BDPA Foundation

Communities of Color Find More Prominent Role Within Philanthropy Sector

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 17:00:00 +0000

As the U.S. population shifts, with ethnic and racial groups growing faster than the overall American population, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation has found the face of philanthropy is rapidly changing to become as diverse as the country’s population. The new report, “Cultures of Giving: Energizing and Expanding Philanthropy by and for Communities of Color” commissioned by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, with major funding by the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, shows how philanthropy is evolving, with some of the most significant growth stemming from identity-based philanthropy -- a growing movement to spark philanthropic giving from a community on behalf of a community, where “community” is defined by race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation.

This report explores current shifts within the philanthropy sector and showcases key learnings, best practices and successful models to promote and enhance philanthropy and giving among communities of color. Among these learnings, the report reveals several factors catalyzing the current evolution of philanthropy:

The face of philanthropy is rapidly changing to become as ethnically, culturally and socioeconomically diverse as our country’s population.
Collective power, action and resources exist within communities of color that conventional philanthropy has not fully recognized, embraced and partnered with to bring about change.
Understanding and supporting this emerging area of philanthropy are becoming increasingly essential for any foundation, funder or donor who wants to drive social change.

This report shares WKKF’s journey so that others might learn from both their successes and mistakes, and it challenges fellow funders to consider new ways to collaborate with and advance the impact of identity-based philanthropy: by providing seed support and other forms of assistance, by embracing identity-based funds as critical partners in the sector and forging stronger connections within communities of color and with other philanthropic leaders, by diversifying the leadership of mainstream philanthropy to reflect changing demographics and by shifting practices to reflect what communities of color are teaching about the future of giving and how funders can positively impact the country’s most vulnerable children and families.

The report is also intended to inspire everyday givers ... no matter their background ... to embrace their power as philanthropists.

The New Mobile Giver and the Story Behind Millions in Donations by Text for Haiti

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0000

A new kind of charitable giver is emerging in the mobile age. A report underwritten by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation has found that this donor is younger and more likely to be African American or Latino than traditional donors. Moreover, new donors often use their mobile phones to make contributions through text messaging that is inspired by moving and sometimes distressing stories about people in crisis.

Read the full Council on Foundations article.

Grant Disbursement: BDPA Twin Cities ($1,374)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) proudly approved a funding request from BDPA Twin Cities chapter president Aaron Young and chapter VP-Finance Joe Richburg. The chapter requested $1,374 in "support of Twin Cities Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) classes." The chapter's SITES program has grown consistently over the past few years.

BDPA Twin Cities SITES Orientation (2011)

The grant disbursement will be made in accordance to the SITES funding procedure in place between BETF and the 45 local BDPA chapters. Our hope is that other chapters will seek out BETF as a partner in their fundraising efforts this year.

This Week in BDPA (Jan 22-28, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:45:00 +0000

BDPA has 45 chapters around the nation. You can always find programs, services or networking activity here or here or here. BDPA supports your efforts for career advancement in the IT industry.

Our hope is that you find reasons to provide tax-deductible support to us here, here or here!

Are you taking advantage of these programs? Here is a weekly preview of upcoming events gathered from the centralized BDPA calendar :

Jan 24: BETF - Webinar, 'BDPA iRadio Show'
Jan 25: BETF - Webinar, 'Goals: Inspiration and Focus'
Jan 25: New Jersey - Webinar, 'Project Portfolio Management'
Jan 26: Atlanta - Webinar, 'Volunteer Rally and Orientation'
Jan 28: Washington DC - SITES, 'HSCC Kick-Off & Breakfast Reception'
Jan 28: Cincinnati - SITES, 'Youth Technology Seminar Series (Week 4)'
Jan 28: Columbia - Seminar, 'Black Family Technology Awareness Corner'

We encourage all BDPA leaders to take advantage of the centralized BDPA Groupsite Calendar to post your upcoming events! Please let us know of other BDPA events that we may have missed. Most importantly, let us know if you plan to attend any BDPA events this week.

The Boeing Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 06:30:00 +0000

The Boeing Company looks to partner with organizations that are leaders in what they do (no matter their size), that promote diversity and demonstrate innovation, and align and collaborate with others toward common, workable solutions to long-term community issues.

The Boeing Company supports projects and programs that align with one or more of five focus areas and corresponding objectives. The focus areas for corporate giving are: education (consisting of early learning and primary and secondary education); arts and culture; health and human services; civic; and environment. Please note: It's important to check local corporate grant-making guidelines before you submit a grant request to see how Boeing sites tailor these objectives to address the particular needs of their communities.

The same is true for the Employees Community Fund; individual boards and committees may tailor their grant-making according to local community needs and the interests of local members.

Check here for local ECF grant-making guidelines. Some sites may only accept grant applications at certain times during the year or only accept grant applications that have received an invitation code in advance.

If you have any questions, please contact the Global Corporate Citizenship representative nearest the location of your organization. He or she may be able to provide some valuable advice that will increase your chances for funding.

BDPA Foundation is willing to work with any local BDPA chapter interested in funding from Boeing. Let us know if you are interested in working on a joint grant proposal with this funding source.

Video: BDPA Dallas Holiday Mixer

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

We are excited to see the use of video to promote BDPA programs and services. Here is a video recently posted by BDPA Dallas chapter about their 2011 end-of-the-year Holiday Mixer.

Can you name any of the folks in the photo montage?

Grant Declination: GenCorp Foundation (National BDPA)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) worked with National BDPA past vice president Paulette Johnson-Davis to submit a $36,000 grant proposal to the GenCorp Foundation. Recently we learned that our grant proposal has been declined for funding. The GenCorp Foundation executive director wrote:

Dear Mr. Hicks,

Thank you for your funding request of December 6, 2011 seeking support of your Student Information Technology & Scholarship (SITES) program.

The GenCorp Foundation receives many more requests than it can fund. After review of your proposal, I regret that the GenCorp Foundation is not able to fund your request.

I wish you continued success in encouraging young people to pursue careers in science and technology.

Sincerely,
Juanita Garcia, executive director
GenCorp Foundation

We appreciate GenCorp Foundation for considering our request. BETF will turn its attention to other funding sources that may be more open to supporting our SITES program on a national, regional or local level.

BDPA iRadio Show - January 24, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) is very proud to be the creator of the BDPA iRadio Show. Our Internet Radio Show has been up and running for seven months with over 70 guests. You can listen to the archive version of the show using the widget shown in the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

Episodes of the BDPA iRadio Show are now available for immediate and FREE download from the iTunes Store.

If you missed the live show, then we encourage you to listen to the archived audio-clip of the show that aired on Tuesday, January 24, 2012.

Listen to internet radio with BDPA on Blog Talk Radio

The guests on the show:

Mildred Allen - chapter president, BDPA Greater Columbia - Mildred has over 20 years of experience in Information Technology starting from Computer Operations, Information Security, System Integrations and Project Management. She currently works for SCANA Services in Columbia, South Carolina for the Information Systems and Technology Department (IST) as an IST Project Manager. Mildred earned her Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Southern Wesleyan University in 2012. Mildred has a long and distinguished career within BDPA. She has served in a variety of leadership positions including National BDPA VP-Membership Management, National BDPA Community Outreach Director, National Youth Technology Camp program manager and BDPA Greater Columbia chapter president. She is a past winner of the Outstanding Member of the Year and Outstanding President’s awards. Her chapter was named ‘chapter of the year’ in 2002. She has rare insights to share about the ability of BDPA to advance the careers of African Americans in the IT industry from the ‘classroom to boardroom’.

Kai Dupé - speaker and consultant, Kai Dupé Productions - Kai is a technical trainer and software development consultant with over 25 years of experience. He is also a educational technology doctoral student at Pepperdine University researching the lack of African American males in the information technology field. Kai is focused on technology integration in urban schools as well as societal digital equity issues and the educational failures of African American males. He utilizes his life lessons as well as his educational experiences expertise and skills to develop software for businesses large and small as well as promote technology integration in American schools, and encourage African Americans to participate in the digital society via workshops, seminars and speaking engagements. Kai publishes a syndicated column and a blog under the title, “Where Are the Blacks in Technology?” You can follow Kai on Twitter - @KaiDupe

Monique Berry - president, National BDPA - Monique has a powerful BDPA legacy. Her chapter won chapter-of-the-year honors during both of the years that she was a chapter president. She currently serves as our national president. She led the team that planned a successful 2011 BDPA Technology Conference in Chicago. She has a vision for where she would like to take BDPA in 2012-2013 as our national president and she shared some of that vision with us during her interview. Monique is on Twitter - @BDPA_Conference

What questions would you like to see answered by these guests?

VoiceAmerica's 'What Matters' Radio Show Features BETF Executive Director Wayne Hicks

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:45:00 +0000

This blog is part of a web of social network platforms created by the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) to spread the gospel of BDPA. We seek to increase brand awareness so that more people get active with BDPA programs and services around the nation.

I guess it's working! Certified life coach Mary Beth Lodge saw the persistent information being shared by BETF and determined that we would be worthy of having as a guest on her VoiceAmerica Internet radio show, 'What Matters' in an episode title, Goals: Inspiration and Focus. The is broadcast live on Wednesday, January 25 @ 9:00 AM ET ... re-broadcast again at 9:00 PM ET ... then available for *free* download via iTunes.

The promo for the show reads:

Discouraged about the impact you can have? Ever think that one person doesn’t have much influence? One person, focused and passionate, can make a tremendous difference! This week we are joined by R. Wayne Hicks, executive director of the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation. BDPA was founded in 1975 out of concern that minorities were not adequately represented in the workforce of the then emerging computer industry. BETF, the Education and Technology Foundation of BDPA is a 501(c)3 nonprofit charity established in 1992 to financially support student education and technology initiatives.

Wayne Hicks

An active leader in the organization since 1988, Wayne has followed his passion for education and applied his skill and dedication to expanding opportunities for disadvantaged youth across the country. Working at both the local and national level, Wayne is the embodiment of the ripple effect. Listen in and gain an inspiration for your own passion and purpose.

I suspect that the discussion will focus on the work that we're doing to raise funds for BDPA ... with an emphasis on our mission of education. I will explain to the listening audience the great works being done under the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program umbrella. I will also talk about the great young people that BETF has been providing college scholarships over the recent years.

I found this video on Mary Beth's website and thought that you would enjoy it as well!

Anyhow, I hope that some of y'all find time to listen to the show live on Wednesday morning!

NIHERST Awards in Science and Technology (Trinidad and Tobago)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0000

The National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) is a statutory body established to promote science, technology and higher education in Trinidad and Tobago consistent with national development goals. Trinidad and Tobago has nurtured many sons and daughters who have left their mark in science and technology to the benefit of peoples in the Caribbean and around the world. For many, their contributions have gone unrecognized and unrecorded.

The NIHERST Awards in Science and Technology seek to recognize and reward nationals for outstanding achievements in science and technology, to provide positive role models for our youth to emulate, and to record our scientific heritage. In 2012, NIHERST together with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Tertiary Education and the Caribbean Academy of Science (CAS) will be presenting these awards.

Call for Nominations

The Fenrick De Four Award for Engineering - Fenrick De Four was the lead author of almost every national engineering code and standard in Trinidad and Tobago. He was a founding member, President and Fellow of the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (APETT), and the first Chairman of the Board of Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Emmanuel Ciprian Amoroso Award for Medical Sciences - Professor Emmanuel Ciprian Amoroso was a distinguished professor in the field of medical science research and education. He was famous for his studies on the placenta and was a pioneer in the development of the fields of endocrinology and reproductive biology.

The Rudranath Capildeo Award for Applied Science & Technology - Dr. Rudranath Capildeo was renowned for his intellectual contribution to the fields of applied mathematics and physics. He was also a gifted educator of mathematics and physics and taught at University College London among other institutions.

The Julian Kenny Award for Natural Sciences - Professor Julian Stanley Kenny was an eminent zoologist, author and columnist. He taught for over 25 years at the UWI, St. Augustine and was highly regarded internationally for his extensive knowledge and seminal research on the ecology of Trinidad and Tobago.

The Anthony Williams Award for Technological Innovation in Arts & Culture - Anthony Williams is an early steelpan innovator. He designed the pattern of the placement of the notes on the instrument; added wheels to the bass drums; improved the way pans were made; and initiated the first scientific study on the instrument by testing his ideas at CARIRI.

The Frank Rampersad Award for Junior Scientist - NIHERST’s first president, Frank Rampersad, was a brilliant economist who supported indigenous research and development and human capacity building in fields of science and engineering that were critical to economic development.

The Ranjit Kumar Award for Junior Engineer - Ranjit Kumar was a well-known legislator and civil engineer. He planned, designed and constructed the first dual carriageway in Trinidad and Tobago, known today as Wrightson Road, completed in 1940.

For further details and application forms please visit http://www.niherst.gov.tt/.

Two thoughts come to mind for me. First, do we have any BDPA members who are from Trinadad and Tobago. Second, I wonder if the Miss Universe 1977, Penny Commissiong, will be involved in this award on any level? She remains one of the most beautiful women that I can ever remember!

Where Are They Now: 1999 BDPA Chapter Presidents

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

One of the magic elements of the Internet is that you can reach out to people that you have not seen for many moons. Judy Jones is the founder of the BDPA Greenville chapter. She recently provided me with a file containing the names of the BDPA chapter presidents from about a decade ago. I wonder if we can reach out and find each of these brothers and sisters today?

You've heard the question before ... and now it is being asked of you --> Where are they now?

Originally Posted: 11/18/2008

Anton Albert (Akron) -
Gwen Williams (Atlanta) -
Daryl Hines (Baltimore) -
Kevin Hinkston (Bay Area) -
Tim Wilson (Boston) -
Richard Bell (Central Arkansas) -
Candice Anderson (Charlotte) -
Betty Hutchins (Chattanooga) - Betty served as National BDPA VP-Member Services for the past two years. She was recently appointed to serve on the National BDPA Board of Directors in 2008-2009 as one of our Outside Directors. She is an executive with Mayo Clinic and an active member of the BDPA So. Minnesota chapter.
Milt Haynes (Chicago) -Milt remains active with National BDPA. He was appointed to serve on the National BDPA Board of Directors as an Outside Director (2010-2011).
Jessie Rodgers (Cincinnati) -
Bruce Keene (Cleveland) -Bruce is currently the IT Program Director at Vatterott College in Broadview Heights, OH
Chester Grice (Columbus) - Chester was chapter president for Dayton in 1999. He now live in North Las Vegas working on his doctorate in organizational leadership. Graduation is summer of 2009, begin dissertation in January 2008.
Jackie Ockleberry (Dallas) - Jackie is running her own company, JYO Consulting, in Dallas. She came back to BDPA leadership in a gigantic way a few years ago in the role of 2004 National BDPA Conference Director. She led an outstanding annual event that took place in Dallas, TX that year.
Dee Pearson (Dayton) -
Renee Cunningham (Detroit) - Renee attended the 2007 National BDPA Technology Conference in Washington DC. She is currently Chief Information Officer (CIO) for P.I.E. Management in Detroit, MI
Milton Grays (Flint, MI) -
Pompia Durril (Ft. Wayne) -
Barbara Singleton (Gr Columbia) -
Wendy Wonsley (Greater Tampa Bay) -
Judy Jones (Greenville) - Judy is an IS Consultant for MetLife. Personally, I hope that she will consider helping us rejuvenate her chapter in South Carolina.
Valerie Thomas (Hartford) -
Andre Romeo (Houston) - Andre is a project manager for Shell Chemical. He serves as the current president of the BDPA Houston chapter as well.
Patrick Massey (Kansas City) -
Reggie Watson (Los Angeles) -
Steve Thomas (Lexington) -
Annette McMichael (Macon Middle Georgia) -
Morris Brown (Memphis) -
Renee McClure (New York) - Renee later served as National BDPA President from 1999-2001.
Beverly Johnson (New Jersey) -
Anthony Collins (Northwest Indiana) -
John Wright (Omaha) -
Ron Cureton (Philadelphia) - Ron Cureton still participates in Philadelphia events and is the owner of the Cureton Group.
Bill Trotter (Phoenix) - Bill retired from Motorola in 1998. Motorola was the primary sponsor of the Phoenix Chapter and employer of its core group of chapter members. Bill continues to work part-time as an IT Consultant. Currently Bill is contracting with an Australian based company working localy at American Express. He remains hopeful that someone will step forward that he can support in rejuvenating the Phoenix Chapter.
Annette Yates (Richmond) - Annette is an IT advisor for WellPoint. She is incredibly active with the BDPA Richmond leadership team and can be found often on one or more of the YahooGroups in the Richmond area.
Henry Fields (Rocky Mountain) -
Robert Riddick (San Fernando Valley) -
Maurice Jenkins (South Florida) -
Mark Grady (St. Louis) - Mark is a project leader for Edward Jones.
Paulette Lalor (Toledo) -
Nate Wright (Triad) -
Gerardette Furlow (Triangle) -
Gregory Douglas (Twin Cities) -
Rudy Duke (Washington DC) - Rudy owns Nextium Solutions. He is a strong part of the legacy of our BDPA Education & Technology Foundation (BETF). Rudy served for many years as the executive director. He is now the BETF Chief Information Officer.
Rosamae Emily (Wilmington DE) - Rosamae lives in South Carolina now. She would be pleased to know that the chapter she founded many years ago in Delaware has been reincarnated as the BDPA North Delaware chapter today.

I am uncertain how this will turn out, but, we will keep updating this particular post until we have located all of the brothers and sisters on the list. Ideally, we will have comments personally shared by some of the folks listed above. In the meantime, I invite all BETF-Blog Readers to simply enjoy the journey of rediscovering some of our legendary leaders from before the 21st century.

We need your help! Please post a comment below if you know the current whereabouts of any of these past BDPA legends.

Keeping Your 'BDPA Member Profile' Current

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

Are you a BDPA member (past, current or future)? If so, we want to encourage you to visit the BDPA website -- www.bdpa.org -- to update your BDPA Member Profile.

By keeping your BDPA Member Profile up-to-date, you are guaranteed access to all of the exclusive benefits and resources that a BDPA membership offers; including adding your email address so you receive important communications and surveys from headquarters.

Please take a moment to update your member profile by logging into BDPA.

Once you are logged in, select ‘manage profile' from the profile window on the right. From here you can:

update your bio and edit preferences regarding subscriptions/notications for your account
manage your favorites, networks, blog pages, photo gallery, files and links and certifications
join communities via messaging, connections, groups, referrals and subscriptions
facilitate networking and your career thru resume/cv function and career postings
keep track of your BDPA account through membership status, event registrations and order status

If you cannot remember your login, please click on "Forgot your Password" located below the Sign In box to receive an auto-e-mail with your active username and password.

Thank you for keeping your information with BDPA current.

Crowdrise Online Fundraisers Support BDPA Programs and Scholarships

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 01:30:00 +0000

There are a growing number of BDPA members that are supporting fundraising projects on Crowdrise. These members include:

Jamilah Talton

Barbara Allen - Midwest Region VP-Elect, Cleveland
Markus Beamer - chapter president, Charlotte
Sylvia Calhoun - SITES coordinator, Cleveland
Glenda Chappell - chapter VP-Finance, Baton Rouge
Rosalyn Covington - chapter president, Triangle (Raleigh-Durham, NC)
Kai Dupe - member, Dallas
Monica Ellis-Gorham - member, Philadelphia
Jan Fleury - supporter, Baton Rouge
Eileen Gadsden - chapter president, Philadelphia
Steve Gutter - chapter VP-Strategy & Planning, Cincinnati
Anthony Hall - member, Cleveland

Elizabeth Hicks - past chapter president, Los Angeles
Wayne Hicks - executive director, BETF
Carter Hill - past chapter president, Atlanta
Mike Holman - member, New York
Toni Love - past chapter president, St. Louis

Patrick Nelson - past chapter president, Cincinnati
Kevin Robinson - member, Charlotte
Philena Rush - member, Columbus
Deborah Smedley - chapter president, Columbus
Stacy Stewart - chapter president, Dallas
Jamilah Talton - member, Philadelphia *NEW*
Michael Tyson - chapter president, Baltimore
Douglas Watts - member, Atlanta
Hayward West - past chapter president, Philadelphia
Michael & Elizabeth Wulf - members, Twin Cities

Have you checked out this fundraising platform for your BDPA chapter? Have you created your own profile on Crowdrise like the folks above?

A Black Philanthropy Kwanzaa Retrospective

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:45:00 +0000

by Jackie Copeland-Carson
Huffington Post

Giving is more than generosity. It's a unifying part of our African roots, binding the history and future of black peoples worldwide. This was a remarkable year of firsts in the Pan-African community's history of giving. KwanzaaUjima, Swahili for collective work and responsibility, reminds us of the power of our self-help and giving.

Multiple reports and books documented the undeniable fact that Pan-African people give. The World Bank reported that worldwide African immigrants gave an astounding $40 billion to their home countries with an estimated $11 billion coming from America alone. This combined with the $12 billion that African-Americans gave meant that Pan-African people gave at least $23 billion to charitable causes in 2011.

Read the rest of the Huffington Post article.

Take Five: Pablo More (Orlando)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Originally Posted: 1/24/2010

Pablo More, president of BDPA Orlando chapter, is part of the new generation of leadership on the National BDPA Board of Directors. BDPA Orlando is the 21st largest chapter in the nation.

Pablo is one of those rare leaders who walks the walk. He has many ideas about ways that BDPA can improve ... and he volunteers his time, talent and energy to see those ideas implemented on both a local and national stage.

I'm pleased that Pablo agreed to participate in our Take Five interview series:

How did you get involved in working with BDPA? - I first came into contact with BDPA through the BDPA Boston Metrowest chapter where I met Edwin Sapp (Aflac) and Tim Wilson (T.A. Wilson & Associates) at a Harvard University function in 1997. I was not very active in the chapter due to my full-time work and school schedule.

I searched out BDPA when I moved to down to Orlando, Florida in July 2006. I found Bessie Peoples (Disney) and attended program meetings hosted by BDPA Orlando chapter. BDPA Orlando Chapter had about 3-4 program meetings a year at that time, typically one per quarter. Also to the general public the chapter was stagnant since there was not a whole lot of activities taking place.

BDPA Orlando had a good team of committed folks, like Bessie and Jimm Middleton (Disney), who wanted to revive the chapter. Other leaders in the community who wanted to rejuvenate the chapter included Tonya Farquharson (Lockheed Martin), Glenn Brown (Lockheed Martin), JC Walker (Valencia Community College) and Haki Nkrumah (Umoja Consulting Group). I was a general member for my first two years in Orlando. I became chapter president in December of 2008 took over leadership and attended my first NBOD quarterly board meeting in November 2008.
What is the most rewarding aspect of working with BDPA? - The most rewarding aspect for me is the opportunity to give back and see the results of those efforts. One of the best jobs that I had was that as a volunteer instructor for a neighborhood community center in Roxbury, MA where I taught a class of 25-30 students ranging in age from 25-75 on computer literacy. This was a night class held on Tuesdays and Thursdays from January thru May after work for two (2) hours.

I felt more excited and got more nourishment from teaching that class after work than anything I did during the day at work. The reason being is that at work all your efforts and productivity goes to projects having to maintain or improve systems, reduce costs and increase profits. There is no human element factored in, you do not get to see how your work improves the quality of life or gives back to humanity.

BDPA helps to fill the void that exists when you ask yourself, what good have I done? Whom have I helped? How can I give back to my community?

A carpenter can see the fruits of his/her labor in that which he/she builds. A teacher can see the impact he/she has in the progress of their students. I am an IT professional. I need to see the fruits of my labor and know that it's had an impact beyond a company's bottom line.

I believe the BDPA motto taking people from "classroom to the boardroom" provides us with a means to educate and give back to our communities, work with like-minded peers, grow professionally and stay connected and rooted in a cause that is bigger than just one of us and will have an impact beyond one's single life since we exists to establish and leave a legacy.
Tell us about a defining moment in your life? - There are many defining moments in my life but one that had a big impact was the death of my father and grandmother in 1996 ... less than three months apart. I loved them both but did not really appreciate them as much until they were both gone. I did not get to learn about my father's history from my father or my grandmother's history from my grandmother. There were opportunities before their deaths but there was always a "next time" in my mind.

I learned more about my father at this wake then I did when he was alive. There were many people that came from all over to testify at his wake and pay their respects and say thank you. He helped so many and I did not know. I found that my sense of activism comes from him. He came from Havana, Cuba in the 1960's and worked to establish a life here in the states.

My grandmother was born in southern Chile and was such a blessed soul, very religious and so very helpful and kind.

I learned to appreciate the here and now, recognize that tomorrow is not guarantee to no one. Capture the history of your family do not wait, show love, understanding and appreciation always. Roots and culture is so very important!
Who is your hero and why? - My mother is my hero since she has grounded me and kept me focus on what is important in life. I came to this country from Chile with my mother back in 1978. We were welcomed by a huge blizzard with record snowfall that was hitting the Northeast at the time. My mother who only had a high school education is one of the wisest persons you will ever meet. She stressed education, discipline and hard work. She would always say remember where you come from an appreciate the opportunity that exists here in the U.S., take advantage and do the best that you can. We recognized that as immigrants nothing can compare to where we came from where running water, electricity, even a phone was a luxury that few had in the small town in Southern Chile. My mother took night classes to learn English and lead by example and she enrolled me in school. I can never thank my mother enough for all that she has done. I love her and appreciate her and recognize because of her actions and the lessons that she has taught that I need to do better and give back.
Any advice for people considering donation to BETF? - We are not alone in this world. We each have someone whom has helped us along the way. There is always someone whom is having a more difficult time, that can be helped by giving whether it be your time to a local BDPA Chapter as a volunteering or mentor, or to help with a program OR giving a donation to BETF. No donation is too small.

We must recognize that there are many people whom are trying to achieve what you have ... an education, a job, a career ... and just need help. Please pay it forward today, do not wait. Do the following: (a) Donate to BETF; (b) get active in your local BDPA chapter; and (c) thank someone who has helped you. It is never too late to show appreciation.

We are not alone in this world. Let us each work to make a difference and leave a legacy that makes us proud.

This blog encourages its readers to use the COMMENTS option to share their thoughts on these interviews. Pablo shared some personal insights ... I hope that you share some BDPA-love in return.

Caesars Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

The Caesars Foundation is a private foundation funded by a percentage of operating income from Caesars Entertainment's resorts. The Foundation is the entity through which Caesars Entertainment funds programs and projects of $10,000 or more, as well as not-for-profit giving requirements imposed by certain operating jurisdictions. The Foundation's objective is to strengthen organizations and programs in the communities where our employees and their families live and work.

Requests must be submitted through Caesars Entertainment properties – the corporate office will not accept any requests for funding. You may mail your proposal directly to the property located nearest to your community. For a list of properties and address information, please click here.

When submitting your request, please be sure to include the following documents:

Request letter specifying your organization is seeking a Foundation grant
Statement of project to be funded
Brief statement of your organization's history, goals and accomplishments to-date
Internal Revenue Service tax exemption letter granting 501(c)(3) designation
List of current funding sources pertaining to the request
List of your organization's governing board members (preferably on organization letterhead)
Diversity statement
Gift recognition information (please note that all recognition opportunities must acknowledge the Caesars Foundation, not the sponsoring property)

To find information regarding company-wide giving, or to submit a request for in-kind or monetary donations from one of Caesars Entertainment's properties, please visit www.caesars.com.

Wal-Mart Foundation

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:00:00 +0000

The Community Grant Program is the largest program funded by the Wal-Mart and SAM'S CLUB Foundation and includes both matching and direct grants.

The Matching Grant program allows local nonprofit organizations to hold fundraisers outside their local Wal-Mart or SAM'S CLUB. Wal-Mart and SAM'S can elect to match a portion of the funds raised up to $1,000. Events held off the premises of a Wal-Mart store or SAM'S CLUB are also eligible for funding when a Wal-Mart or SAM'S CLUB associate is actively involved in the event.

Additionally, once the Wal-Mart or SAM'S CLUB has met certain criteria in the Matching Grant Program each year, a second source of funding, direct grants, is awarded to the store / club to use in the community. These funds do not require a fundraiser to be held; instead the funds can be awarded directly to a deserving organization.

More than 80,000 grants, totaling $61 million, are awarded through the Community Grant program annually. Additional funds were also raised by participating community organizations who received matching funds.

To learn more about receiving a grant from your local Wal-Mart or SAM'S CLUB, please see the Community Involvement Coordinator at the location closest to you.
Please let the BDPA Foundation know if you are interested in working with the Wal-Mart or SAM'S CLUB in your chapter city on some fundraising effort in 2009. This is a grant opportunity available to all 45 chapters simultaneously since the decision-makers are at the local level.

Why Millennials are the Perfect Donors

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 17:15:00 +0000

by Liz Braden

In my humble opinion, Millennials bring together all of the aspects of a perfect donor. At Building Tomorrow and in general in my watching of the fundraising world, I have seen Millennials do some amazing things by giving their time, talents, and resources to others and to causes they believe in.

Click here to see three reasons that Millennials are the perfect donors.

Johnson-Johnson Renews Its Platinum Level Sponsorship of BDPA

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

National BDPA (NBDPA), the premier organization for African Americans in the Information Technology industry recently announced that Johnson & Johnson will once again be a sponsor of its 2012 BDPA Technology Conference & Career Fair.

A fully diverse event, the BDPA Technology Conference and Career Fair will bring together experts and innovators in technology from around North America for a unique conference experience. The four-day technology conference will be held at Baltimore’s Hilton from August 1-4, 2012. With nationally renowned speakers and the involvement of top-notch corporations, the conference will highlight what’s working best and what’s coming next at the intersection of technology, business leadership, professional development, youth education and community involvement.

The Career Fair takes place on August 3-4 and is open to the public.

"We are enthusiastic about our partnership with Johnson & Johnson," said Monique Berry, NBDPA’s President. "With over 38 chapters and 21,000 professionals online, NBDPA has been an advocate for fostering Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education, and Johnson & Johnson will be invaluable to our success as we bring technology executives, professionals and college students to one of the most anticipated STEM events in the technology industry."

LaVerne Council

BDPA has seen remarkable positive actions from Johnson & Johnson over the past five years or so. Last year the Johnson & Johnson chief information officer Laverne Council was a remarkable keynote speaker at the national awards gala. A number of chapters, especially BDPA New Jersey chapter, have been supported in a very aggressive manner by Johnson & Johnson. Even the BDPA Education and Technology Foundation (BETF) fondly recalls the matching grant challenge of $25,000 that J&J issued at the opening ceremony of a recent national conference. BETF leveraged that challenge to bring in almost $42,000 in donations to support our college scholarship fundraising.

I hope that other corporations in America step up to join Johnson & Johnson as a BDPA sponsor in 2012!

ITSMF: The Leadership Academy

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 17:45:00 +0000

The Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) is a unique organization of African American executives in the information technology industry. They are currently recruiting IT professionals of color to participate in their 3-prong Leadership Academy.

ITSMF: The Leadership Academy

View more documents from Wayne Hicks

I encourage BDPAers to share this information with any leaders you may know in the information technology industry.

2011 Award and Scholarship Winners (BDPA Los Angeles)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +0000

John Malonson

BDPA Los Angeles chapter had a remarkable year of success and accomplishment in 2011. The chapter is the largest in the West Region with aspirations of becoming the largest chapter in the nation. The chapter also taught 30+ middle- and high school students in a summer computer camp with a number of those students competing in regional and national computer competitions.

BDPA Los Angeles chapter president John Malonson shared his pride and appreciation for the members, sponsors, students and volunteers that contributed to the chapter's success during the Annual Awards Banquet held last month. Here is a list of the scholarship and award winners:

[ In Pictures: Photo Gallery]

OUTSTANDING DIVERSITY PARTNER AWARD

Southern California Gas Company

Raytheon Black Employees Network

OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY PARTNER

Dr. Antonia Boadi (CSU Dominguez Hills)

OUTSTANDING LEADERSHIP AWARD

Honorable Micah Ali (Board of Trustees

Compton Unified School District)

PROLIFIC PRESENTER

Michael Jenkins-Brown (Raytheon)

VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE

Beverly Allen (Jet Propulsion Laboratory)

Temitope Sonuyi (Duffled)

OUTSTANDING EDUCATOR

Frank Lozier (Principal, Laurel Street Elementary School)

BRANDON GARDNER
MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Trayer Harvery (California Academy of Math & Science)

Pooja Chebolu (California Academy of Math & Science)

Raymond Jackson (California Academy of Math & Science)

M. Daniel-Robinson (Palms Middle School)

Read the message that John shared earlier this month with his chapter membership. We also hope that you will help the chapter raise funds for the Brandon Gardner Memorial Scholarship Fund.

This Week in BDPA (Jan 15-21, 2012)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Jan 17: Dallas - Leadership, 'Executive Board Meeting'
Jan 19: Cincinnati - Program Meeting, 'State of the Chapter: Strategies for Success'
Jan 19: New York - Program Meeting, 'Retuning, Retooling and Revitalizing Your IT Career'
Jan 20: Chicago - Program Meeting, 'Positioned for Success in 2012 & Beyond'
Jan 21: Cincinnati - SITES, 'Computer Camp - Week #3'
Jan 21: Orlando - Program Meeting, '2012 Chapter Kick-Off Meeting'
Jan 21: Washington DC - SITES, '2012 HSCC Kick-Off & Breakfast Reception'
Jan 21: Chicago - Fundraiser, '2012 Awards Banquet: Recognizing Excellence'

Grant Declination: Wallace Foundation (National BDPA)

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:30:00 +0000

BDPA Education and Technology Foundation worked with National BDPA vice president Paulette Johnson-Davis to submit a letter of inquiry (LOI) to the Wallace Foundation. We wanted permission to seek $18,000 in grant funding from the Wallace Foundation.

Our LOI was turned down. The Wallace Foundation wrote:

Dear Mr. Hicks:

Thank you for your recent inquiry which we have read with interest. Unfortunately, we cannot be encouraging about the possibility of support. The Foundation’s mission is to improve learning and enrichment opportunities for children. To achieve this, we are focusing on the following goals:

Improve the quality of K-12 school leaders;

Improve the quality of and access to out-of-school time programs;

Provide disadvantaged students with more time for learning during the summer and through an expanded school day;

Expand arts learning opportunities for children both in and outside of school.

In each of these areas, we work with school districts, cities and non-profits across the country. Our approach is to select and invest in innovation sites willing to test promising new approaches, commission independent research that could benefit the work in those sites, and capture and share what we’ve learned with others who are interested in pursuing similar changes but who may never receive our direct funding.

Virtually all of the grants we award are made through a competitive process. In most cases, we identify and evaluate prospective grantees through the issuance of requests for proposals or other careful screening processes. While we believe this approach strengthens the effectiveness of our investments, it also means that unsolicited proposals are rarely funded.

We sincerely welcome your continued interest in our work and encourage you to visit our web-based Knowledge Center for free access to a range of knowledge products that you may find useful. Please also sign up for our newsletter. Another resource that may be helpful in locating funding sources is The Foundation Center.

Thank you again for taking the time to inquire about support from the Foundation. We wish you every success in your work.

Sincerely,
Ann Marie Lopez
On behalf of the Grants Administrator

Although we are disappointed in this outcome we will continue to see out funding for BDPA programs and services on a local, regional and national level in 2012.

Route 66: The Road to the 2006 National BDPA HSCC Championship

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +0000

Gibran McDuffie is the coordinator of the Student Information Technology Education & Scholarship (SITES) program conducted each year by BDPA Chicago chapter. One of the components of the SITES program is the annual High School Computer Competition (HSCC).

There have been 26 HSCC championships held in the United States since the first one took place back in 1986. In recent years the HSCC championships have been dominated by the BDPA chapter in Rochester, MN.

2006 HSCC Champions (Chicago)

However, there is one team that has beaten BDPA Southern Minnesota over the past seven years. BDPA Chicago's HSCC team won the national championship in 2006.

Gibran takes the time to share the story of that 2006 National BDPA HSCC Championship team. The story is compelling ... and it offers some outstanding 'lessons learned' for the other 45 BDPA chapters to consider as they begin planning for the 2012 HSCC championships.

Take a moment to download or read online Gibran's reflections on that 2006 championship team:

Road to National BDPA HSCC Championship

View more documents from BDPA Foundation.

I would be very interested in your thoughts on Gibran's article. What say u?

Message from Chicago Chapter President

noreply@blogger.com (Villager) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:45:00 +0000

Pam Sexton

Greetings and Happy New Year!

I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to continue leading BDPA Chicago Chapter through 2013. I would like to thank each member and the Corporate Advisory Council (CAC) for their support and vote of confidence. I would like to highlight a few of our accomplishments over the past two years:

Successfully executed and supported the 2011 National BDPA Technology Conference in Chicago
Received the 2011 NBDPA Community Service Award during the 2011 National BDPA Technology Conference
Increased Corporate Advisory Council membership and corporate support with the addition of Northern Trust Bank and Geneca
Maintained strong fiscal accountability and compliance with applicable local, state and federal regulations
Delivered value added programs and services to BDPA Chicago Chapter membership

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without you, our members and most valuable stakeholders. Similar to my first term, we will continue to have a "Back To Basics” approach focused on the following goals:

Support of National BDPA, including the new administration, the regionalization organization structure and strategy
Creation and awareness of the Member Value Proposition (MVP) to drive even greater return on investment for all stakeholders
Increased engagement and participation of all members at BDPA Chicago Chapter events, program meetings and committees
Increased awareness and visibility of BDPA Chicago Chapter across the Chicago-land community to drive greater engagement, membership and sponsorship opportunities

The new chapter leadership team and I look forward to partnering with each of you to accomplish these goals, and I thank you in advance for your commitment and support.

Finally, please make plans to attend or participate in the following events. Feel free to visit the BDPA Chicago Chapter website, bdpa-chicago.org, for more information.

January 20, 2012 - BDPA Chicago Chapter Program Meeting
January 21, 2012 - Awards Banquet, Hyatt Chicago Downtown

Thank you again for a successful first term, and please feel free to contact me if you have any ideas, questions or concerns regarding BDPA Chicago Chapter.

Sincerely,
Pamela L. Sexton, president
BDPA Chicago Chapter