All times are Eastern Standard Time | All sessions will be recorded for easy and convenient access.
The purpose of this event is to increase Historically Black Colleges & Universities’ (HBCU) and Minority Servicing Institutions’ (MSI) participation in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Kick-off Ceremony with President & Founder - 46th Anniversary of BDPA / 43rd Conference It's not just what you look at that matters, it's what you see. Vision is critical for digital tech leaders today. Together, we will explore and be challenged on the power and necessity of vision and resiliency to lead in the digital revolution, to impact our community, and for our own individual success. So, what do you see? With the recent unprecedented and much needed focus around diversity and inclusion in the bio-pharmaceutical industry, we must pause and reflect on the range of challenges that we need to collectively address to create a more inclusive environment. In this short workshop, we will discuss how inclusion impacts innovation with a focus around creating a pipeline of talent that will continue to positively impact healthcare through data and analytics. Learn about how wearable technology is being redefined though new innovations from underrepresented talent; the role neuroscience plays in new technology; and why tech leaders of color should be aware, actively advocating, and helping to administer ethics in this new revolution. IT Showcase - Annual BDPA Virtual IT Showcase – Competition Day 1 (presentations for High School & College Research Paper Presentations Our distinguished panelists will share their respective journeys into entrepreneurship. Attendees will be able to glean key lessons learned as it relates to entrepreneurship. 184 years ago, the first Historically Black College / University was established. In this moment in history, characterized by the backdrop of a pandemic and unprecedented world-wide civil unrest, attendees will have the opportunity to hear from a group of distinguished panelists as they reflect on the moments of excellence that have defined their respective institutions. The 2020 civil unrest was heavy on our hearts and affected how many showed up at work. Learn how Northwestern Mutual African American Employee Resource Group pivoted to address employee concerns and the transformation of our entire organization.
Hands-on learning experience where we will dive into a real-world data science use case. Navigating corporate America as a black woman Building a culture of innovation where every one makes time to ideate and encourages other to do the same. Take risks, share your ideas, inspire others, and make sure others know of your impact. Live Musical performance by The Red Sample Game Description from blackcardrevoked.com:
A laugh-out, sing it like you mean it, must-have game for people who love black people and black culture. If you can’t answer these questions, you might just need your black card revoked!
During our game night, we will play three rounds with a prize being awarded to the winner of each round. We will also have an opportunity for one lucky attendee to win a surprise gift at the conclusion of the event.
The Lilly College Student Symposium is an exclusive event for College Students to learn more about Eli Lilly and Company. Students will have an opportunity to engage with early career professionals across Lilly IT. We Lead: At the intersections of Identity, Equality, and Unity is about recognizing the leaders in our communities that continue to take action to build equality in increasingly complex workplaces, together. From CDO’s, HR, ERG/BRG leaders that work within corporate organizations to support the advancement of underrepresented groups; Latinx, Black, Asian, LGBTQ+, all groups. The National BDPA Mobile App Showcase allows high school and college students the opportunity to participate in a competition that tests their talents against others in developing a functional mobile application. The student will design, program, and pitch their own app. This workshop will be an introductory overview of neural networks and real world applications. The workshop will also present a working example of a neural network created by the presenter. The presentation attendees will also receive recommendations for tools to build neural networks of their own.
We've all heard that there is a glass ceiling for too many women in corporate America. For many black Americans, this is not a glass ceiling but a brick wall. I will propose a framework that starts with a more inclusive hiring process and ends with a more fair and equitable promotion process. It is time for leaders to rethink how we recruit, measure, and evaluate underrepresented groups in corporate America. The tides of the pandemic have accelerated the rate of change at which all businesses must adapt to thrive. Hear directly from this diverse panel of leaders to learn their perspectives on the integral role of digital transformation in the future. At Northwestern Mutual, we’re building an inspiring, inclusive culture where everyone can bring their best self to the workplace and realize their individual potential. But we can’t stop there - we’re dedicated to supporting and promoting diversity within our communities and partner organizations. Hear from a panel of employees about how empowering their passions and amplifying diverse voices has impacted their careers. The National BDPA Information Technology (IT) Showcase, collaborating with local chapters, allows college and high school students from educational institutions across the United States to present advanced computing and technical topics. Students demonstrate research knowledge to an audience of corporate representatives, IT professionals and fellow students. Data Science Academy Datathon (sponsored by Eli Lilly and Northwestern Mutual) The Datathon is aimed towards students of all levels (high school, college, grad school) who have preliminary skills in analytics and data science. Students will be tasked with answering questions of various levels of difficulty about a specific dataset. Participants will work in groups and […] The purpose of this event is to increase Historically Black Colleges & Universities’ (HBCU) and Minority Servicing Institutions’ (MSI) participation in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Register to attend the Conference Career Fair! Register to participate in BDPA’s 43rd Annual Conference Career Fair: https://bdpa.6connex.com/event/bdpacon/fair21/register With companies present, including Johnson & Johnson, Eli Lilly, Amazon, Oracle, Google, Microsoft, US Air Force, US Navy, World Wide Technology, Lincoln Financial, Northwestern Mutual, Volkswagen, Walgreens, and more you will have opportunities to network and possibly […] This distinguished panel of C-suite leaders will share their journeys to the C-suite and some of the key ingredients to be successful on this journey. Attendees will have the opportunity to glean from the experiences of this executive panel of leaders. The BDPA HSCC program is designed to give students in local chapters the opportunity to be exposed to coding (i.e., PHP, Java), web development (I.e., API, Javascript, HTML, CSS), database design and project delivery. The National BDPA Mobile App Showcase allows high school and college students the opportunity to participate in a competition that tests their talents against others in developing a functional mobile application. The student will design, program, and pitch their own app. The tech startup industry is dominated by white males and greatly lacks ethnic and gender diversity. This industry offers career defining jobs, high salaries, unparalleled perks, remote friendliness, and stock options. These stock options along with high salaries create an opportunity for more black professionals to create wealth. Our community needs a greater focus on […] Participants will have the opportunity to listen to three TedX talks that proactively challenge listeners to upend the status quo and to strive for continual personal and professional excellence. In breakout segments, attendees will be able to thoughtfully reflect and introspect on some of the key messages of the talks and connect the group’s shared […] DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION/INNOVATION track | Digital Transformation No matter where you find yourself on the software stack, you build on top of layers of existing software. Knowing how these layers underneath you work can enable you to build software with better quality, smoother performance, and higher security. Why Tech Companies Should Support STEM Nonprofits to Improve Diversity & Inclusion of Black Males I plan to discuss my story and how I got into tech/STEM and what I believe the community can do to better equip young black males to be competitive in the tech landscape. Detail how corporations can support entities outside […] BDPA, in partnership with Google, are excited to introduce the BDPA Cloud Academy. This session will provide an overview of the academy, the various cloud verticals, and how you can register for this innovative program. Founder’s Reception & Lifetime Member Celebration The BDPA National High School Computer Competition, (HSCC), was founded in 1986 by Dr. Jesse Bemley, of Washington, D.C. What started as a two-team event between Washington, D.C. and Atlanta, Ga. has grown to over 20 teams of various high school students from chapters throughout the nation. It’s all designed to introduce our Youth to […] Laugh Out Loud Comedy Night featuring: DJ Chad; Comedian: Michael Prince, Jr. ; Musical performance by Regi Yarbrough. Join OneTen CEO/Founder to learn more about how OneTen is changing the way business is done to cultivate a thriving, equitable society. Attendees will learn more about OneTen as a coalition of leading executives who are coming together to upskill, hire and advance one million Black individuals in America over the next 10 years into family-sustaining jobs with opportunities for advancement. The role of black professionals in Corporate America, not just our role but how do we survive each day. From walking into the boardroom and being the only face like ours, to sitting down to lunch and having to mingle with those that are not like us. We will discuss the true role and factors of what it is like being black in Corporate America. A true and real discussion of what it feels like to be black in a predominately, white Corporate World. The Foreign Affairs IT (FAIT) Fellowship is funded by the U.S. Department of State. This year’s presentation with BDPA highlights the Department of State’s mission, objectives, and an innovative two-year Fellowship. The program’s path to a career in the Foreign Service provides academic funding for an IT-related degree, internships, professional development and mentorship – culminating […] The National BDPA Information Technology (IT) Showcase, collaborating with local chapters, allows college and high school students from educational institutions across the United States to present advanced computing and technical topics. Students demonstrate research knowledge to an audience of corporate representatives, IT professionals and fellow students. Streaming music and virtual networking Join us for the celebration of the conference with Awards Presentation, Speakers, and a musical performance by Xylina Cassandra.HBCU Collider Day 1
Kick-off Ceremony with President & Founder - 46th Anniversary of BDPA / 43rd Conference
KEYNOTE | You Are What You See... So, What Do You See?
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION track | Diversity and Inclusion: It's in our DNA
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION / INNOVATION track | Wearable Tech + The Brain & Why it Matters
IT Showcase - Annual BDPA Virtual IT Showcase – Competition Day 1 | Presentations for High School & College Research Papers
WORKSHOP FROM AFRL
PANEL | Entrepreneurship
PANEL | HBCU Hall of Excellence
The Power of Authenticity
INCREASING TECHNICAL ACUMEN | Practical Data Science
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION track | "Corporate America Through the Lens of Black Women"
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION / INNOVATION track | Building a Culture of Innovation
Live Performance - The Red Sample
Don’t get your “Black Card Revoked®” Game Night - Sponsored by Molson Coors
Lilly College Student Symposium
KEYNOTE | Opening Session | We Lead: At the intersection of Identity, Equality and Unity
Mobile App Competition - Presentations (High School Students)
INCREASING TECHNICAL ACUMEN | Neural Networks in the Real World
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION track | How Equity & Inclusion Leads to Real Business Impact
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION/INNOVATION track | Fireside Chat
Investing in Diverse Voices in Tech hosted by Northwestern Mutual
IT Showcase - Annual BDPA Virtual IT Showcase – Competition Day 2 | Poster Presentations
Data Science Academy Datathon (sponsored by Northwestern Mutual and Eli Lilly)
HBCU Collider Day 2
2021 Diversity Career Fair
PANEL | C-Suite
HSCC - Presentations and Quiz
Mobile App Competition - Presentations (High School Students)
KEYNOTE | Afternoon Session | Why Black Professionals Should Be Blitzing the Tech Startup Industry
TedEXcellence - Introspect. Reflect. Connect
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION/INNOVATION track | Digital Transformation
INCREASING TECHNICAL ACUMEN | Beyond the Layers: Strategies for understanding the technology that supports you
DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION track | More Black Men in Tech
BDPA Cloud Academy
Founder's Reception & Lifetime Member Celebration
HSCC - Final Judging
Laugh Out Loud, Comedy and Blues Night - Sponsored by Molson Coors
WORKSHOP | "One Million Careers for Black Talent"
WORKSHOP | Being Black in Corporate America
Foreign Affairs IT Fellowships and Career Opportunities with the Department of State
CLOSING KEYNOTE | The Digital Divide as an Racial Determinant of Health - How BDPA and STEM Advocacy is Saving Lives
IT Showcase - Annual BDPA Virtual IT Showcase | Awards Ceremony
Awards Ceremony Countdown (Pre-Show)
Awards Ceremony