Panel on 'Hidden Figures' Hosted by Soledad O'Brien

(From left to right: Elizabeth Gabler, President Fox 2000 Pictures, 20th Century Fox; Rashid Ferrod Davis, Founding Principal, P-TECH; Kristen Summers, Technical Delivery Lead, Watson Public Sector, IBM; Soledad O’Brien, journalist and panel moderator. Image: Black Enterprise)

Coinciding with the official nationwide launch of Hidden Figures, the biopic about three black women mathematicians who worked in the earliest days of the American space program, Soledad O'Brien hosted a panel on the movie and a discussion of women in science and tech.

Those mathematicians (Dorothy Vaughan, Katherine Johnson, and Mary Jackson) did work that helped John Glenn orbit the Earth in the 1960s.

The panel at CES, the world’s largest technology show, included the film's director, Theodore Melfi, and one of its stars, Octavia Spencer as well as leaders in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and focused on the incredible achievements of the three mathematicians as depicted in the film and the ongoing push for women to succeed in STEM.



Soledad O’Brien said that the movie was an emotional experience for her because it not only recognizes the power of these women using math and science, but also what they accomplished socially. She was struck by how the women affected great change. “These are some tough, amazing women who really got the job done that needed to be done,” she said.

During the movie, Octavia Spencer’s character learns to program the IBM 7090 DPS—a vacuum-tube mainframe computer. IBM is one of the oldest tech companies in the world, forming in the 19th century. Its technology was used in World War II and for space exploration.

“Big Blue” also has an extensive history of diversity. “We’re so privileged to have had the IBM forefathers who hired the first black employee,” said Lindsay-Rae McIntyre, IBM’s chief diversity officer. That employee was Richard MacGregor hired in 1899 by IBM’s precursor company, the Computing Scale Company. In 1953, IBM hired its first black engineer and continues on a trajectory of diverse hiring today.

You can watch the IBM and Hidden Figures panel in its entirety at facebook.com/IBM/videos/1226504650773148/





Source: http://www.blackenterprise.com/technology/ibm-hidden-figures-celebrate-jeannette-epps-foremothers/

BIA2 Reclaiming The Dream

Tonight 8PM ET, CNN
Soledad O'Brien leads a panel with some of the most influential African-American voices to examine unique and innovative solutions to critical issues facing black Americans. CNN and Essence present "Black in America: Reclaiming the Dream."

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/black.in.america/

CNN's Reclaiming the Dream

Today and tomorrow, CNN is premiering a panel discussion called "Reclaiming the Dream."

The program focuses on debates about the Black community in topics including, self-responsibility, social reform, education, etc. This panel discussion took place during the 2008 Essence Music Festival.

The forum was moderated by Soledad O'Brien and the panelists include influential leaders and activists including Cornel West, Hill Harper, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Ed Gordon, Juliane Malveaux, Bishop TD Jakes, Cheryle Jackson (Chicago Urban League), Jabali Sawicki (Excellence Charter School).

Party With A Purpose

Known as the “party with a purpose,” the ESSENCE Music Festival is the nation’s largest annual gathering of African-American musical talent. It features three days (July 4,5 &6) of cultural celebrations and empowerment seminars and three nights of performances by some of today’s greatest African-American artists.

Performances this year include Mary J. Blige, Kanye West, Rihanna, Chris Brown, LL Cool J, Chris Rock, Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, Patti Labelle, LL Cool J, and many more.

Empowering, free daytime seminars feature guests Bill Cosby, Dr. Juanita Bynum, Bishop T.D. Jakes, and Tyler Perry, Soledad O'Brien. Soledad will moderate the session on Saturday titled "Finding Solutions" with Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Jabali Sawicki, The Excellence Charter School, Dr. Robert M. Franklin, President of Morehouse College.

EMQ Network, the online network dedicated to the African American collegiate experience, is giving its audience a chance to join the excitement of the 2008 ESSENCE Music Festival presented by Coca Cola in New Orleans, the Ultimate Party Weekend. You can enter for a chance to win tickets for you and a friend to attend the Festival, by creating a profile on myEMQ, adding a video, audio or written blog, telling them in your own creative way why you want to to celebrate the 2008 ESSENCE Music Festival. Go to http://www.emqtv.com/EMF08 to get started. The contest ends promptly at 12:00 AM EST on Thursday June 26th.