Photo Album: BDPA Twin Cities Chapter (2006-2008)

Michael Wulf is a long-time leader with our BDPA Twin Cities chapter. He has been coaching their high school computer competition (HSCC) team since 2006.

The other chapter in Minnesota has been winning the championships ... but BDPA Twin Cities chapter has been taking care of business as well.

BDPA Twin Cities rankings in the national HSCC championships have improved in each of the past four years: 2005 (16th place); 2006 (14th place); 2007 (10th place) and 2008 (9th place).

Check out the BDPA Twin Cities photo album and use the COMMENTS option below if you would like to make a pledge to support the 2009 BDPA Twin Cities chapter fund.

Top Ten Black Blogs (Jan 2009)

We enter enter the Obama era this month. The continued popularity of political and social commentary blogs in the Villager's Black Blog Rankings (BBR) reflects the greater engagement of our blog readers in the issues of the day. I hope that you enjoy the 1,575 blogs ranked in the January 2009 BBR.

I looked back on where things stood 12 months ago when we published the January 2008 BBR. Three of the current Top Ten Black Blogs (Jack and Jill Politics, The Field Negro and Necole Bitchie) were not in the Top Ten a year ago.

We started this ranking effort with 75 Black blogs in Sep 2007. This month we publish over 1,500 Black owned & operated blogs! I don't pretend that we have all Black owned & operated blogs on this list. If you see any that are missing ... please let me know in the COMMENTS section.

Here are the blog lists from the past four quarters:

• January 2008 - 602 Black blogs
• April 2008 - 1,045 Black blogs
• July 2008 - 1,269 Black blogs
• October 2008 - 1,440 Black blogs

Anyhow, with no further ado, here are the Top Ten Black Blogs for Jan 2009:

1. Pam Spaulding: Pam's House Blend (Authority: 1,187 / Rank: 1,384) - [Politics] Pam's blog continues to maintain a commanding lead as the top Black blog in the universe. One of the secrets to her success is the frequency of posts on her blog. Pam has a number of guest commentators and there seems to be a new blog post every couple of hours. In any case, Pam's House Blend is the go-to location for anything related to the lesbian and gay community. Pam has been dealing behind-the-scenes with the hacking of her blog platform This blog was BBR #2 a year ago.
2. The Bossip: Bossip.com (Authority: 769 / Rank: 2,893) - [Entertainment] Bossip.com is the top-ranked gossip or entertainment blog on our list. We continue to wonder whether The Bossip is male or female? This blog survived a dust-up that began last year at this time with some derogatory remarks against Maya Angelou. Click here to see index of the people that are blogged about on Bossip.com. This blog was BBR #3 a year ago.
3. Ahsmi Rawlins: Nah Right (Authority: 716 / Rank: 3,202) - [Entertainment] Ashmi (a.k.a., ESKAY) has been blogging since May 2005. Both his name and job are based on phonetics, literally and figuratively. The name – eskay – is the phonetic spelling of “SK,” the tag he used as a graffiti writer years ago. Today, rappers go nowhere unless Eskay says so. His chronically updated NahRight.com is the site for hip-hop news and videos. Check out this interview he conducted with Urb Magazine to learn more about Eskay. This blog was BBR #6 a year ago.
4. Angel Laws: Concrete Loop (Authority: 638 / Rank: 3,767) - [Entertainment] Angel Laws is the young sister who who owns and operates this dynamic entertainment blog. She created the blog back in 2005 and it was the top-ranked Black blog last year. Angel has other interests in life as demonstrated by her photo blog. I encourage you to see the list of the last 50 posts on her blog. This blog was BBR #1 a year ago.
5. Oliver Willis: Oliver Willis (Authority: 574 / Rank: 4,343) - [Politics] Oliver has been blogging since April 2005. Oliver attended Florida Atlantic University and is a member of the Technology and Online Community Department at Media Matters for America. He is expanding his cyber-empire to YouTube as well. This blog was BBR #7 a year ago.
6. Natasha Eubanks: Young, Black & Fabulous (Authority: 571 / Rank: 4,375) - [Entertainment] Natasha Eubanks started blogging four years ago out of her passion for celebrity gossip. Her blog, focused on Black celebrity gossip and entertainment news, has risen from from nothing to something to become a destination for many bloggers and fans. This blog was BBR #6 a year ago.
7. Baratunde Thurston and Cheryl Contee: Jack and Jill Politics (Authority: 564 / Rank: 4,444) - [Politics] Baratunde is conscious comic and vigilante pundit who has successfully merged his interests in technology, politics and comedy. He has authored three books, including Keep Jerry Falwell Away From My Oreo Cookies. Cheryl works in communications and marketing of social meda and Web 2.0, and is starting her own consulting shop. Together they make up the dynamic online team of Jack and Jill. This blog was BBR #13 a year ago.
8. La Shawn Barber: La Shawn Barber's Corner (Authority: 363 / Rank: 8,238) - [Social Commentary] This top-ranked blog was launched in November 2003. La Shawn comes at things from a unique point of view. She writes about politics, faith, culture, digital technology and, occasionally, how these things intersect. There are many fans of La Shawn Barber. I'm interested to see how her view evolve in the Obama era. This blog was BBR #9 a year ago.
9. Wayne Bennett: The Field Negro (Authority: 355 / Rank: 8,471) - [Social Commentary] The Los Angeles Times interview provided insights into Wayne last year. Field shared his post-election thoughts, however, he managed to weasel his way out of running buck-naked down a Philadelphia street when Obama won. It's cool to see this popular Black blogger sharing his thoughts on King's legacy with Al Jazeera. This blog was BBR #18 a year ago.
10. Necole Bitchie: NecoleBitchie.com (Authority: 348 / Rank: 8,869) - [Entertainment] Necole is one of the few Black bloggers making a career from her blog. She shared some great monetizing tips at the Blogging While Brown conference last year. NecoleBitchie.com is one of the fastest growing urban celebrity blogs on the Internet. She is also sharing information on YouTube. However, not everyone is a fan. This blog was BBR #124 a year ago.

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HONORABLE MENTION (11-25): AfroBella, Ill Doctrine, Sandra Rose, Womanist Musings, Crunk & Disorderly, Raw Dawg Buffalo, The Black Snob, Angry Black Bitch, Living Life Abundantly, Rod 2.0:Beta, The Angry Black Woman, Michelle Obama Watch, Why Does Everyone Suck?, How To Split An Atom and Electronic Village.

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This ranking is open to any blogger of African descent. We invite all Black bloggers to apply for membership into The AfroSpear or join our Facebook group known as the Afrosphere Bloggers Association.

Black Blog Rankings lean heavily on the Technorati Authority and Rank score for each blog. The Technorati authority and rank numbers are shown in parenthesis. The authority figure includes a number of factors including the number of blogs that are linked to this blogger over the past six months. The rank number indicates how many blogs are between the one listed and The Huffington Post, which is the #1 overall blog in the universe.

We do think that these Black blogs are important spheres of influence. Let them know that you appreciate the work they have put in over the past few months and years to get on this list. I encourage all bloggers to provide some link-love to this post so that your readers can learn about the Villager's Black Blog Rankings! Next step is yours ... what say u?

Voice of the Next Generation Student Essay Contest

FedEx is interested in learning how Generation Y (Gen Y) views Access. To find out where Access will take us next, FedEx and Net Impact have launched an exciting new essay contest.

They challenge Gen Y undergraduate and graduate-level students to voice their ideas on where Access will take the world next and how it will impact business, technology, medicine, the environment, the economy and so forth in a 1000 - 1,500 word essay.

Top 10 BDPA Chapters (Membership)

There are 50 BDPA chapters in the nation. Each chapter averages 50 members. The top ten chapters in terms of membership as of 1/1/2009 (with their progress since last year in parenthesis) are:

1. Chicago - (no change)
2. Richmond - (up 1)
3. Philadelphia - (up 3)
4. Washington DC - (up 1)
5. Atlanta - (up 2)
6. New York - (down 4)
7. Triangle - (up 9)
8. Detroit - (no change)
9. Cincinnati - (down 5)
10. New Jersey - (up 3)

Members flock to chapters with strong programs and services. One of the common denominators for the 10 chapters listed above is that they each offer strong program meetings, chapter newsletters and Student IT Education & Scholarship (SITES) programs. In fact, many of the participants in the BDPA IT Institute come from these 10 chapters.

BDPA Education & Technology Foundation provides funding to support these programs and services at local level. Our hope is that you will consider making a donation to BETF this year. You can securely donate online or you can give BETF a call on (513) 284-4968 to discuss your pledge offline. What say u?

Top Ten Information Technology Stories of 2008

Kudos to Philadelphia Chapter for pointing us to CIO Insight slideshow listing the Top 10 IT Stories for 2008.

1. It's the Economy, stupid - The financial crisis and recession created the lens through which all other stories -- including IT stories -- will be viewed.
2. The First Internet Campaign - Barack Obama integrated technology into every phase of his campaign.
3. The Smartphone Revolution - As iPhone-mania swept the consumer market and began to seep into the enterprise. The age of mobile computing is here.
4. Forecast: Clouds - Cloud computing became so mainstream that Dell tried to copyright the term.
5. Vista Missed-a - Early disgruntlement at Microsoft's latest operating system didn't go away.
6. 2.0 Everywhere - Most companies still aren't so good at public-facing blogs and social networks.
7. The Greening of IT - High energy costs made Green the color of the year.
8. Globalization and its Discontents - Business slowed for big outsources, who responded by moving up the value chain and purchasing western companies.
9. Media Unravels - The Net continued to remake the media marketplace.
10. Big Deal - HP swallowed EDS, creating a worthy competitor for IBM in the IT-services industry.

Use the COMMENTS link below if you have any thoughts on these top 10 IT stories. Also, what do you see at the top 2-3 BDPA-related stories for this year?

BDPA IT Corps: Can We Go Global?

Norman Mays is a man with a vision. His vision led him to become the founder of BDPA chapters in Cleveland and Washington DC. His vision led him to become our national BDPA president from 1981 thru 1984.

Norman Mays currently has a vision about taking BDPA to Africa.

He partnered with Ademola Solaru to propose that our Student IT Education & Scholarship (SITES) program be expanded to include students from different countries in Africa. Norman and Ademola traveled to Tanzania earlier this year to meet with African officials at the Leon Sullivan Summit to talk about creation of a BDPA IT Corps ... loosely based on the Peace Corps concept.

We are now entering into the second year of the pilot program. The BDPA IT Corps is a program that is characterized by connectivity on an international level - through computer technology as well as by establishing direct social ties. It is designed to work hand in hand with the SITES and the BDPA IT Showcase. Its mission is to broaden the experiences and professional preparation of its participants through exchanges of technology and cultural knowledge that address community issues in the United States and in developing countries.

The mission will be fulfilled by visits to African countries by teams of BDPA high school computer competition (HSCC) alumni students. While in Africa, the students and chaperones will participate in visits to educational institutions in order to meet, socialize and work with local peer group students. They will engage in discussions on a variety of technology topics and creation of African-based computer competitions.

At this stage we need to raise money to fund this program. You can help by making a pledge to the BDPA IT Corps program. Or you can direct us to a funding source in America or Africa that you think might be interested in working with the BDPA IT Corps program.

Please share your thoughts via the COMMENTS option below. We need to generate some enthusiasm and support for this program. What say u?

Grant Proposal: Microsoft

Microsoft offers two primary ways for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs, also known as nonprofit organizations) to acquire the Microsoft technology they need:

1. Use Windows Live or Microsoft Office Live services and other online applications to access free software through the Internet.


2. Apply for a software grant through the Microsoft Software Donation program.

The BDPA Foundation and BDPA Cincinnati chapter partnered with the Microsoft management team to submit a $935,475 grant proposal through the software donation program. The proposal focused on providing software necessary to upgrade 25 desktop computers in the chapter's Community Technology Center.

Steve Gutter (chapter VP-Finance) and Frank Hill (chapter past president) worked closely with the BDPA Foundation to finalize the grant proposal. We feel that the grant will be positively received by Microsoft. BDPA Cincinnati chapter plans to use the software to expand their Student IT Education & Scholarship (SITES) program in a centralized CTC facility in 2009.

We will let you know the final disposition on this grant proposal. Is your chapter working with the BDPA Foundation yet?

3rd Annual ScienceOnline Conference

Soulclap to SES: Science, Education & Society for telling us about 3rd annual ScienceOnline Conference, the annual science blogging conference, to be held Jan. 16-18, 2009 in Research Triangle Park, NC.

The goal is to bring together scientists, bloggers, educators, students, journalists and others to discuss, demonstrate and debate online strategies and tools for promoting the public understanding of science.

The event is already sold-out.

One of the interesting panel discussions will focus on race in science – online and offline — moderated by Danielle Lee and Samia Ansari. Do most people still assume that if there is no profile picture, most readers will automatically assume that the author is white. What can be done to promote minorities blogging? How can blogs by minorities be used to attract kids into science careers? How the Web provides new methods and means for action and effecting positive change. Go here to discuss.

I hope that BDPA finds a way to use Web 2.0 tools ... including blogs ... to market and promote itself over the coming weeks and months. In fact, I wonder if we are promoting our 2009 BDPA Technology Conference ... that is also being held in the Research Triangle area ... at the 2009 ScienceOnline Conference.

Please share your thoughts on this conference via the COMMENTS option shown below. What say u?

Message from Greater Tampa Bay Chapter President

One of my great joys in BDPA is to watch the successful growth of the BDPA vision in a community. I've been watching that growth in Tampa Bay, FL over the past few months under the focused leadership of BDPA Greater Tampa Bay chapter president Frank Shines. Frank stepped up to challenge issued earlier this year by immediate past president Leslie Mozon.

Here is the message that Frank shared with his members and supporters about the progress over the past year and plans for next year:

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Beginning in August 2008 we began an effort to rebuild the Greater Tampa Bay chapter. Our chapter had become dormant over the past three years and only 2-3 members were showing up for monthly program meetings. However, in the past five months, we have made enormous strides; this due largely to the efforts of our immediate past president, Leslie Mozon, Wayne Hicks and our current officers: Gilda Mack (VP of Strategy & Planning), Michelle Graham (VP of Finance) and Ian Elius (VP of Member Services).

The end of a year is a great milestone point to pause, reflect and plan for the future. Let me take a moment to tell you what we have achieved this year and where the Tampa Bay chapter is headed in 2009. First, we took the time to look at other top-performing chapters and conduct some benchmarking against other national and local competitors. We also spent lots of time listening to the wise counsel of Wayne Hicks, whose invaluable experience, business insights and uncanny ability to detect trends in IT, were a Godsend. Based on that input and the hard work of our officers in 2008 we:

• Completed our three year strategic plan (an ongoing work in progress)
• Created our program for 2009 HSCC/SITES competitions
• Launched twice-monthly chapter communiques to all members and partners
• Added conference call-ins and Web meetings to all monthly program meetings
• Developed and launched chapter website and added Web 2.0 and cloud computing tools
• Increased our monthly attendance and membership by 4-5 times its past level
• Developed partnerships with Computer Mentors Group (IT training to at-risk youth), Smarter Solutions, Skill of Success, and Streale to further grow membership, and to increase marketing and branding in both the local and online communities
• Developed a roster of public speakers from Wachovia, Pilgrim Software, Camstar, Industriaplex, and Skill of Success who spoke with us on the topics of SOA/Web Services, Project Management, Six Sigma, Regulatory Compliance, Enterprise Quality and Wealth Management

In 2009 we have very ambitious plans, chief among these:

• Working with IBM and Computer Mentors Group to showcase events for the Feb 2009 Black Family Technology Awareness Week
• Following up on more than 23 grant and sponsorship opportunities
• Executing the March 2009 charity golf tournament with Computer Mentors Group and many local businesses and sponsors
• Developing our team for HSCC/SITES to compete at the national conference
• Launching training curriculum and entrepreneurship programs for at-risk youth working with Computer Mentors Group, Apex Digital Imaging and Skill of Success
• Providing Web based training on Management & Communication Skills, Executive Presence, SaaS/Cloud Computing and Building Your Online Image
• Speaker topics will include: Recession-Proofing Your Career, Building Your Online Image, Becoming an Accomplished Public Speaker, The Growth of Saas/Cloud Computing, Zoho and Google Apps, Entrepreneurship / Intrapreneurship, Future of SAP, Lean Six Sigma 2.0, ITIL & Virtualization, Money Matters and Getting Promoted

Our heartfelt thanks go out to our founder, Earl Pace, the national BDPA leadership and staff, and all of the chapter presidents who have helped us to revitalize the Tampa Bay chapter in 2008. We wish you all peace and joy this holiday season...and all the success in 2009!

Frank Shines, president
BDPA Greater Tampa Bay

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BDPA Greater Tampa Bay is the 36th largest chapter in the nation. I anticipate that they will be in the 'Top 20' before the end of next quarter! Please share your COMMENTS on Frank's message if you have time or inclination.

2002 National BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) Rankings

The 2002 National BDPA Technology Conference was held in Orlando FL. The theme "Changing the Culture of IT: From Access to Ownership".

One of the highlights of the conference was the national HSCC championships. There were 22 chapters competing that year. The top four teams were only separated by nine (9) points in the scoring of the 3-parts of the competition. The final rankings turned out as follows:

1. Memphis
   
2. Atlanta
3. Chicago
4. Detroit
5. Cincinnati
6. Dayton
7. Los Angeles (shown in photo)
8. Bay Area
9. Greater Columbia
10. Southern Minnesota
11. Dallas
12. St Louis
13. Richmond (shown in photo to the right)
14. Charlotte
15. Greater Tampa Bay
16. New York
17. New Jersey
18. Seattle
19. Cleveland
20. Philadelphia
21. Kansas City
22. Central Savannah River Area

Three of these chapters (Central Savannah River Area, Kansas City and Seattle) have not sent a team to the national competition since 2002. BDPA Washington DC missed the competition this year ... however they have competed every year since 2002.

The members of the 2002 national HSCC champions, trained by BDPA Memphis chapter, each earned $1,000 Bemley Scholarships. The winning students were Akeylah Battle, Cornell Gaulmon (University of Tennessee), Brittany Middleton (University of Tennessee), Trevor Williams (University of Tennessee) and Mitchell Word (University of Memphis)

Are there any BDPA members or HSCC alumni who remember the 2002 HSCC held in Orlando? If so, we would love you to share your thoughts using the COMMENTS option below.

BDPA Career Center

The BDPA Career Center serves the career needs of African American information technology (IT) professionals. The career center has a robust resume databank that provides exposure for you and your skill set to some of the best companies in the country. It has an excellent search facility in the form of a Job Bank that allows you to search for the perfect position for you and your skill set anywhere in the country.

The BDPA career center also supports the IT College Student with a Student Internship Program with resources to assist you in securing that desired college internship over the summer or any time of the year.

BDPA advances the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the classroom to the boardroom. The BDPA Career Center should be your first stop in fulfilling all of your career goals. Have you used this member service yet?

Message from Columbus Chapter President

BDPA Columbus is currently the 19th largest BDPA chapter in the nation. Reggie Hillery came on board this year as the new chapter president in Ohio's state capital city. Reggie and his leadership team have big goals for the chapter in 2009 and beyond.

He shared some of his thoughts in the following holiday message to his chapter members and supporters:

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On behalf of the BDPA Columbus Chapter, I want to wish you and your family a Happy Holiday and a Happy New Year. I want to thank our members, guests, chapter sponsors and executive board members for making this one of the best years for the chapter.

As we reflect back over 2008, we can see how much our chapter has
accomplished and the value we have provided to the community:

• Career Building Information Exchange meeting with over 100 attendees
• Participated in one the largest Leadership and Empowerment Networking
  events for African-American organizations in Central Ohio (National Association of Black Accountants, National Black MBA Association and National Society of Black Engineers)
• Provided the Community with Voting Information
• Reached a Membership Milestone (Top 10 Nationwide in August 2008)
• Joint Holiday Party with National Society of Black Engineers (Pictures)

In 2009, we will continue to provide the community, our members and sponsors with outstanding programs, training and networking opportunities.

Things to come...

• CIO Forum
• Revamped Website
• Opportunity to Mentor High School Students
• Increase Online Presence (CollectiveX, Facebook and Members Blogs)
• Information and Exchange Webinars and Podcasts
• Social Networking Events
• Training Programs
• Joint Events with other African American Professional Organizations

Please remember those less fortunate and donate your time and resources to the community by providing support to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank, Toys for Tots or a local homeless shelter.

God bless you and your family this Holiday Season!

Thank you,
Reginald Hillery, president
BDPA Columbus Chapter
(614)746-1963

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The state of Ohio is blessed to have five BDPA chapters (Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo). These chapters play an important role in the future success of African Americans in the state's growing information technology industry. Reggie and his crew from Columbus are uniquely positioned to 'make a difference'. Join us in wishing them well next year!

VIDEO: Computer Troubleshooting and Fixes Made Easy

Merry Christmas BDPAers! Did you get a computer as a gift for Christmas this year?

If so, you will likely need to know about 'Computer Troubleshooting and Fixes Made Easy'. Enjoy this interview of BDPA Memphis chapter member April Jackson, Desktop Support Specialist conducted earlier this year on the Business Compute-N-Show by host Nancy Ford in Memphis, TN.



I think it is great that one of our BDPA chapters has a television show! What are your thoughts on the idea of BDPA marketing itself via television (in general) and this televised interview (in particular) using the COMMENTS link below.

2009 BDPA Technology Conference (Raleigh, NC)

More details can be found here.

Message from Orlando Chapter President

BDPA Orlando is the 20th largest chapter in the nation. The chapter was the 36th largest chapter at this time last year. One of the reasons for the rapid growth in Orlando is the drive and determination of its new president ... Pablo More.

Pablo shared the following holiday message with his members and supporters:

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Good morning, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa and FABULOUS New Year! I believe that 2009 is going to be a FANTASTIC year for BDPA. As we close out 2008, let us reflect on all the remarkable things we have witness in our lifetime thus far and the change that is coming.

There are A LOT of great opportunities that exists and that we can be in the forefront if we take advantage of them. The ComputerWorld articles were just the beginning. We have BDPA chapters in some of the hardest economically hit areas and we can be agents of change transforming peoples lives and giving them the much needed skills and be a team player in Governor's councils across this country.

There are going to be Federal funds available once President-elect Obama takes office to stimulate this economy and get people back to work and get training to improve their skills. Technology is being seen as a catalyst for revitalization of this economy and BDPA can play a major role in that.

Happy Holidays and safe travels!

Pablo More, president
BDPA Orlando Chapter

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Use the COMMENTS feature below if you would like to share your thoughts about Pablo's message. Do you see a place for BDPA in the coming economic revitalization plans of our country?

BDPA IT Institute: PMP Exam Prep Course (Winter 2009)

Are you thinking about becoming certified as a Project Management Professional (PMP)? If so, you should consider registering for the PMP Exam Prep course hosted by the BDPA IT Institute.

The Winter 2009 PMP Exam Prep course, taught by Gregory Brown, begins January 19th. PMP Exam Prep Course covers all of the project management knowledge areas and includes exercises, practice questions and practice exams to help students determine their preparedness for the exam. The emphasis of the course is on passing the PMP certification examination using the latest edition of the Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) as the reference. Other texts may be assigned based on the experience level of the students enrolled in the course.

For more information, please contact us at institute@bdpa.org.

Message from New York Chapter President

BDPA New York is the sixth largest chapter in the nation. They are led by one of the most enthusiastic presidents in BDPA history ... Judaea Lane. Judaea shared the following message with her members and sponsors:

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Heading into the Holiday Season provides us an opportunity to reflect on the positive things we have experienced during the past year and prepare for the New Year with even bigger goals and aspirations. It is time to feel grateful for our health and family and to be thankful for the many things we take for granted. The Holidays also give us a chance to recharge and assess the true meaning and purpose of our lives.

I am very proud of the BDPA New York Chapter and our members. I am thankful for the achievements of our Executive Board and dedicated members who worked hard to serve our chapter.

BDPA New York continues to close the Digital Divide by helping the community maintain an awareness of the value of computer technology. This year we delivered programs such as Network Management, Data Centers: Challenges & Overview, Cybercrime: How to Protect against it, Building Leadership Skills as a BDPA Volunteer, and The Role of IT in Voting Machines.

In addition, thanks to the UBS Executive Team and Randall Mosby of MOMA (Museum of Modern Art). Our students had an enriching tour of each facility's technical data center. Our students also had the opportunity to network with the Executive Team of Wachovia and Urban Financial. You can read about our students' experiences in our past newsletters (view essays). With our continued support of the SITES program- Student Information Technology Education and Scholarship Programs, our students will receive $2,500 in scholarships in 2009.

We also have built collaborative partnerships with NSBE, NAAAHR, Harlem Business Alliance and SmallBizTechnology.com. These partnerships have resulted in workshops such as Project Management of IT Professionals, Where do I Go from Here: Tools for Career Transition, the Harlem Business Economic Summit and SmallBiztechnology.com's Taste of Technology Series.

This year our chapter was the fourth largest chapter in BDPA. This is remarkable growth and proof that interest in our organization continues to grow. This also means that our collective wealth of BDPA member experiences has grown phenomenally and our professional networking opportunities are more abundant than ever.

I feel indebted to each and every officer, board member, committee member and sponsor, as well as all those who actively engage themselves in our chapter, for their remarkable efforts and achievements this past year. Whether it was organizing a program meeting, planning a social or networking event, or introducing an IT profession to high school students, our volunteers do it all. Thank you everyone.

As you look back on 2008, take pride in what you have accomplished personally and professionally, and take a moment to acknowledge what others have done to help you along the way.

As you set your New Year's resolutions, consider putting your involvement in BDPA high on that list. The benefits you will reap include professional development, networking and social opportunities, and simply making our profession better, which in my mind is priceless!

On behalf of the New York chapter's Executive Board and all of our key volunteers, I wish you and yours a joyous and a very safe holiday season.

Best Regards,
Judaea Yarde Lane, President
BDPA New York Chapter
Vision: Providing Tools to Globally Compete

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I encourage you to reply back to Judaea using the COMMENTS feature below!

Use Online Auction to Meet African American Chief Information Officers

We have been exploring the issues and challenges facing African Americans in the IT industry. Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) created an online auction that provides you with a chance to continues this exploration with some truly dynamic executives in our industry.

Thirteen CIOs and Executives from global organizations have donated their time for you to have the opportunity to meet them one-on-one. The auction is open to all bidders so tell your colleagues and business associates to place their bids today!

Executive Participants:

• Derek Adams, Chubb & Son
• Shellye Archambeau, MetricStream
• Robert Blackwell, Blackwell Consulting
• Shirley Bridges, Delta Air Lines
• Bruce Carver, Cummins
• James Dallas, Medtronic Corporation
• Martin Davis, Wachovia
• Robert Dixon, PepsiCo
• Vercie Lark, EMBARQ Corporation
• Zackarie Lemelle, Johnson & Johnson
• Greg Morrison, Cox Enterprises
• Larry Quinlan, Deloitte
• Kevin Summers, Whirlpool Corporation

Proceeds raised from this online auction support the ITSMF Scholarship Fund. The scholarship promotes the success of IT professionals striving to reach the executive level by funding attendance to leadership development programming.

Bid Now! Share your thoughts via the COMMENTS link below on this online auction concept. Who do you see on this list that you would like to meet with one-on-one? Who is missing from this list that you would like to see added in future years?

BDPA Will Host Presidential Inaugural Reception

BDPA will host a formal reception on January 20, 2009 from 5-8pm in the District of Columbia. Click here for more information.

HSCC Testimonial: Kelly Robinson Tarver (Cincinnati)

Kelly Robinson was a member of the 1999 high school computer competition team trained by BDPA Cincinnati chapter. It has been 10 years since she competed in this annual BDPA program. She is now married and a graduate of Syracuse University. Here is what she had to say about her BDPA experiences:

My experience in BDPA taught me the value and importance of teamwork. In addition, it exposed me to the world of computer science. I learned to use my critical thinking skills and solve problems analytically. Working with my peers in the HSCC was a lot of fun and helped my grow in my ability to contribute to a team and have a competitive spirit. Being a part of BDPA broadened my horizons and helped build the foundation for my future success.