Microsoft partners with HBCU Connect to diversify Seattle workforce

Video:  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=tKi5v1ukU6M
A recruitment and networking event was held last night in downtown Atlanta which partnered HBCU Connect and Microsoft at Tech Square on Spring St.

The event focused on pairing Black professionals and HBCU grads with several Microsoft team members who are seeking qualified software developers and technology geeks to work in their headquarters in Redmond and Bellevue, Washington.

Even though many qualified technology professionals have jobs, they are always looking for better opportunities. One wonders what problems could be solved if all these folks started their own companies, but that takes money!

Will Moss, CEO of HBCU Connect headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, said it would be great if all the attendees could land jobs with Microsoft. It was unclear whether Microsoft is actually hiring or just needs to perform recruitment procedures to meet federal guidelines.


A large number of registered people didn't show up, but their resumes were put into a database that will be used to set up prospective interviews with Microsoft team members. Some Microsoft priorities included hiring workers to help on mobile mapping application projects and program management.

Some attendees were asked to write code to solve a specific problem.

According to some news reports, Seattle's black population is dwindling.  It also has a history of "whites only" housing covenants which segregated communities. Some say Seattle "was built for and by whites." https://www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-magazine/seattles-vanishing-black-community/

Team members say working at Microsoft is good for folks who want to affect millions of people with software they have developed, want to solve monumental problems, manage teams, brain storm, and work within flexible schedules.

"Be your authentic self." Diversity, inclusion, belonging are key monikers at Microsoft.

While talking about headquarters outside Seattle, one employee said there's not a huge population of African Americans in the area, but when you see them, it's a great feeling. 

"I really love the workplace where I don’t have to put on a 'hat' for anybody," said Cordell Jones. Business casual rules. He says employees are encouraged to be their truly authentic selves, and Microsoft is focused on diversity and inclusion.

When I asked about challenges that blacks at Microsoft face, the importance of mentorship ruled. The main challenge for African Americans at Microsoft as in any major corporation is getting hooked to a great mentor you can talk to. Even though every job has its frustrating moments, workers must be able to solve problems on teams manned by people with diverse skill sets from multiple cultures while continuing to support themselves and their families.

Employees say Microsoft is wide open with opportunities, and if you're not happy with one team after you're onboard, you can always transfer within the company which usually can take place after three years.

For more information, go to HBCUCONNECT.com

Vow! Bridal Show starts tomorrow in Atlanta

  

The 2019 Vow Bridal Show starts tomorrow and will feature 45 pages of exhibitors within America's Mart, Building 3 on John Portman Blvd. in downtown Atlanta. The show, which ends Thursday, is only open to registered wholesale members. 

It’s official: people are still falling in love, planning to get married, and are spending big dollars on gowns made in China, the US and beyond. The 2020 bride will look lovely in a gown or pants suit or whatever the designers have deemed excitingly romantic.

Bill and Lisa Stryker of Stryker Bridal Sales have everything bridal merchandiser’s need - from gowns, veils, bras, and bra cups.

Scott Gould of Kittychen Couture says he has a wide selection of dresses which he sells wholesale to Mart buyers.

Bilingual sales representatives and some fittings will be available.

For more information, go to:  https://www.americasmart.com/markets/vow-bridal-september/#/

Sublime horror: Climate change is destroying Mother Earth

Not even grass can thrive where shaved by man.

From the UN:

Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow. Weather patterns are changing, sea levels are rising, weather events are becoming more extreme and greenhouse gas emissions are now at their highest levels in history. Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is likely to surpass 3 degrees centigrade this century. The poorest and most vulnerable people are being affected the most.

Affordable, scalable solutions are now available to enable countries to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies. The pace of change is quickening as more people are turning to renewable energy and a range of other measures that will reduce emissions and increase adaptation efforts. Climate change, however, is a global challenge that does not respect national borders. It is an issue that requires solutions that need to be coordinated at the international level to help developing countries move toward a low-carbon economy.

To strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, countries adopted the Paris Agreement at the COP21 in Paris, which went into force in November of 2016. In the agreement, all countries agreed to work to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees centigrade. As of April 2018, 175 parties had ratified the Paris Agreement and 10 developing countries had submitted their first iteration of their national adaptation plans for responding to climate change.

What can we do about it?
 https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Climate_Action_Support_Trends_2019.pd

Open letter to the police...

Dear Officers,

I know I have been openly critical of the police, but I just want to stop and comment a moment about how members of your profession have acted during very trying times this past week.

You will probably say that danger is never far from your minds, but with all the shootings, stabbings, houses being blown up, and civil unrest going on, regular folks like me have come to the realization that we really do need security and protection from hate-filled and organized perpetrators. 

The conundrum is that we are all humans, but some of us are very dangerous and up to no good. Whether this is happening because they had a bad family life, are mentally ill, are power hungry, or don't fear punishment, we still need to limit assault weapons which can kill and maim hundreds of people going about their daily lives.

We need to rehabilitate incarcerated persons and give them a way to live and options when released from prison walls. 

We need to change the dynamic and relationship between the police and the community.

I'm willing to take that step. This thank you, however, doesn’t in anyway condone police brutality. 

May blessings and safety follow you daily.

Tomi Johnson

White male wearing ball cap robs bank in Metro Atlanta

The Cobb County Police Department Crimes Against Persons Unit is investigating a robbery by intimidation that occurred on Monday, August 5, 2019, at 4:40 p.m. The location of the incident was 2675 Windy Hill Road in Precinct Three.

Uniform officers responded to the Wells Fargo bank in reference to a robbery by intimidation. The suspect entered the bank and presented a demand note asking for currency. An undisclosed amount of cash was given to the suspect. The suspect fled the scene.

The suspect is described as a white male, approximately 40-50 years old, wearing a ball cap and glasses.

The incident remains under investigation and anyone with information is asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department at 770-499-3945.

Trumpian “vermin psychology” toxic but treatable

Trump hate bait reminds me of ant killer I bought.

Opinion based on facts.

Let’s examine the psychology behind calling someone a rat.

If someone called you a racist, misogynistic, lying rat devoid of human behavior, how would you respond? Would you try to prove them wrong by divulging your good, historic behavior or would you try to mend your ways? Would you keep on making kids in the schoolyard cry or would you continue to be the biggest bully on the planet? Would you get your gang members to support you, prop you up, and use them as leverage to get what you want?

Let’s talk about a leader, i.e. a president, using his office to “bully” others. But first, let’s consider why the U.S. presidential administrative office was coined “The Bully Pulpit” by Theodore Roosevelt who also was known to promote “speak softly but carry a big stick.”

Standing behind a bully pulpit provides a person an opportunity to speak out and be listened to by an audience of like-minded people who come to join the movement and often get pulled into a psychological trap set by the speaker. People who don't agree with Trump are heckled, sucker punched, escorted out or have to watch the event on television. They are not part of the favored group.

Trump’s used car salesman-like campaign meetups in-front of thousands of folks waiting to be entertained who are 92-99% white present a fabulous platform from which to advocate a hateful, divisive agenda. Roosevelt used the word “bully” to mean  “superb," not racist. 

And what of Trump? Trump is the Bully in Chief which is ironic since his wife claims to be on a mission to stop social media bullying by children. 

Trump’s constituents have a spectator mentality. Trump is the head cheerleader of a gang that does not want to lose, who want it all and don’t want to share, just like the colonists who "discovered America" and paid trinkets to gain a nation. Just as he entered the personal space of a female presidential candidate, he stands looming, hitlerlike, before frenzied onlookers.

His followers have been searching for someone who will say what they feel from a lofty position. They make a spectacle of others and revile the weak. “Look how much power I have over you, and there’s nothing you can do about it. I’m superior.  Look at you, living in an inhumane, disgraceful place within my country. You should be poisoned in the alley and put out of your misery. Objects of ridicule -lazy nothings. Yeah, I’ll take what you don’t even have because you are a rat feeding off my garbage. Go scurry into the hole from which you came!"

Trump is one of these folks who don’t care about non-family members because they deserve to be shunned. No more free lunch! 

If you are a Trumpian narcissist, you don’t apologize but try to outdo past wrongs. You claim God put you in a position of power, and you are guaranteed to lead another term. You say your strength comes from those who believe like you do, continue to divide people, do nothing good for the country, and continue to hurt those who disagree, including those who have long records of standing up for the helpless.

How do you turn a bully into a good, caring person? You punish them. 

They say that George Wallace changed after he was paralyzed and couldn’t run for office anymore. That’s extreme, but I’m not recommending using bullets. 

A bully is just like an alcoholic that doesn’t think he has a drinking problem. The bully has to want to help himself. Narcissists don't feel the need.

Understand what fuels a bully. Bullies are born out of a need to be powerful and popular. Bullies often pick on others after they have been harmed themselves. Don’t encourage them by putting them into lofty positions or by using criticism as punishment. Don’t allow yourself to be hurt by a bully. 

Don’t be sidetracked by succumbing to a bully’s armor of intimidation, assault, threats, or means of exposing your weaknesses. Let them know that unacceptable actions will be stopped, and they are not the most highly regarded person in the room.

Get a full understanding of what the bully has done and recommend appropriate action. Criticism doesn’t hurt bullies. You must turn a bully on himself!

Don’t let a bully turn into a gangster like President Trump. Follow the process to remove bullies. Economic boycotts could fix the situation, but banks and corporation must take the lead. Stand up. Stop the most famous bully in the known Universe by impeachment or voting him out. Understand that Trump's fans are living in Russia, Saudi Arabia, mansions, houses of some veterans, and KKK strongholds. Be ready to be a gladiator in the arena.

Be willing to fight in a coliseum.

Let truth be your guide, and pray that evil will be avenged.

Unlicensed dentist arrest made in Cobb County, Ga.

On Tuesday, July 24, 2019, the Cobb County Police Department Crimes Against Persons Unit made two arrests in reference to an ongoing investigation into an unlicensed dentist operating at 3824 Austell Road in Metro Atlanta.

According to a police press release, the investigation began in January 2019 when a victim reported that she had a root canal done at the Austell Road located. The procedure was done improperly, causing irreparable damage to her tooth. During the investigation, records were located indicating that the unlicensed practice dated back as far as 2010, with numerous victims identified.

Cobb County Police arrested and charged 35-year-old Bianca Zambrano-Blanco with Practicing Dentistry without a License (F) and 40-year-old Carolina Rojas Morales with Practicing Dentistry without a License (F) and Aggravated Battery (F).

This incident remains under investigation. Anyone who has received dentistry work from either subject or has information about this investigation is asked to contact the Cobb County Police Department Crimes Against Persons Unit at 770-499-3945.

Voting precinct changes may make it harder to vote

So, I’m one citizen that votes but am alarmed that my polling place has changed from within my block to a church miles away.

I’ve voted at an elementary school in my neighborhood over 25 years. Amidst gerrymandering news, I received a card today changing my polling place.

I’ve been informed by an employee for the Voter Registration Office that for security reasons, some schools will no longer be polling places. She said I have options:

1) vote at the newly delegate polling place miles away
2) vote absentee ballot which will cost a stamp (poll tax)
3) vote provisional paper ballot at closest polling place.

Pics of the day

From Mercedes-Benz Museum in Stuttgart, Germany. Photos by Ilea

Pics of the day...

Jaelynn, owner of Posh Spot in Vinings, Ga.,U.S., poses with her grandmother’s pink Cadillac.

The car, which gets eight miles a gallon, is a 1958 series 62. The interior looks great!

Police relationships with community: a measure of trust?

“I wouldn’t want to be bothered with someone I couldn’t trust on a day-to-day basis." 

---Michelle Obama in interview on relationships 

Opinion based on facts
Non-white and poor people have an historically strained relationship with the police. It's sorta like a bad marriage, when a spouse cheats once, is forgiven, but she continues to cheat and cheat over and over again. Forgiveness is one thing; trust is another.

Suppose your spouse continually beat you in the head and you couldn't defend yourself, raped you, brutalized your body, or destroyed your self esteem and mental capacity to think logically. Would you divorce her and get a new woman?

Unfortunately, "we still need the police to keep us safe," some believe. But why do we continually see people running from the police, knowing they could be shot dead? Fear.

Then we read about white supremacists joining the military to learn how to klll others. They join the police force while being bonafide gang members, KKK, Neo-nazis, and PTSD victims. They have guns, tasers, bullet proof vests, handcuffs, billy clubs, cameras, and work in tandem with the justice/court/penal system.

They hold the dark (Watch that movie to really be scared!).

I've interacted with the police in a discussion group and have found this to be true:

1. They feel the media is after them, always portraying them in a negative light.

2. They don't feel valued.
3. They have discretion but seldom use it to the advantage of citizens.
4. They are not perfect but expect us to obey the laws.
5. They investigate citizens but do not release information unless they have to.
6. They act as officers of the court just like prosecuting attorneys.
7. They are under stress and feel they are not getting paid enough for the work they do.
8. They have a hard time respecting people who are not police or members of criminal justice system.
9. They want to police themselves.

How can we solve this problem? 

Transient female becomes sexual assault victim of on-duty policeman in Cobb County, Ga.

Chief Cox called the case one of "unique challenges."

Without giving many details about a crime perpetrated on a woman with no local address almost two months ago, the Cobb County Police held a press conference at headquarters today. They were flanked by several community partners, namely local Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) members, fraternity men, and community activists. 

The ethnicity of the victim was not divulged. It was suggested that the victim was homeless when the attack occurred.

"Protect and serve" is a commonly known police motto.

In the presser auditorium were several members of the Hispanic media, including representatives from Telemundo and Hispatlanta. One reporter waiting outside said it reminded him of a national press conference because of the number of media in attendance and cameras on display.

Officer Andres Alcaraz, an ex-military guardsman who had been on the force four years, was the main reason why the press conference was called. Alcaraz resigned after a Cobb County Police Crimes Against Persons Unit  issued a warrant for his arrest. Alcaraz turned himself in after being placed on administrative leave while the department continued its investigation.

Motorcycle in police headquarters lobby

Alcaraz, a former DUI Taskforce officer, was charged with felony sexual assault/law enforcement while on duty, which is a violation of public office. 

Cobb County Police Chief C. T. Cox stated that the reluctant victim did not come forward immediately after she was stopped and assaulted because she was concerned that her complaint would not be taken seriously. She then confided in two officers from Precinct 4 which led to an internal investigation which is still active and ongoing, according to Cox.

Allegedly, Officer Alcaraz got involved with the victim while on a suspicious person call, and she was being detained by him, not arrested. Rape and kidnapping charges could be added later, according to Cox. The assault happened in Smyna, Ga. near Benson Poole Rd., a residential and commercial area.

“When citizens hire us to do a job,  you expect us to be beyond reproach,” Cox said, which includes being professional, courteous, and not in violation of the law. “I think in this case, there had been a failure to do that, at least by this individual.” The Chief said he didn’t know of any other disciplinary actions against Officer Alcaraz.

There is no body cam footage of the assault even though the officer was issued a body camera. The assault occurred in the wee hours of the morning in an unlit location. 

When asked what the department is doing to counteract trauma and chaos that officers may encounter on the job, he said, “We take the health of our officers, whether physical or mental, very seriously.” Cox said they have established peer support groups, a chaplain is ready to assist officers experiencing spiritual concerns, and an employee assistance program is available through the county. 

Officer Alcaraz is said to have a “few” complaints filed on him during his law enforcement career. Cox said he was appalled at the alleged actions of Officer Alcaraz, but he cannot predict human behavior. He said this case has some "unique challenges" because the police couldn’t locate the victim because she had no local address. 

Cox stressed the importance of the community working with law enforcement to solve criminal issues. 

“The police department is doing everything it can - through procedures, policies and training - to prevent this from occurring again.” Almost one year ago to the day, another Cobb County officer was held without bail on a felony charge for assaulting a woman in his home who had the mental capacity of a 10-14 year old girl.

For press conference question and answer session video, go to my Youtube channel: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCE7IygxjkY_C_EPAkvT6dmQ