Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, 1/30/2013 (Irwin Sylvah, Emmaly Manchanthasouk)

Irwin Sylvah and Emmaly Manchanthasouk

Black IT Pros Give Bank. Lots of people talk about “giving back,” “reaching back,” “paying it forward,” all expressions of how important it is that those who have been fortunate return the favor to others. That principle is alive and well at the local chapter of the Black Data Processing Associates (BDPA), which is showing the rest of the Twin Cities what it really means to extend a helping hand to the next generation. BDPA has been quietly and steadily doing just that for the past eight years.

Read the rest of the MSR article.

North Carolina State University, 1/22/2013 (Khalia Braswell)

Khalia Braswell (r)

Computer Science Future Students. "Field of Dreams", a popular movie in the late 1980’s, coined the phrase “If you build it, they will come,” meaning that people don’t realize they want or need something until it is right in front of them. Today’s most relevant way to build a field of dreams is to integrate technology into subject matter, which is just what NC State computer science students Khalia Braswell and KaMar Galloway have done. Their collaboration with Dr. Fay Cobb Payton on a critical healthcare outreach effort is changing mindsets, increasing communication and bringing people together to talk like never before.

Read the rest of this NC State University article.

NOTE: Khalia was a member of the 2007 BDPA High School Computer Competition (HSCC) team trained by BDPA Charlotte chapter.

Racing Towards Diversity, 1/1/2013 (Craig Brown)

Branching Up. From the top of a 25-year IT consulting career, Craig Brown sees too few people of color climbing the ladder of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). So he's doing something about it. Brown has launched a foundation, STEM Resource Group, to invite young students into the field, and an accompanying staffing firm, STEM Resource Partners, to help them find jobs when they complete their education.

Read the rest of the Racing Towards Diversity article here.

NOTE: Dr. Craig Brown is national BDPA vice president and BDPA Houston chapter president.