https://buff.ly/Tf1uKdI BDPA + Microsoft: A Legacy of Innovation, Education, and Empowerment 1988 — Michael D. Robinson, a U.S. Marine veteran and former Director at NYNEX, was elected President of BDPA’s New York Chapter. Robinson would go on to shape technology and education across multiple continents. He served as General Manager of Microsoft’s Public Sector for the Middle East and Africa from 2007, and later became Vice President for Microsoft’s U.S. Health and Life Sciences Division in 2011. Robinson is also one of the visionary architects behind BDPA’s Education and Technology Foundation (BETF), launched in 1992 to support scholarships and STEM programming. He joined ITSMF in 1998, where he remains one of its most respected leaders and mentors. 1989 — BDPA student members enrolled in the Joint Education Facilities (JEF) youth program learned MS-DOS and applied their skills to develop an artificial intelligence model using PROLOG. This model analyzed the shopping behaviors of a Black teenager and was successfully demonstrated in Washington, D.C. during BDPACON 1990, co-hosted by the BDPA-DC Chapter. 2007 — Local BDPA chapters supported Microsoft’s #DigiGirlz initiative, helping bridge the gender gap in STEM by hosting workshops and tech events in their communities. This year also marked the launch of bdpatoday® (ISSN 1946-1429), which now reaches over 20,600 professionals and students on LinkedIn. 2016 — A milestone year for innovation and collaboration. Microsoft acquired LinkedIn, and BDPA’s digital presence grew rapidly through bdpatoday®. The Microsoft Store in Pentagon City, VA, became a hub of activity, co-hosting an Hour of Code event with BDPA NoVa and BDPA-DC for NSBE Jr. students from the National Capital Region. That same year, BDPA, Popular Technology TV™, bdpatoday®, BDPA-DC, and BDPA Northern Virginia hosted joint sessions and industry interviews from the Microsoft Store, including a featured segment titled “BDPA @ The Microsoft Store.” 🎥 https://buff.ly/HVNsYGe 2017 — The partnership continued to build momentum with the Microsoft Store co-hosting an XBOX ONE X Launch Party in collaboration with BDPA-DC and BDPA NoVa, engaging youth and showcasing careers in gaming and tech. 2020 — In a major win for community empowerment, BDPA-DC, in partnership with the HOPE Project DMV, was awarded a $300,000 Microsoft Community Skills Grant. This grant helped expand digital skills training during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching jobseekers and students in the Washington, D.C. metro area. 2021 — BDPA and Microsoft’s Black Channel Partner Alliance (BCPA) joined forces to co-host CyberEarth21, BDPA’s annual Earth Day Tech Summit. The virtual event brought together thought leaders in cybersecurity, cloud computing, and sustainability.https://buff.ly/g8DQEq9 2025 — STEAMsport, Inc.—a BDPACON STEM mission-partner—joins forces with Microsoft to celebrate #AiDay on #404Day (April 4) in Atlanta.
