WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:05.040 Welcome everyone to the Blacks and Technology bit Tech Talk Podcast. A show but 2 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:09.560 we talk to black people who are engineers, innovators, educators, inventors, 3 00:00:09.679 --> 00:00:14.800 change makers and entrepreneurs doing amazing things in the world of technology. The Big 4 00:00:14.839 --> 00:00:18.320 Tech Talk podcast is where they show her they are stumping the divide by sharing 5 00:00:18.359 --> 00:00:22.679 their stories, experiences, ideas, knowledge and perspective on tech with the big 6 00:00:22.679 --> 00:00:31.120 community. Welcome everyone to the Bit Tech Talk Podcast. I'm your host, 7 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:35.439 Greg Greenley. I am the founder of the Blacks and Technology Organization, and 8 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:40.679 tonight we have on our podcast as a guest, Andrea Parker. Andrea is 9 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:46.399 a marketing project manager at Cisco Systems in Worrisville, North Carolina. She also 10 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:51.679 serves as co president of the Connected Black Professionals Network at Cisco, and she's 11 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:56.520 a member of the Blacks and Technology RDU Executive Board. She also co owns 12 00:00:56.520 --> 00:01:00.679 the Parker Group Consulting, LLC, which is a consulting firm the support business, 13 00:01:00.759 --> 00:01:04.680 branding and marketing needs as well as career coaching. And Andrea is also 14 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:10.519 also an effective motivational speaker. So I'd like to welcome Andrea to the show. 15 00:01:10.920 --> 00:01:15.239 How's going Andrew Everything as well thank you for having me. I'm happy 16 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:19.079 to be here. Thank you. I appreciate it. You are the second 17 00:01:19.280 --> 00:01:26.599 RDU person to join the podcast. We had Bobby on one or two episodes 18 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:30.359 ago, so it's good to have someone else representing ARE to You and to 19 00:01:30.439 --> 00:01:34.239 talk about, you know, your journey in tech as well as you know 20 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:38.359 kind of what the happenings are a bit RDU. So I do want to 21 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:42.680 start off by saying thank you for being a servant leader of the Blacks and 22 00:01:42.760 --> 00:01:48.239 Technology Are to You chapter. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. I appreciate everything 23 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:53.519 you all do as leaders and keeping everyone engaged and keeping the mission going. 24 00:01:53.640 --> 00:02:00.840 So thank you, absolutely absolutely. Now I got some really big I'm sorry 25 00:02:00.840 --> 00:02:01.799 now, I was just gonna say I got some big shoes to feel. 26 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:07.480 You said that Bobby was up here a few weeks ago. Bobby is best 27 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:12.840 man. So but I'm gonna do RDU jen Okay, excellent, excellent. 28 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.599 So Bobby, it sounds like he might be a hard act to follow, 29 00:02:16.680 --> 00:02:22.759 but we'll try to top that for sure. So tell us a little bit 30 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:24.680 about yourself, a little bit about you know, kind of where you're from, 31 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:30.039 where you went to college, that type of thing. Well born and 32 00:02:30.120 --> 00:02:36.439 raised in Ronald Rapids, North Carolina, which is too fi to anybody know 33 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:43.560 where that is. It's right not too far from the Virginia line. I 34 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:49.759 went to East Carolina University, graduated in twenty thirteen and with my bachelor's in 35 00:02:49.800 --> 00:02:55.159 communications, and I went to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. You 36 00:02:55.199 --> 00:03:01.319 cannot rush greatness, and I graduated in twenty nineteen with my master's and information 37 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:08.319 Technology. I'm a mom. I'm here in the Raleigh area, but yes, 38 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:13.520 I am a mom of a little boy named Noah. I feel like 39 00:03:13.800 --> 00:03:17.599 Noah is almost my colleague and my child. He goes to work with me. 40 00:03:17.800 --> 00:03:22.840 He's into the big events and yeah, so he's a big part of 41 00:03:23.439 --> 00:03:27.879 the reason why I'm even here. And I'm a wife. I cannot do 42 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.719 that. That's the biggest thing. I'm a wife. Very cool shout out 43 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:32.599 to Noah. I got a sign Isaiah, so I love. I love 44 00:03:32.639 --> 00:03:40.479 the biblical name stuff going on there. But is always focused on forming new 45 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:46.800 partnerships and opportunities to assist the community and our members with their continued professional growth 46 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:52.719 and development. If you'd like to partner with us, send an email in 47 00:03:52.879 --> 00:04:06.080 queries at blacks and Technology dot Net. Absolutely so, tell us tell us 48 00:04:06.080 --> 00:04:13.159 a little bit about you said you went to North Carolina at which is an 49 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:17.399 HBCU, if I'm not mistaken correct, Absolutely, yes, all right, 50 00:04:17.680 --> 00:04:21.360 tell us a little bit about that experience. What was going to an hbc 51 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:28.680 you like for you, Well, I got the grad experience of going to 52 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:34.759 an HBCU, which is totally different from the undergrad experience I was at. 53 00:04:35.040 --> 00:04:41.240 I was at other HBCUs during my undergrad experience at ECU, and I saw 54 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:45.160 what it was like, but unfortunately I did not get a chance to experience 55 00:04:45.160 --> 00:04:50.720 the HBCU life as undergrad. However, being an Aggie has has proven to 56 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:58.160 be way more than I even expected, especially coming through grad chapter. A 57 00:04:58.160 --> 00:05:00.560 lot of times when you come through grad chapter, you're not really as tapped 58 00:05:00.600 --> 00:05:05.399 into the school. You're just there to get that master's and you keep it 59 00:05:05.439 --> 00:05:10.199 moving. If you find a few alum in your career, great. I 60 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:14.759 can't say that. I feel like I almost feel like I went to A 61 00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:18.319 and T undergrad because of the relationships that I've built. When I go back 62 00:05:18.360 --> 00:05:23.240 to homecoming, there are people that I know and I feel just like a 63 00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:28.759 person who went, you know, undergrad. So Aggie pride is not just 64 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:31.639 something to yell out loud when you see another person in blue and gold. 65 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:39.120 It is true pride that emanates through each one of us who has who have 66 00:05:39.279 --> 00:05:43.120 experienced what it was like to be a part of Aggie Land. And when 67 00:05:43.160 --> 00:05:46.920 we find a fellow Aggie, it's just it's an immediate let me pull you 68 00:05:46.000 --> 00:05:48.240 up. How can I help you? What can I do for you? 69 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:54.959 You know? So that's the experience. Excellent, That's that's that's good to 70 00:05:55.000 --> 00:06:00.360 know. I've got young kids, and I know, you know, hope 71 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:05.000 anyhow they take the college route and go through that experience. I didn't go. 72 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:11.000 I went to a technical community college here in Ohio, so I don't 73 00:06:11.040 --> 00:06:15.720 even have the full college experience at all. But it's nice to hear, 74 00:06:15.839 --> 00:06:18.560 you know, kind of like what that experience is like for other people, 75 00:06:19.240 --> 00:06:24.680 because I definitely like to steer them in that direction for sure. Let me 76 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:29.879 let me ask you what you you you got your bachelor's and communications, but 77 00:06:29.959 --> 00:06:33.519 then you decided to pursue a degree in it? Like what what drove you 78 00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:45.040 towards technology? Apparently technology was the key that I needed to succeed. I 79 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:48.800 am technical, but I am no tech wiz at all. I will not 80 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:55.399 claim to be. It's not my favorite thing, however, Okay, to 81 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:59.319 reach some of the roles that I wanted and to at least have a chance 82 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:01.720 into some of the companies that I wanted to be able to apply to. 83 00:07:02.519 --> 00:07:08.319 I really thought that going back to school to get a degree in it would 84 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:13.600 be a good addition to my bachelor's degree, which was in communications. Communications 85 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:16.240 is so broad and you know, there are so many things that you can 86 00:07:16.279 --> 00:07:19.959 do with it. It's it kind of does not coin in on anything, 87 00:07:20.399 --> 00:07:26.160 but it coins in a little bit more and you can really have a like 88 00:07:26.199 --> 00:07:30.079 a concentration, so to speak. So I took the opportunity, you know, 89 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:35.079 instead of going to just get a get certifications or getting an associates in 90 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:41.160 it, Hey go go to grad school and then have that collaboration of your 91 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:46.000 I T degree with that communications degree and let's try it again. Let's let's 92 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:49.720 let's try it again. So that's what drove me into you know it, 93 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:53.639 it would have been computer science if I could have gotten into that program, 94 00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:58.600 but anything technical when I was trying to get into these companies, that was 95 00:07:58.639 --> 00:08:01.759 the key. That was the key to pursue. Okay, so it was 96 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:11.879 it was more of a uh to to kind of compliment your communications degree and 97 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:16.920 and get into those technology companies, uh that you wanted to get into. 98 00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:24.360 Yes, absolutely should it should always. I'm sorry it should have always been 99 00:08:24.399 --> 00:08:28.360 it. To be honest, as as far as I've gotten in my career, 100 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.399 I should have pursued that in the beginning. But you don't know what 101 00:08:31.480 --> 00:08:33.159 you don't know, so when you do know, you do better. Yeah, 102 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:37.399 I agree. Uh, it's funny I had. I had a roundabout 103 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:43.559 way of getting into it myself. I always was was interested in it. 104 00:08:43.360 --> 00:08:48.240 Uh, but you know, life happens. Uh, you make certain decisions 105 00:08:48.320 --> 00:08:54.600 and uh then you change those decisions later on, and uh and and things 106 00:08:54.639 --> 00:08:56.279 you know, and I had to get back into it. It was later, 107 00:08:58.080 --> 00:09:01.519 a little bit later on in my life, morelater than what I wanted. 108 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:05.519 But I felt that I just had this conversation with a good friend of 109 00:09:05.519 --> 00:09:09.960 mine. It was exactly right on time for me. Yeah, because I 110 00:09:09.720 --> 00:09:15.720 probably wasn't mature enough to handle not the work or anything like that. But 111 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:20.639 like you know, when you start in it and you start working your way 112 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:26.519 up, like the money, that's a huge reason why Blacks and Technology exists. 113 00:09:26.559 --> 00:09:31.679 It's to get more black people in the tech but it's also you know, 114 00:09:31.799 --> 00:09:39.080 kind of pushed them forward along the financial spectrum, right Like it allows 115 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:43.159 you to be able to generate this type of income and money that you can 116 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:48.240 put into other things that you can slowly start to build some generational well from 117 00:09:48.480 --> 00:09:52.159 I say that to say, like, had I had that money too early? 118 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:56.200 And I probably who knows what my mind was at at the time, 119 00:09:56.240 --> 00:10:03.799 I probably it was right on time for me to have subscript what's up everyone? 120 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:07.600 We hope that you're enjoying this episode of the Blacks and Technology BIT tech 121 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:11.960 Talk podcast. Do you or someone you know have a dope story that they 122 00:10:13.000 --> 00:10:16.279 want to share with our bit audience. Blocks and Technology is seeking guests to 123 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:22.000 be on our podcast. We're looking to highlight the journeys and experiences of black 124 00:10:22.039 --> 00:10:24.440 women and men in the tech industry. So if you know of someone, 125 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:30.120 send them our way, shoot us an email to contact us at Blacks and 126 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:33.759 Technology dot net, or click on the link in the show notes and fill 127 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:43.840 out our form. We're looking to hear from you. So you're in this 128 00:10:45.919 --> 00:10:52.480 of technology, so did you have any any role models like growing up, 129 00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:56.960 but that you could relate to as far as tech goes. To be honest, 130 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:03.679 I can't say that I did, because my family was either in the 131 00:11:03.720 --> 00:11:09.960 medical field or in factories. So the thing that I followed with tech is 132 00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:16.039 that in high school I was involved in most of in a lot of STEM 133 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:20.519 programs and organizations. I saw the opportunities that they opened up from high school 134 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:28.759 to college and then in college digging deeper into Even though my undergrad was communications, 135 00:11:28.759 --> 00:11:31.440 it was, you know, surrounding mass media. I was always intrigued 136 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:37.879 by the technical aspect, being the production assistant, directing, producing, doing 137 00:11:39.120 --> 00:11:43.639 audio video production type of things like that. It was always the piecing together 138 00:11:43.159 --> 00:11:50.759 of things, not necessarily being a reporter or things like that. So the 139 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:56.960 technical aspect has always been an interest of mine, even in mass media and 140 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:01.080 communications, and it was it was it was just an automatic. It was 141 00:12:01.080 --> 00:12:05.720 an automatic from you know, I graduated with that degree, but I never 142 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:09.120 really got a good job with communications. So I was drawing blood in a 143 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:13.639 laboratory for about five years and I'm like, this is not me, this 144 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.080 is not my life. And it was like, what what do you like 145 00:12:16.120 --> 00:12:20.000 to do? I like marketing and events, and things on the communication side. 146 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:26.279 But I always had a nice protect, nice nice It's funny that you 147 00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:31.639 mentioned that the audio production, uh, video production, all that stuff. 148 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:37.840 It's that's kind of how I got my interest in tech as well. A 149 00:12:37.879 --> 00:12:43.159 friend of my mom's actually was he was going to school at a place called 150 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:48.679 Southern Ohio College for like audio and video production, uh, and it was 151 00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:52.159 he would he would take me uh up there sometimes, like on on Saturdays. 152 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:54.840 We would just we would actually catch the bus and we would go up 153 00:12:54.840 --> 00:13:00.720 there and he would show me like all the all the audio and video equipment 154 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:07.679 and the huge production board and everything like that. And he was also like 155 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:13.279 really really good with just building things, Like he had a mind for electronics. 156 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:16.519 He would show me schematics. He would say, hey, this is 157 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:18.799 what this is. He would build little gadgets and things like that. I 158 00:13:18.840 --> 00:13:22.919 remember he built this PA system into his car one time, and it was 159 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.240 just stuff like that. They really fascinated me and grabbed my attention. I 160 00:13:26.279 --> 00:13:30.559 was like, oh, this is pretty not only that like back then, 161 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:35.240 when like I didn't I didn't think. I don't think I knew any other 162 00:13:35.360 --> 00:13:43.360 black people who had that level of technical acumen that he had and that that 163 00:13:43.440 --> 00:13:46.480 really drew me to him as well and drew me to the industry. Was 164 00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:52.639 seeing that and seeing a black man as intelligent as he was doing some of 165 00:13:52.679 --> 00:13:54.720 the things that he was doing, you know, kind of running the show, 166 00:13:54.960 --> 00:13:58.960 you know with the audio and video production because he he actually utilized that 167 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:05.759 to uh to do audio video production for some local businesses like you'll do like 168 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:13.399 h video for for the church, the local church and things like that. 169 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:16.960 He'd he video there there the Sunday sermon, things like that, and he 170 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.759 would bring me along to those as well, help and have me help him 171 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:24.039 set up and and all that. I just thought it was fascinating. Uh 172 00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:28.679 So it's it's it's it's funny that you you you kind of had that same 173 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:35.480 that same route. Let's talk about about Cisco. It's a huge company, 174 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:39.519 very huge company. I actually used to be Cisco certified back in the day. 175 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:43.879 But tell everyone who who who might not know about Cisco, who Cisco 176 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:50.639 is and what you do for them. So Cisco for me, has proven 177 00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:58.480 to be the ideal technical company that it promised it would be. When I 178 00:14:58.600 --> 00:15:01.480 was external, when I I was on the outside trying my best to get 179 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:09.519 in. I remember reading Cisco said be you here. Since I have been 180 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:11.399 there, I've been there for about three and a half years. June will 181 00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:18.200 be three and a half years. And I have been myself in every aspect 182 00:15:18.679 --> 00:15:28.320 of my life at Cisco, through tragedy, opportunity. I mean if I 183 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:33.480 did have pink hair and was tatted from my neck down, I would still 184 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:41.120 be acceptable at Cisco. Cisco takes pride absolutely. Cisco takes pride in diversity 185 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:46.320 and allowing us to express ourselves. It's having that comfortability sometimes allows you to 186 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:50.919 be the best person in sales to your customer. You get to open up, 187 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:54.840 you don't have to put on this personality. You get to be the 188 00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:58.639 very best parts of yourself so that you can give the best parts of yourself. 189 00:15:58.600 --> 00:16:03.919 Then I realized, well, I came to find out what inclusive communities 190 00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:11.080 were, or what most people know them as art and I found the connected 191 00:16:11.120 --> 00:16:17.039 black professional space and it was I came in during the pandemic, so a 192 00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:19.480 lot of people, you know, we weren't going to the office, and 193 00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:26.080 so you're at this big company and I always heard people talk about how they 194 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:30.559 would walk through the halls at times and when they see somebody that look like 195 00:16:30.600 --> 00:16:33.240 them. It's like, oh, it's somebody that looks like me. And 196 00:16:33.320 --> 00:16:37.279 so not even being able to walk through the halls and see people that look 197 00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:40.720 like me, it's like, how in the world am I going to get 198 00:16:40.720 --> 00:16:45.399 acclimated at this big company and find my people? And so there was CBP 199 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:52.720 and I was added to the room our webeed space by a colleague who was 200 00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:59.480 actually a good friend of mine from we'd known each other since the sixth grade, 201 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:03.279 and she the CISCO. She added me to the space, and everybody 202 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:07.440 just gave a big round or welcome of you know, I'm glad you're here, 203 00:17:07.039 --> 00:17:11.000 x y Z. Time went on, I saw that there were roles 204 00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:15.680 open to take a role of leadership on the e board for the RDU or 205 00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:21.319 the RDU chapter, and I raised my hand. I raised, I raised 206 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:26.599 my hand to be a part of the communications and events pillar interviewed for it. 207 00:17:27.119 --> 00:17:32.079 Pretty much got the role, and then I saw that there was an 208 00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:37.599 opportunity for a co lead for the chapter. And in my mind, I'm 209 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:41.599 like, you're not ready for that, you're not, so just do communications. 210 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:47.759 But when I spoke to that same friend who I'd known since the sixth 211 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:51.000 grade, she was at the time that co lead. She said, girl, 212 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:55.680 do the co lead role. That is you, That is totally you. 213 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:57.759 You can handle it. And I think that she could probably turn it 214 00:17:57.799 --> 00:18:03.519 around because the pen had really brought everything down and it was the best decision 215 00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:07.400 that I could have made. Being a part of that inclusive community is how 216 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:15.519 I met Bobby and how I'm even a part of it now. That community 217 00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:21.880 has has allowed me to meet different have been to be a part of different 218 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:26.720 projects. Two three weeks ago, I was at Howard University with our Social 219 00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:32.839 Justice Impact Office and I met the Cast of a Different World for because of 220 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:37.160 a project that Cisco is sponsoring with the Cast of a Different Well, it's 221 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:42.519 called the Human Takeover. It's a Different World. We see you College Tour. 222 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:49.440 So TBP is an entity of Cisco. It is the biggest entity for 223 00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:55.240 me of Cisco. But even outside of that, even in my day job, 224 00:18:55.400 --> 00:18:59.240 I get a chance to really work with some amazing people and make amazing 225 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:04.480 connections other companies that are aligned to Cisco, and it's it's full circle. 226 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:07.559 I always said I wanted to work there, and I am and I think 227 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:11.039 I'm doing really good there. Excellent, Thank thank you. For for the 228 00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:15.720 history around that. That's pretty cool, so that you got to meet the 229 00:19:17.079 --> 00:19:21.680 cast of a different world. My daughter, her her middle name is actually 230 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:30.799 named after Kree Summers, who is Freddie. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 231 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:34.599 I was. I had a crush on her back in the day. So 232 00:19:34.640 --> 00:19:44.680 she's Do you have a product or service that you would like to share with 233 00:19:44.759 --> 00:19:48.799 the big audience or maybe you'd like to support the big community and do your 234 00:19:48.839 --> 00:19:52.960 part in helping us with stomping the divide. Start by sponsoring one of our 235 00:19:53.000 --> 00:20:07.279 podcasts. Please email us at contact us at the boxtechnology dot net us. 236 00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:11.920 Tell us a little bit about, you know, kind of what what you 237 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:18.799 do there as a project manager. So I'm a marketing project manager in our 238 00:20:18.359 --> 00:20:22.400 HR organization, which we call people in communities. We try to keep it 239 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:30.519 as not corporate sounding as possible. I support our support projects with our in 240 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:36.799 our benefits space and our compensation space, any of the SharePoint sites that need 241 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:41.519 refreshers from one fiscal year to the next. I work along with the stakeholders 242 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:47.920 UH to get that done. Our benefits program, there are so many benefits 243 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:49.799 and this happened to a lot of people at their companies. We have so 244 00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:55.680 many benefits that we pay for every month and we hardly use them most of 245 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:59.240 the time. We're concerned about medical and four oh one, K, well 246 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:04.480 what about suitial reimbursement? What about employee resources like you know, therapy for 247 00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:12.359 you know, things like when tragedy happens. It's so many different benefits that 248 00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:17.599 you have at your company and people are not aware. And so part of 249 00:21:17.640 --> 00:21:21.720 my job is to work along with our benefits team to put those communications out 250 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:26.359 there for our employees to know what they're paying for. We have money coaching, 251 00:21:26.839 --> 00:21:32.319 we have career coaching. We I mean, it's so many and we're 252 00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:36.559 paying for this and a lot of people do not use it. So it 253 00:21:36.720 --> 00:21:41.519 is my job to be able to pull those things out along with my stakeholders 254 00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:45.599 in that benefit space and find a way to educate our employees so that they 255 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:53.440 will stay abreast and utilize what they're paying for. Gotcha, gotcha. So 256 00:21:53.599 --> 00:22:02.759 what I like about about your journey is that you are melding these two which 257 00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:07.920 can sometimes seem like the sparate worlds, right like the tech world and you're 258 00:22:07.960 --> 00:22:14.720 melting out with your communications degree and being a project because a lot of people 259 00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:17.319 I shouldn't even say a lot of people. There are some people out there 260 00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:22.279 that might get the they might get the idea that, oh, working at 261 00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:26.000 a tech company is not for me because I'm not an engineer or you know, 262 00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:29.160 I'm not a web developer or anything like that. And it's good to 263 00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:37.480 hear stories of people who are doing things outside of engineering and they're still making 264 00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:41.920 a big difference within the companies, the tech companies that they work for. 265 00:22:41.599 --> 00:22:47.519 So anybody who's watching, like, if you have other interests and you think 266 00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:55.759 that you may or may not like be a person that can work at a 267 00:22:55.799 --> 00:23:00.000 tech company, like, think again, Like, there's so many different avenues 268 00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:04.519 who's within the company and within tech companies that you can pursue, uh, 269 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:08.079 in order to kind of work within the realm of tech. So so don't 270 00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:11.359 limit yourself thinking that you just you just have to be an engineer, because 271 00:23:11.359 --> 00:23:15.279 that's not true at all. So, yes, thanks thanks for sharing that. 272 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:22.160 Let's talk a little bit about the Parker Group. Tell us tell us 273 00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:25.599 what the Parker Group is, uh, and you know, tell us what 274 00:23:25.640 --> 00:23:30.720 your your role? Uh? And it is. So the Parker Group is 275 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:37.640 it's located here in Raleigh. Of course, it's led by Project managers who 276 00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:41.319 have over ten years of experience of experience in you know, event management. 277 00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:47.759 I hate to say, I hate to say. I will also say life 278 00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:52.599 coaching because that is a lot of what we have been doing. Helping people 279 00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:57.039 rebrand themselves. You know, if if they you know, had this image 280 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:02.519 before, but they want to pursue this type of career, and people won't 281 00:24:02.599 --> 00:24:07.720 let their past life go finding ways to separate the past for from the present 282 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:14.440 in the future. Business business marketing as well, branding, ef IT logistics, 283 00:24:14.480 --> 00:24:21.440 operations, social media management, all of that and are the things that 284 00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:26.319 encompass what you need in order to make your business your businesses grow. To 285 00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:30.039 make sure that your image match what you want people to think of you, 286 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:36.680 and basically just staying on top of your brand and who you are, and 287 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:41.599 to to make sure that you know you understand your worth and your value, 288 00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:45.759 not underselling yourself, you know, stay and stay up today with the times 289 00:24:45.799 --> 00:24:51.839 and the expectations. So a lot of people here consulting and it's in they're 290 00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:57.079 like, oh, no, that's a I won't say that, but that's 291 00:24:57.119 --> 00:25:00.160 a scheme that I want to get get into. I don't want to say 292 00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:07.440 that particular brand I don't want I don't want the smell, but that etiquette, 293 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:12.200 the teaching of soft skills. Sometimes you can't teach that, but sometimes 294 00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:17.680 it is teachable if people understand what they need, you know, conflict resolution, 295 00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:21.880 just think the things that we don't think really matter when it comes to 296 00:25:21.920 --> 00:25:26.240 our growth or when it comes to people wanted to work with us and use 297 00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:30.440 us for business. So that's what the Parker Group mostly does. It's it's 298 00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:34.079 a big ball of enhancement for pretty much the things that people need to enhance 299 00:25:34.119 --> 00:25:40.240 their lives. Pretty cool, pretty cool, Like I love the I love 300 00:25:40.279 --> 00:25:45.079 that whole thing. It's it's it's so crazy that nowadays, like in the 301 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:51.400 age of the Internet, social media, like it's so needed for people to 302 00:25:51.599 --> 00:25:53.680 you know, leaders are not not even leaders just every day. I was 303 00:25:53.720 --> 00:25:57.880 actually looking at getting my sons because I have a son that, uh he's 304 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:03.039 like a he's swimmer and he's like a champion level swimmer at age fourteen, 305 00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:07.680 and I was like, Yep, we need to get on his branding and 306 00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:11.640 marketing and everything right now because not only is he a really good swimmer, 307 00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:15.160 but he's a black swimmer. And if you know anything about swimming, there's 308 00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:18.839 not a lot of black people at any of these swim meets, but I 309 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:22.440 felt like, you know him being who he is, his personality, he's 310 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:27.440 a handsome young man like and the fact that he is really good, like 311 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:30.920 I had, like, let's let's market let's market it, let's brand it, 312 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:36.839 let's let's go the whole nine and and put you out there. And 313 00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:41.200 and you know in the day's day of nil deals and all this stuff, 314 00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:44.400 it's you know, he could set himself up, you know, for for 315 00:26:44.519 --> 00:26:51.240 something, for something great down the line. So people nowadays, it's much 316 00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:55.880 needed. It's much needed. I need some work doing that myself. Hey, 317 00:26:56.000 --> 00:27:00.000 let me know we can do this. So okay, all right, 318 00:27:00.319 --> 00:27:03.400 tell us a little bit about how do you how you first learned about Ben. 319 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:08.519 I'm always interested in knowing this because Dennis Schultz, who's our executive director, 320 00:27:08.640 --> 00:27:12.279 he he handles like the day to day operations of the Blacks and Technology 321 00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:17.680 Foundation, which all of our chapters and everything, all our members are underneath. 322 00:27:18.319 --> 00:27:21.759 Uh. And I'm on the board of that. But I don't always 323 00:27:21.799 --> 00:27:26.440 get to interact with a lot of the leaders. For one, uh, 324 00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:30.000 he does a lot of that communication. Uh. And two there's there's so 325 00:27:30.160 --> 00:27:34.480 many. Now we've we've grown, you know, fortunately, we've grown to 326 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:38.920 be pretty big, and I just don't I don't know everyone, so I 327 00:27:38.960 --> 00:27:41.200 always like to hear, like, how did you hear about, you know, 328 00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:47.839 blacks and Technology? So two ways. One, I have a good 329 00:27:47.880 --> 00:27:52.799 friend who went to church with Bobby and this was my last last summer, 330 00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:56.640 and she said, I think you need to talk to Bobby McNeil. And 331 00:27:56.680 --> 00:28:00.279 I was like, who is that. She was like, he's the president 332 00:28:00.440 --> 00:28:03.559 of this group called blacks and Technology. So it was on my to do 333 00:28:03.640 --> 00:28:08.960 list to look this person up on LinkedIn and touch base. Well I did, 334 00:28:10.759 --> 00:28:17.079 but Bobby never responded. Bobby never responded. He didn't he didn't leave 335 00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:22.480 me on red but he just never responded. So, like I said, 336 00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:32.920 that was last summer. About September October ish a colleague from our wich pillar, 337 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:37.640 our professional development pillar at CBP for the RDU chacker. She touched that 338 00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:45.880 she put she pinged me and said, I want y'all to meet Bobby McNeil. 339 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:51.960 He's the president of blacks and Technology for the RDU area. I think 340 00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:56.559 that Cisco, CBP and Big could do some great things together. I was 341 00:28:56.640 --> 00:29:00.559 like, Yeah, that's perfectly fun because I've been trying to get in touch 342 00:29:00.599 --> 00:29:08.119 with him anyway, was talking absolutely. So she did a soft introduction for 343 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:14.400 Bobby, myself and my two colleagues. My colleague, my two coleads, 344 00:29:14.880 --> 00:29:22.240 and we ended up on a meeting maybe about three weeks later, and we 345 00:29:22.359 --> 00:29:30.400 talked about the relationship between Cisco and Bent. Okay, I said, Bobby 346 00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:33.799 a separate message, and I said, I want to talk to you about 347 00:29:33.079 --> 00:29:38.720 me and BIT, and so he said, okay, it's perfectly fun. 348 00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:44.119 So we got a quick meeting maybe like the next day or two, and 349 00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:47.440 I basically told him, you know, what I saw about BIT, what 350 00:29:47.519 --> 00:29:51.799 I really appreciated, and I wanted to get involved more in the community outside 351 00:29:52.000 --> 00:29:57.480 of Cisco, as BIT touches a whole lot more areas and entity and so 352 00:29:59.799 --> 00:30:06.680 you usually they would choose people to come to the board that have been more 353 00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:11.680 like active in the events and things. I've never been to any BIT event. 354 00:30:11.720 --> 00:30:17.119 I've never really heard a BIT until it came to my attention and he 355 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:22.039 said, well, I'm gonna see if we have room. We do have 356 00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:26.920 some roles, but we did just feel some on the E board and but 357 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:30.440 I think this could be a really good relationship to leverage because we've been trying 358 00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:34.039 to leverash this relationship with Cisco. If we could have Cisco sitting right on 359 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:40.920 our board, that's a direct shoe in. Yeah, and the rest is 360 00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:45.119 history. I interviewed with the team. They said they love me. I 361 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:48.440 got a kick out of them at first sight. And I'm here like, 362 00:30:48.519 --> 00:30:52.160 here we go, and yes, we are using Cisco to the max, 363 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:57.880 using the building for spaces for events, and you know, it's a beautiful 364 00:30:57.920 --> 00:31:03.160 relationship thus far. I just gotta get them to get one of these sponsorship 365 00:31:03.200 --> 00:31:07.079 packages and and that's it right there. Yeah. So a lot of people 366 00:31:07.119 --> 00:31:15.720 don't don't know that. I guess the what aredy You is in terms of 367 00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:22.960 the technology like the that So it's ared you and RTP. Are they kind 368 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:29.240 of like one of the same things, RTP Research Triangle Park. Yes, 369 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:33.799 yes, so as you said, RTP is Research Triangle Park, RDU is 370 00:31:33.000 --> 00:31:41.640 Rolly Durham, RTP is it's actually in Morrisville, and Raleigh and Durham are 371 00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:47.519 own the house like Raleigh, Durham, Carry and Morrisville, and so Cisco 372 00:31:48.119 --> 00:31:52.240 is in Morrisville. And then you'll have Lenovo down the street and you have 373 00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:56.640 a IBM across the street, and whichever way you go, you're gonna go 374 00:31:56.680 --> 00:32:01.599 to Raleigh, Durham or carry so RTP. It's literally like the little triangle 375 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:06.839 that's in the middle of the pizza. It's just it just holds all of 376 00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:08.880 it, all of it together. That's basically what it is. And of 377 00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:15.119 course already you is Hardy. You is the area in which most of the 378 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:21.359 companies reside, either Raley or Dura. Got you And I say, like, 379 00:32:22.640 --> 00:32:28.200 people don't may not know that it's it's kind of like the Silicon Valley 380 00:32:28.200 --> 00:32:31.359 of like the East. Does that be fair assumption? I mean you have 381 00:32:31.440 --> 00:32:37.880 some some super big it's like Cisco and IBM and Lenovo, like those three 382 00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:44.119 alone are huge, huge companies. Yes, and we have Apple here too. 383 00:32:45.920 --> 00:32:49.359 Okay, I didn't. I didn't know Apple was there. You're definitely 384 00:32:49.440 --> 00:32:54.400 the Silicon Valley of the East. Yeah. So me, what's what's the 385 00:32:54.400 --> 00:33:01.680 the What's been the most rewarding part of being part of leaders Being able to 386 00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:08.440 see people who usually don't get a chance to shake hands with a VP, 387 00:33:09.359 --> 00:33:15.359 a director. They get to come to these events and actually talk in person, 388 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:22.599 give an informal interview, almost they get a chance to talk to the 389 00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:29.720 very people who could hire them for a job. BI opens up that door 390 00:33:29.519 --> 00:33:35.720 for them to be able to make those connections. And then because usually, 391 00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:38.160 you know, you apply for a job and you don't know what else happened. 392 00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:42.680 You back in the day, we say, who's the hire a manager? 393 00:33:42.759 --> 00:33:45.440 Can I get? Can I get a phone number? Email or something? 394 00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:51.480 You just apply and you pray to God like that's it. But here 395 00:33:51.640 --> 00:33:57.519 you get a chance to Now you can meet the person and make that connection, 396 00:33:57.799 --> 00:34:01.119 follow on LinkedIn, get an emails, seeing a resume directly. BIT 397 00:34:01.359 --> 00:34:05.759 opens the door for that, and I am I am so appreciative to be 398 00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:12.480 a part of an organization that that has cut those barriers for us. And 399 00:34:12.519 --> 00:34:17.960 then opportunities like what I'm doing right now, being able to speak on panels, 400 00:34:19.079 --> 00:34:22.239 being being able to speak on this podcast. You know, with something 401 00:34:22.239 --> 00:34:25.559 that you mentioned earlier, just because you're at a you if you want to 402 00:34:25.559 --> 00:34:29.920 work at a tech company and you're not technical, that's that's okay. Do 403 00:34:30.000 --> 00:34:34.800 you have transferable skills for the job that you want. Hey, it's a 404 00:34:34.840 --> 00:34:37.679 tech company, but somebody got to run it, so there's hr you know, 405 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:43.559 being able to let people know those things and network with people to say, 406 00:34:43.599 --> 00:34:45.000 hey, you know what, you don't gotta you don't gotta do it 407 00:34:45.039 --> 00:34:47.000 like that. Come over here, I'm gonna show you how to make it 408 00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:51.400 a little bit easier for yourself. It's just a beautiful thing, it really 409 00:34:51.480 --> 00:34:57.599 is. That's that's wonderful to hear the the I think that's why, like 410 00:34:58.679 --> 00:35:04.719 and it seems like such a people mission. It sounds like you know anybody, 411 00:35:04.760 --> 00:35:10.519 but it really hits home as far as like what we are trying to 412 00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:15.840 do in this industry. So for people who don't know, increase the representation 413 00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:21.039 and participation of black people in tech is our is our mission. Uh. 414 00:35:21.079 --> 00:35:29.239 The representation part is huge because I've always felt that in order for us to 415 00:35:29.320 --> 00:35:34.079 usher in the next generation, whether or not they're on a path towards tech 416 00:35:34.119 --> 00:35:39.400 already or they might not know about opportunities in tech, that representation piece is 417 00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:43.920 going to be huge. It's just like you said, you know, people 418 00:35:43.960 --> 00:35:47.840 come to these events a they're seeing other black people in tech. So that's 419 00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:54.000 representation. Not only that they're getting to meet vps and other executives and and 420 00:35:54.000 --> 00:36:00.960 and and meet them and in this informal way that allows them to be themselves 421 00:36:01.159 --> 00:36:06.079 and not have to you know, because the interviews, some interviews can be 422 00:36:06.199 --> 00:36:09.519 very formal and the way that you approach them. Now, I'm not saying 423 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:13.719 necessarily like hey, like every interview is going to be a former. I'm 424 00:36:13.760 --> 00:36:16.280 saying like, sometimes you're trying to impress somebody, or you're trying to you're 425 00:36:16.280 --> 00:36:21.079 gonna come, you're gonna you might dress up or what have you. You. 426 00:36:22.599 --> 00:36:24.679 But when you're in there like an informal setting, a networking event and 427 00:36:24.719 --> 00:36:29.760 things like that, and you can really just talk to people one on one 428 00:36:29.840 --> 00:36:35.639 and face to face and just really kind of be yourself like that really changes 429 00:36:35.679 --> 00:36:40.159 the mindset of other people because then you don't have that mental barrier to whether 430 00:36:40.239 --> 00:36:45.719 or not I belong in tech or not, because you know, I don't. 431 00:36:45.760 --> 00:36:50.880 I don't. I don't think I fit what the criteria is as far 432 00:36:50.920 --> 00:36:53.800 as what a what a tech person is. And when you have spaces like 433 00:36:54.039 --> 00:36:59.280 you know, what you all are providing at these events, I think it 434 00:36:59.320 --> 00:37:02.320 breaks out at down. Like like our tagline said, stomping the divide, 435 00:37:02.360 --> 00:37:07.679 That's exactly what we're doing. We're we're breaking down and stomping that barrier and 436 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:12.400 saying hey, like this is for you, this is for us, uh 437 00:37:12.440 --> 00:37:15.039 and and and come on in welcome, welcome to this industry. So I 438 00:37:15.159 --> 00:37:22.639 love hearing that right absolutely, And so let's talk a little bit about you 439 00:37:22.679 --> 00:37:25.760 know what what drives you as a leader, because you're you're part of this 440 00:37:25.840 --> 00:37:31.920 connected black professional les goo uh, you're part of the bit RDU leadership, 441 00:37:32.039 --> 00:37:37.880 Like what drives you to be a leader and championing these DEI efforts. It 442 00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:45.639 took me so long to get here because of all of the blockers that I 443 00:37:45.760 --> 00:37:52.000 experienced. Some of them, actually a lot of them came from just not 444 00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:57.840 being privy to knowing what was out there. So if I knew that, 445 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:02.960 if I had gone to school for Tech out the Gate, I truly feel 446 00:38:04.000 --> 00:38:07.480 like I would have been here in my twenties, and by now I would 447 00:38:07.480 --> 00:38:13.119 have I would probably be pushing director level with the grit that I have. 448 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:19.159 I had to go through a lot of trial and error and figuring this out 449 00:38:19.320 --> 00:38:23.840 and what's out there. Just not knowing you cannot help what you don't know. 450 00:38:24.599 --> 00:38:29.519 So for anybody that's still feeling like you're not on time, you're behind, 451 00:38:29.599 --> 00:38:32.920 if it's because you don't know, you cannot help what you don't know, 452 00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:37.559 but you can always ask questions, and you can always learn, and 453 00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:40.440 you can always make a difference in the time that's going to pass anyway. 454 00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:47.079 So would that being the case if now I am at this point, I'm 455 00:38:47.119 --> 00:38:52.400 thirty three, I feel like I'm on track, I'm going somewhere. What 456 00:38:52.480 --> 00:38:58.400 I'm doing is working. Doors are opening. But now I see these young 457 00:38:58.440 --> 00:39:01.960 people who are coming into Cisco, they're twenty three or twenty four, and 458 00:39:02.039 --> 00:39:06.800 they're making seventy and eighty thousand dollars out of the out, straight out of 459 00:39:06.840 --> 00:39:12.719 school, And I for a moment had to stop feeling a little bit envious 460 00:39:12.840 --> 00:39:16.199 because I'm like, man, I wish I had what they have back then, 461 00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:22.159 and and it's like, you no rearrange that help develop them. Now 462 00:39:22.199 --> 00:39:25.360 of course they've gotten out of school, and eighty thousand dollars salary at twenty 463 00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:29.960 three is like twenty two to twenty three is like, man, yeah, 464 00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:34.519 you know, I'm rich, especially if you were a broke college student. 465 00:39:35.360 --> 00:39:44.480 But if it's not applied accordingly and efficiently, they're not focused on their professional 466 00:39:44.519 --> 00:39:47.880 development, and and that money ain't gonna last long if you don't have good 467 00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:52.800 spending habits. It's not you're you're gonna start feeling stagnant and you're gonna be 468 00:39:52.800 --> 00:39:57.840 stuck it at eighty thousand for the next seven or eight years. You want 469 00:39:57.840 --> 00:40:00.000 to grow, you don't want to, you don't wanna, and that enjoy 470 00:40:00.079 --> 00:40:04.280 it once you get, once you reach that goal, enjoy it. But 471 00:40:04.360 --> 00:40:07.239 then it's time to keep moving. Let's keep on moving so that you know 472 00:40:07.480 --> 00:40:14.280 you can keep growing up until the better part of yourself. So being these 473 00:40:14.400 --> 00:40:20.599 di efforts and these roles of leadership allow me to knock over the blocks for 474 00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:25.559 others. And that is something that I genuinely love doing. I love to 475 00:40:25.639 --> 00:40:30.880 be a problem I love being a problem solver. I love I honestly love 476 00:40:30.920 --> 00:40:34.760 it when somebody has said I've tried everything, and then I can almost do 477 00:40:34.840 --> 00:40:37.559 something at the snap of a finger, and it's like, oh my gosh, 478 00:40:37.599 --> 00:40:40.760 you really, you really help me. It's not a matter of gratitude 479 00:40:42.199 --> 00:40:45.960 or you know, I need that pad on the pad on the back, 480 00:40:45.159 --> 00:40:52.000 or the validation. I truly do enjoy. I genuinely enjoy seeing people succeed. 481 00:40:52.199 --> 00:40:55.639 And when yeah, I have to say I agree with all that, 482 00:40:55.719 --> 00:41:02.760 like it's it resonates with me so much because I felt like that that was, 483 00:41:02.960 --> 00:41:07.239 you know, part of my journey. I felt like I was late 484 00:41:07.480 --> 00:41:10.280 getting back into tech. Uh. But then once I got in there, 485 00:41:10.400 --> 00:41:14.760 you know, it's like you're right on time, You're you're you're where you 486 00:41:14.840 --> 00:41:25.079 should be. And I felt a need to give back. I saw some 487 00:41:25.239 --> 00:41:32.119 of the things that were developing in my life, excuse me, developing in 488 00:41:32.199 --> 00:41:37.440 my life, and I felt like, you know, if if if there 489 00:41:37.440 --> 00:41:43.239 were other people that I can reach, I'd like to see them win. 490 00:41:43.360 --> 00:41:46.280 Like I felt like I'm winning as well. Uh. On top of that, 491 00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:55.280 just like the whole community aspect of of what BIT represents is something that 492 00:41:55.400 --> 00:42:01.159 I did not have early in my career that I felt that if that is 493 00:42:01.199 --> 00:42:07.880 something that I could help provide, then I feel that it could make an 494 00:42:07.920 --> 00:42:13.719 impact and in some way and we'd be all better off as a community and 495 00:42:13.760 --> 00:42:20.639 as an industry later on. So I definitely and and like you said, 496 00:42:20.800 --> 00:42:24.760 like there were times where you kind of feel like, man, I wish 497 00:42:24.800 --> 00:42:29.440 I would have done this earlier. But like I said, it's a friend 498 00:42:29.440 --> 00:42:31.079 of mine had to check me on that recently and say, no, you're 499 00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:37.880 right on time. Because of the maturity that you've experienced over the years and 500 00:42:38.199 --> 00:42:43.280 all the other things like it. Sometimes it takes those steps. You know, 501 00:42:43.360 --> 00:42:45.880 some people want to go from here to here, but sometimes those steps 502 00:42:45.880 --> 00:42:50.480 in between is what's needed to help mold and shape who you are and your 503 00:42:50.519 --> 00:42:54.159 mindset towards a lot of things. And I think that that's exactly what I 504 00:42:54.239 --> 00:43:04.199 needed. So everything that you said is right on point, definitely. What 505 00:43:04.239 --> 00:43:08.519 are some what are some some some non tech hobbies that you like to do. 506 00:43:09.480 --> 00:43:12.639 We always, you know, we get on here, we talk about, 507 00:43:12.679 --> 00:43:17.159 you know, the tech journey and everything like that, and but I 508 00:43:17.760 --> 00:43:21.800 love to hear and and I'll tell you why I feel like this is important. 509 00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:27.400 It's something that actually didn't get to ask Bobby, because it's back to 510 00:43:27.400 --> 00:43:32.920 that whole representation thing, because there might be someone that watches this. They 511 00:43:34.000 --> 00:43:36.599 might feel like they're on the outside, and then they all of a sudden, 512 00:43:36.639 --> 00:43:39.880 they may hear, oh, that person's interested in that, so am 513 00:43:39.920 --> 00:43:44.280 I And they may feel like right at home, like okay, So if 514 00:43:44.280 --> 00:43:46.599 they can do it and be in tech, then I can do it and 515 00:43:46.599 --> 00:43:58.280 be in tech. The BIT Foundation has established featured partnerships and programs with companies 516 00:43:58.320 --> 00:44:05.119 such as Amazon, a comp Tia, tech Stars and more to provide our 517 00:44:05.159 --> 00:44:08.920 members with the resources we want and need to thrive and succeed in this tech 518 00:44:08.960 --> 00:44:15.920 ecosystem. To learn more, visit Foundation dot blacks and Technology dot net. 519 00:44:16.320 --> 00:44:28.360 Join now and remember membership is free. So that's that's, that's why I 520 00:44:28.440 --> 00:44:32.280 like to ask this question. So tell us, tell us what non tech 521 00:44:32.320 --> 00:44:37.280 hobbies you like to engage in. So I don't really get a chance to. 522 00:44:38.440 --> 00:44:43.880 I don't really have the time anymore, like I like, but I 523 00:44:43.920 --> 00:44:47.639 can pretty much bling anything. Them headphones you got on, even though I 524 00:44:47.639 --> 00:44:53.400 know you wouldn't want that, but crocs and phone cases and like since twenty 525 00:44:53.480 --> 00:44:58.880 thirteen, I picked up a blink stick and ron stones and I never put 526 00:44:58.920 --> 00:45:02.679 them down. Or at one point I was making eight hundred dollars a week 527 00:45:05.239 --> 00:45:13.320 in orders from from bling bling whatever. I mean, the skates and cowboy 528 00:45:13.400 --> 00:45:21.599 hats. I bling some stuff in this world. But that and that, 529 00:45:21.880 --> 00:45:25.599 and I'm a country girl. So whenever I get a chance, if I 530 00:45:25.599 --> 00:45:32.960 can go home and hop on somebody's four wheel love or a fish fry some 531 00:45:34.079 --> 00:45:39.639 spades, I'm that is that's me. A nice ride down the road with 532 00:45:39.760 --> 00:45:45.800 the windows down and my some my moon roof back and I love, love, 533 00:45:45.880 --> 00:45:52.599 love, love love Chris Brown. So that's just like the typical uh, 534 00:45:52.760 --> 00:45:57.679 spring and summer and fall night on a Friday night, just riding out, 535 00:45:57.800 --> 00:46:01.519 just enjoying myself. I'm a girly girl, so I love self care. 536 00:46:02.159 --> 00:46:07.239 So just all of the things that separates myself from work. Everything that 537 00:46:07.400 --> 00:46:10.920 just you know, yeah, just made me feel good. Those are the 538 00:46:12.440 --> 00:46:14.679 I don't even know if you could say that they are. It's a hobby 539 00:46:14.679 --> 00:46:17.760 to get your nails done, but it's a hobby of mine because it's funny 540 00:46:17.800 --> 00:46:21.679 that you mentioned the ron stone so way back, and when I was in 541 00:46:21.719 --> 00:46:25.760 high school, people around the way used to do their hats like you know, 542 00:46:25.800 --> 00:46:30.920 the fit it hats, and they used to do them in ronstones, 543 00:46:30.119 --> 00:46:36.400 and like I think it was I think my cousin was the first person I 544 00:46:36.440 --> 00:46:38.360 saw who had one of those, and it was like, you know, 545 00:46:40.880 --> 00:46:45.159 it'll be like a team hat like an NFL or NBA or something like that, 546 00:46:45.639 --> 00:46:49.400 and just kind of trick it out in ronstones. So we used to 547 00:46:49.440 --> 00:46:53.800 go to this place called Capito's here and they do costumes and jewel That's where 548 00:46:53.800 --> 00:46:59.199 we used to buy the ronstones. At and just people don't know, like 549 00:46:59.239 --> 00:47:04.440 if you've never done ronstone thing, it takes a lot of ronstones to properly 550 00:47:04.519 --> 00:47:07.320 do something like you don't just put a couple on there and ready to go. 551 00:47:07.440 --> 00:47:13.559 No, if you if you do, because we use not just the 552 00:47:13.559 --> 00:47:17.639 the the outline of the logo. We used to do the entire logo inside 553 00:47:17.840 --> 00:47:23.239 out everything. Not only does it, you have to be really precise and 554 00:47:23.280 --> 00:47:27.679 you have to you know, we dip that little put that little bit of 555 00:47:27.679 --> 00:47:31.719 glue on there, and we had tweezers. We weren't sophisticated, so we 556 00:47:32.280 --> 00:47:37.079 had tweezers doing it, and we would get different sizes of ronstones depending on 557 00:47:37.199 --> 00:47:43.039 how large the logo is. We get the small ones to outline the outside 558 00:47:43.079 --> 00:47:45.719 and the larger ones to fill it in. I mean, it took a 559 00:47:45.880 --> 00:47:50.760 while to do. It's not something that you're gonna, oh, I'm gonna 560 00:47:50.800 --> 00:47:53.960 knock this out fifteen No, you're talking about a couple hours or more if 561 00:47:53.960 --> 00:47:59.199 you really do it the right way. Yeah, So that's funny that you 562 00:47:59.559 --> 00:48:01.519 because we used to. We used to do that all the time. I 563 00:48:01.519 --> 00:48:07.320 had several hats and my name is Greg, So I had Georgetown university. 564 00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:09.880 I had Green Bay Packers hat because I have to g on it, and 565 00:48:09.920 --> 00:48:15.840 so I would always I would always do Yeah. So that's that's that's that's 566 00:48:15.840 --> 00:48:22.320 cool it It gives you a chance to like flex your your your artistic and 567 00:48:22.400 --> 00:48:25.559 creative side of things, because you know they say people in I t in 568 00:48:25.719 --> 00:48:32.679 tech they're creative anyhow, So uh so that's that's you know, uh yeah, 569 00:48:32.800 --> 00:48:35.960 yeah, you kind of you have to be right. I mean, 570 00:48:35.960 --> 00:48:38.039 if you're problem solving, you you're trying to think of creative ways of doing 571 00:48:38.079 --> 00:48:43.519 things. And usually those people kind of they have that that that right and 572 00:48:43.599 --> 00:48:46.000 left bright thing going on the creative side. And the more I guess, 573 00:48:46.119 --> 00:48:51.400 uh, what's the other side considered? I can't think of the word, 574 00:48:51.880 --> 00:48:59.039 but it's more of a calculated yeah. I like that. I like that. 575 00:48:59.119 --> 00:49:01.480 Yeah. And you gotta nurture that too, right, That's that's part 576 00:49:01.480 --> 00:49:06.000 of it. Like you you can't be all the time and in this in 577 00:49:06.039 --> 00:49:08.159 this pocket. Sometimes you gotta you gotta step out there and and and it's 578 00:49:08.159 --> 00:49:14.599 funny because that's how that's how ideas, that's how sometimes I solve problems. 579 00:49:14.599 --> 00:49:17.039 I'll think about something and my mona and then I'll go off and do something 580 00:49:17.360 --> 00:49:22.000 totally non related to to that and the problem will pop in my head. 581 00:49:22.320 --> 00:49:28.239 So so flex that, flex that creative side because it definitely helps, absolutely 582 00:49:28.480 --> 00:49:34.679 absolutely. So, how how can people if they want to get in contact 583 00:49:34.679 --> 00:49:38.360 with you, how can they reach out to you? Uh? The best 584 00:49:38.639 --> 00:49:44.239 way is LinkedIn? Uh, you can't go wrong. You can't go wrong 585 00:49:44.280 --> 00:49:49.440 with LinkedIn. Definitely, I would say that's the best way because all of 586 00:49:49.480 --> 00:49:54.679 my other uh social media accounts are private. That is something that's very important. 587 00:49:54.840 --> 00:50:01.960 You need to separate your private from your your fessional. Everything is not 588 00:50:02.039 --> 00:50:06.039 meant to be to be public. You know, you still have to watch 589 00:50:06.079 --> 00:50:09.119 the things that you are posting, but everything doesn't have to be public because 590 00:50:09.239 --> 00:50:16.400 it does affect your your image. So my Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, 591 00:50:16.800 --> 00:50:21.159 I don't even TikTok, but I got a TikTok, all of that is 592 00:50:21.719 --> 00:50:24.360 private. You want to reach out to me, you want to find me 593 00:50:24.599 --> 00:50:31.920 LinkedIn and we'll post your your LinkedIn link profile link in the show notes so 594 00:50:32.079 --> 00:50:36.480 people can reach out to you. And also if you're in that artyu area, 595 00:50:37.159 --> 00:50:43.079 check out bit AREADYU chapter. It's it's always I told Bobby this, 596 00:50:43.840 --> 00:50:46.000 it's like our model chapter. It's one of our model chapters. You all 597 00:50:46.079 --> 00:50:57.320 do such a fantastic job of engaging the community and really and really lifting like 598 00:50:57.400 --> 00:51:00.280 the chapter itself is. You guys do so much I can't even put it 599 00:51:00.320 --> 00:51:07.679 into words. Elevating a bit brand. Yeah, I came out there once. 600 00:51:07.760 --> 00:51:10.000 I was like maybe I don't know if you were part of it. 601 00:51:12.199 --> 00:51:16.000 Maybe a couple of years ago in twenty twenty two they had like some function 602 00:51:16.079 --> 00:51:19.840 out door, they had like a little cookout and then they did a tour 603 00:51:19.920 --> 00:51:22.400 of this, uh this facility. Uh. But stuff like that. Man 604 00:51:22.440 --> 00:51:30.239 getting the the the the community involved and understanding who you are as an organization 605 00:51:30.440 --> 00:51:35.119 and being that open like it it. I know it takes a lot of 606 00:51:35.159 --> 00:51:39.320 effort outside of the nine to fives that you all do, uh, And 607 00:51:39.480 --> 00:51:44.840 you know, I greatly appreciate it. It's it's something that I don't take 608 00:51:44.880 --> 00:51:47.840 for granted at all. And like I said, you all are a model, 609 00:51:47.920 --> 00:51:54.159 a model chapter that a lot of our chapters can can really take the 610 00:51:54.199 --> 00:51:59.280 blueprint from it and apply it to their own chapters. So so thank you, 611 00:51:59.440 --> 00:52:02.119 thank you all again for for what you all do there. And and 612 00:52:02.199 --> 00:52:07.480 Roley Durham, thank you for that commendation. We do try our best, 613 00:52:07.000 --> 00:52:16.000 absolutely, definitely definitely. Uh So, last thing, Uh, what are 614 00:52:16.079 --> 00:52:20.360 some of the things you all have planned? I know I went over this 615 00:52:20.440 --> 00:52:23.360 with Bobby, but uh it may be you know, who knows who will 616 00:52:23.360 --> 00:52:27.519 listen to this one and maybe not Bobby. So tell us a little bit 617 00:52:27.559 --> 00:52:30.679 about what you all are doing and BIT are to you, Like, what 618 00:52:30.719 --> 00:52:37.000 are some of your goals for this year? So of course we are definitely 619 00:52:37.119 --> 00:52:44.519 trying to right now. One big thing that we're working on is really weeding 620 00:52:44.559 --> 00:52:52.000 out those who are benefiting from BIT and those who may just kind of be 621 00:52:52.079 --> 00:53:00.000 hanging around for whatever reason, but not necessarily reasons that are building their career. 622 00:53:00.880 --> 00:53:06.960 We're trying to because we want to be as beneficial to our community when 623 00:53:07.000 --> 00:53:14.239 we are supporting black businesses, we want people who are there to support them, 624 00:53:14.599 --> 00:53:19.599 you know, not to just take up a space and maybe not show 625 00:53:19.679 --> 00:53:23.920 up, or take up a space and come just for the food, you 626 00:53:24.000 --> 00:53:28.599 know. You know, we we want to make sure that our members are 627 00:53:28.679 --> 00:53:34.000 really engaging and so just you know, a little observation. We'd be blind 628 00:53:34.039 --> 00:53:36.719 if we did not, you know, admit that, you know, it's 629 00:53:36.760 --> 00:53:40.079 just a few things that we have seen that we are just trying to find 630 00:53:40.119 --> 00:53:46.000 ways to make sure that we are given the best to those who really want 631 00:53:46.039 --> 00:53:52.480 it. We started our newsletter about two months ago. May will be the 632 00:53:52.519 --> 00:53:57.159 first I mean, I'm sorry, May will be the third copy of our 633 00:53:57.840 --> 00:54:01.280 bitletter. That's what we call it, the BIT letter. And we're starting 634 00:54:01.639 --> 00:54:07.960 something. We started something called Member Spotlight. So each month we're highlighting a 635 00:54:07.000 --> 00:54:13.119 member who is you know, they they're out they're outstanding, they are regular 636 00:54:13.199 --> 00:54:17.559 at our events, they support they you know, they come, they actually 637 00:54:17.639 --> 00:54:23.440 network and you know, really showing that they want to be a part of 638 00:54:23.519 --> 00:54:29.559 it. We're also being more intentional about trying to be a little bit more 639 00:54:29.599 --> 00:54:34.599 intentional about our networking efforts. You know, we'll put people in the same 640 00:54:34.719 --> 00:54:37.679 room and a lot of times they go to the people that they already know. 641 00:54:38.800 --> 00:54:44.360 Uh, we do events with the we'll do events with the Black Professional 642 00:54:44.400 --> 00:54:47.840 Networks and r DU and we'll have you know, Microsoft and Google and Cisco 643 00:54:47.880 --> 00:54:52.519 in the room. And what good does it do to network if you go 644 00:54:52.639 --> 00:54:54.519 back to the people that you already know. So we're trying to be more 645 00:54:54.559 --> 00:55:01.880 intentional about networking activities like having strategic networking a attempties that actually force people to 646 00:55:01.880 --> 00:55:07.159 start talking to each other, whether that's networking, bingo or how many LinkedIn 647 00:55:07.199 --> 00:55:10.199 profiles can you screenshot? Whoever wins get a prize, you know type thing 648 00:55:10.320 --> 00:55:15.320 like that. So yeah, that's those are the we're just digging deeper into 649 00:55:15.599 --> 00:55:19.840 our members and trying to bring more value. Excellent, excellent. That's that's 650 00:55:19.880 --> 00:55:23.960 good to hear. And if any of our chapter leaders are listening, you 651 00:55:24.039 --> 00:55:29.400 can go ahead and steal some of those ideas apply it to your chapters as 652 00:55:29.440 --> 00:55:32.960 well. Like I said, you are our model chapter, so it doesn't 653 00:55:34.000 --> 00:55:38.440 surprise me that you all are finding ways to better engage with the community. 654 00:55:38.519 --> 00:55:43.679 So that's that's very cool. So Andrew, I would like to thank you 655 00:55:43.719 --> 00:55:46.760 again for joining me tonight. It was a pleasure talking to you, talking 656 00:55:46.760 --> 00:55:52.119 about your journey, talking about all the things you're doing and or to you, 657 00:55:52.840 --> 00:55:55.320 and I wish you nothing but the best in the future. Absolutely, 658 00:55:55.360 --> 00:56:00.320 thank you so much for having me. I enjoy this. Thank you, 659 00:56:00.360 --> 00:56:02.559 and I hope to see you at bitcom this year. We're gonna be there. 660 00:56:02.719 --> 00:56:08.920 I will be there. I will be there. Absolutely excellent, excellent. 661 00:56:09.639 --> 00:56:15.920 Well, thanks again, Andre, will we'll talk again all right take 662 00:56:15.960 --> 00:56:15.599 care of gray