Black Girls in Cyber Receives a $50,000 Grant from Google to support the skills development of Women of Color in Cybersecurity, Privacy, and STEM careers.
The donation will promote educational and career equity by supporting an ongoing stream of qualified women that can serve our communities in these roles.
(Marietta, GA) (2/01/23) BGiC Foundation, also known as Black Girls in Cyber, is a non-profit whose vision is to nurture the talents of women of color in cybersecurity, privacy, and STEM careers; and transform the socio-economic conditions across the US and African communities globally. The organization received a $50,000 grant from Google’s Global Data Center RISE program, which supports programs, organizations, and non-profits working to create a robust pipeline of tech talent from underrepresented groups.
The grant from Google will help the organization in several key areas: programming by supporting the expansion of the number of participants they accept into their programs, planning and speaker support for their workshops, webinars, and annual conferences, strengthening jobs by developing onboarding and retention roadmaps, and by establishing the collaboration of strategic HBCU partnership opportunities.
BGiC Board members spoke at the National Security Agency (NSA) Feb 2022.
Parker, currently a privacy engineer at Google, said she started conducting a Facebook Live series during the start of the pandemic called “Black Girls in Cyber,” where she would invite other Black women in security, privacy, and other STEM industries to share their journeys and experiences. The Facebook events became popular, garnering much attention, prompting one of her peers to suggest that she start a non-profit organization to address the diversity challenges in the cyber workforce.
Since its inception in 2020, BGiC has launched multiple educational cohorts in cybersecurity and privacy. They have directly impacted the talent pipeline by investing in over 100 women and professionals in the security and privacy arena. “Our cohorts provide participants with opportunities for mentorship, employment, and certifications upon completion of the coursework.” - Talya Parker.
BGiC ATL chapter at our 1st in-person Cybersecurity educational event Nov 2022.
The organization has secured more than ten (10) partnerships with other agencies, awarded over twenty (20) scholarships to educate, train, and prepare the next generation of cyber security and privacy professionals, hosted over twenty-three (23) webinars and events which is a unique blend of STEM, culture, and community, with experienced speakers, career resources, networking, and more. “Our next cohort will focus on the strategic leadership growth of mid to senior level professionals.” - Diana Allen.
“Google understands the importance of providing accessible workforce training and education to underserved groups and the transformative impact it can have within the community,” said Yolanda Washington, GDC Program Manager - Talent Pipeline. “Through this grant program, we can support organizations reaching these underrepresented groups and providing them with the skills and training to succeed in tech and other trades. We proudly support Black Girls in Cyber and their efforts to build the future workforce.”
A few BGiC Board members meet for the very first time in ATL (2022)
About Black Girls in Cyber
BGiC (Black Girls In Cyber) is a purpose-driven non-profit whose vision is to nurture the talents of women of color in cybersecurity, privacy, and STEM careers; and transform the socio-economic conditions across the US and African communities globally. BGiC launched multiple educational cohorts in the areas of cybersecurity and privacy. To date, we directly impacted the talent pipeline by investing in over 100 women and professionals in the security and privacy arena. www.blackgirlsincyber.com
About Google in Georgia
Google has more than 1,000 employees across Georgia. Google strives to be a great neighbor in the local community and, since 2004, has donated more than $6 million to Georgia non-profits. In 2021, Google helped provide $13.21 billion of economic activity for Georgia businesses, website publishers, and non-profits.
