's corporate contributions program supports non-profit organizations that focus on literacy, the arts or education (K - 12).

More Information: For corporate sponsorships and donations, submit your proposal to:

Barnes & Noble will only accept requests for corporate sponsorships and donations either via e-mail at contributions@bn.com or in writing to:

Corporate Communications
Barnes & Noble
122 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10011
contributions@bn.com

For local and regional donations and sponsorships, submit your proposal to the community relations manager or store manager at your local Barnes & Noble store. Stores can be located using the store finder.

The proposal will be reviewed to see if it meets the above criteria. A limited number of proposals will be forwarded to the district manager and regional community relations manager for approval. Please allow 60 days for a decision.

8 Ideas for Book Donations to Support African Nonprofits

One of our BETF supporters recently requested support in his effort to obtain book donations for an African nonprofit organization. BDPA Orlando chapter president Pablo More provided him with eight remarkable ideas. Our blog shares these tips with our readers for posterity:

1. Get in touch with your local member of Congress both U.S Representative and U.S. Senators. Make them aware of what you are working and ask for guidance and assistance.
2. Seek out the U.S. Ambassador where the nonprofit is located. The embassy may help with transporting of the books to that country at no cost to you. to the specific African country
3. Reach out to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that have partnerships with Alkebulan.
4. Visit your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, and Public Libraries to pick up books that are being disposed.
5. Visit your local state college or university libraries and speak with the librarian about when do they dispose of their books. College Libraries tend to keep a copy of text books in their shelves which they get rid of after new editions become available. There is only so much shelf space in a library. This tends to occur over the summer and winter recess.
6. Contact the major publishing companies below. Seek out the sales rep in your district explain your initiative and if your organization has a 501c3 non-profit status with a good track record and a good education program you "might" get a shipment of books at little to no cost.
7. Seek out other NGOs that operate in Alkebulan with offices in the United States.
8. Make sure your renew your BDPA membership and pre-register for the 2010 BDPA technolgy conference.

The major textbooks publishers are:

• Education Place
• Harcourt Brace and Jovanovich
• Harper Collins
• Houghton Mifflin
• Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
• Little Brown
• McGraw-Hills Primis Online
• McGraw-Hill Publishers
• Prentice-Hall
• Worth Publishers
• W.W. Norton

I hope that this information helps anyone seeking to donate books to African nonprofits. If you are looking for similiar programs in the United States ... you might check out the First Book program.

Civil Rights to Cyber Rights: Broadband and Digital Equality in the Age of Obama

I met Dr. Jabari Simama during the 4th Annual Community Technology Summit hosted by the City of Atlanta in March 2004. Martin Luther King III and I were on a panel together at that technology summit. The entire event was the brainchild of Dr. Simama in his role as executive director of the mayor's Office of Community Technology.

As such, I look forward to reading Dr. Simama's new book, 'From Civil Rights to Cyber Rights' when it is published later this year.

The title of the book is on target according to Dr. Simama, "... not because cyberspace has made racial struggles obsolete but because those without cyber skills will be superfluous in the American political economy, not to mention in the global world. Unless we bring access to and literacy of digital technology to all Americans, we are heading toward a society and world of information haves and have-nots. Technology involves using computers, broadband and other new media to bridge the education gap, the workforce skills gap, and the economic gap."

Simama calls the new broadband, People Technology. He writes:

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"People Technology . . . relates to the use of broadband, wireless, and other digital technology as tools to empower, build, and connect people and communities. It concerns using technology to extend and make meaningful the First Amendment and to provide a voice to the invisible people Ralph Ellison wrote about 60 years ago in his seminal book, The Invisible Man . . . . Thus, broadband (and its implications for people technology) is not so much about the technology, as much as it is about how technology can be, and to some extent, is being used to improve individual lives and society as a whole."

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I've openly wondered whether or not BDPA is going to accept the challenges set by Barack Obama when it comes to education. I figure that this book goes hand-in-hand with Obama's effort to end the digital divide. I encourage all BETF-Blog readers to read this book as our nation considers his $7 billion broadband stimulus price tag to bridge the divide between the served and underserved.

Anyhow, you can click here to send email asking for notification about the book's availability.

Will You Buy Amazon Kindle at $299 Discounted Price?

A number of my colleagues rave about Amazon's 6-inch Kindle. I haven't made the move because cost is a factor in my decision. Currently, I go to my local library on a weekly basis and check out books or DVDs at no cost. Amazon is sweetening the deal and the discounted price of $299 for Kindle may cause me to make the move.

I'm told that this lightweight Kindle is about the size of a typical magazine and holds over 1,500 books. Evidently, Kindle reads like a real paper with clear text and crisp images.

The Kindle Store now has over 300,000 books, magazines, newspapers, and blogs. With an advanced 3G wireless connection on your Kindle, any BDPAer can start reading books in less than 60 seconds.

I need some insights from BDPAers that have a Kindle already. Are you pleased with your purchase?

What say u?

Business Compute-N-Show: Technology in Publishing (Video)

Dwight Fryer, author, is interviewed on the Business Compute-N-Show by host Nancy Ford in Memphis, TN. This show originally aired in March 2008.




It is exciting to find BDPA members that are published authors.

Former BETF Director Reggie Gardner Shares Insights on Corporate Leadership Selection

Dr. Reginald Gardner has a strong role in the legacy of BDPA. Over the years he served as BDPA Chicago chapter president, National BDPA vice president (member services) and BDPA Foundation director. I am proud to have served with him on the National BDPA Board of Directors for many years.

Reggie published a book earler this year entitled, Corporate Leadership Selection: Impact on American Business, Employees, and Society.

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This book is an unbiased account of events in numerous business scenarios that I have either experienced, observed, or researched. The objective is not to paint a negative picture of corporate selection processes or behavior, but to reflect upon the leadership selection decisions and the consequences of those decisions - both positive and negative. This book also summarizes the steps of conducting a qualitative research study, and provides a glimpse of the impact to American business and American society as a result of corporate leadership selection.The intent of the excerpts in this book on leadership selection is to touch the conscious of those who willing contributed to unethical/immoral corporate leadership behavior; strike a nerve in those who have the moral courage to blow the whistle on their observed corporate wrongdoing; and open the hearts of those who will encounter questionable leadership activity in the future to respond and curtail such events. This book is geared toward existing corporate leaders; newly selected corporate leaders; those who aspire to become corporate leaders; and students who study and research corporate leader selection. The U.S. remains the greatest country in the world. It is fueled by successful American corporations. However, like any other entity or process, there is always room for improvement.

Reggis currently serves Chief Information Officer for a privately-owned luxury motor coach company. I hope that the BDPA Family reaches out to support his foray into the book world!