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Growing cybersecurity demand opportunity to create more racially inclusive workforce

Cybersecurity experts are in demand, but the current workforce contains too few African Americans and other minorities. Creating a more racially inclusive workforce benefits everyone and is vital to better identify technological risks and vulnerabilities. David Lee, founder of The Identity Jedi, explains how the industry can improve representation and the benefits that will offer.

 

 

MARIETTA, Ga.  — African Americans make up only 9.2% of cybersecurity analysts.1 This lack of representation is not merely unfortunate; it presents multiple issues in terms of creating effective security protocols and addressing critical vulnerabilities.

 

David Lee, and expert on identity access management and founder of The Identity Jedi, explains, “We live in a world where tech is intertwined in everything we do. In order to create products that serve all people, we need to make sure that we have all people building those products.”

 

The value behind bridging the diversity gap

Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has become a hot topic in all industries, with research indicating how these initiatives can improve a company’s performance and outcomes. Companies that reported above-average diversity on their management teams also reported innovation revenue that was 19% higher than that of companies with below-average leadership diversity—45% of total revenue versus just 26%.2

 

Other benefits to DEI for organizations include greater cash flow and the ability to capture new markets as well as increased profitability. Studies have found 2.3 times higher cash flow than those of companies with more monolithic staff.3 Diverse organizations are also 70% more likely to capture new markets than companies that do not incorporate under-represented groups in their recruitment processes.4 Finally, a 1% increase in racial diversity similarity between upper and lower management increases firm productivity by between $729 and $1,590 per employee per year.5

 

The first step in bridging the diversity gap is to develop representation. As Lee says, “There are a million ways to accomplish something in tech. The more diverse perspective you have, the stronger product you get. Tech is used by everyone, so it should be created by a representation of everyone.”
He challenges organizations to:

  • Actually want to solve the problem. If an organization doesn’t really care, then it will show in their efforts and results.
  • Talk to current Black employees and create a safe space for them to talk about their experience.
  • Engage with the local community, from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) to Black tech organizations such as Cyversity, NSBE and ACM, among others, and connect talent departments to these pipelines.

 

Become intentional about diversity, equity and inclusion

Lee finds that having an intentional DE&I program helps bring awareness and representation to the field of cybersecurity. “Organizations need to engage with HBCU’s,” he advises “Connect with their computer science and engineering departments to host events and provide pathways to connect with candidates.”

 

Other ways that cybersecurity companies or any organization can boost their employee diversity include creating a safe space for workers to connect with their co-workers and embrace their culture via employee resource groups. Offering leadership training on bias that includes open and intentional conversations with company leaders about bias can also be beneficial.

 

Lee’s firsthand experiences as a Black professional within the technology industry inspired him to write “The Only One in the Room: The Unwritten Laws of Being Black in Tech.” The book shares the challenges he and other African Americans have faced in that sector, in addition to drawing attention to the importance of representation and diversity in reshaping the industry.

 

About The Identity Jedi

David Lee transitioned from a software engineering background to become a harbinger of change and inclusivity in the tech world. With over two decades of experience, he has left his mark on government agencies, Fortune 500 companies, and numerous fields, specializing in identity and access management. Recognizing that for technology to truly transform the world, it must embrace diversity, David serves as an agent of transformation, inspiring individuals to unlock their full potential. His influential voice and actionable insights have solidified his reputation as a respected figure in the ever-evolving tech landscape. When he speaks people listen. He is The Identity Jedi. www.theidentityjedi.com

 

References:

  1. “Cyber Security Analyst demographics and statistics in the US”; Zippia; Accessed October 26, 2023; zippia.com/cyber-security-analyst-jobs/demographics/.
  2. Rocío Lorenzo, Nicole Voigt, Miki Tsusaka, Matt Krentz, and Katie Abouzahr; “How Diverse Leadership Teams Boost Innovation”; January 23, 2018; Boston Consulting Group; bcg.com/publications/2018/how-diverse-leadership-teams-boost-innovation. 
  3. Reiners, Bailey; “50 Diversity in the Workplace Statistics to Know”; Built in; updated March 28, 2023; builtin.com/diversity-inclusion/diversity-in-the-workplace-statistics#0.
  4. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, Melinda Marshall, Laura Sherbin; “How Diversity Can Drive Innovation”; Harvard Business Review; December 2013; hbr.org/2013/12/how-diversity-can-drive-innovation.
  5. Lauren Turner, Maya Fischhoff; “How Diversity Increases Productivity”; Network for Business Sustainability; January 19, 2021; nbs.net/how-diversity-increases-productivity/.

 

–– jotopr.com

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The Firsd Tea Sustainability Perspectives 2023 report finds tea outperforms coffee in 4 key sustainability areas

Firsd Tea’s new report suggests industry experts view some sustainability efforts in tea more favorably than in coffee

… the discovery that tea is perceived as performing relatively well in these sustainability areas came as a breath of fresh air.

— Jason Walker, Marketing Director, Firsd Tea

SECAUCUS, N.J. – According to a new report from Firsd Tea, the largest importer of Chinese tea in the U.S., most professionals in tea and related industries—such as coffee and cocoa—say the tea industry outperforms coffee across four key sustainability focus areas.

 

Firsd Tea Sustainability Perspectives 2023 is the second annual survey that continues a first-of-its-kind global 2022 study to gauge opinions of tea sustainability among associated experts.

 

Specifically, most respondents in 2023 viewed tea as performing “very well or somewhat well” regarding reducing its environmental impact (75%), workers’ rights (64%), gender equity (58%), and improving the livelihood of smallholder farmers (66%) when compared with coffee and cocoa sectors.

 

“With so much negative news about the environment in the press, the discovery that tea is perceived as performing relatively well in these sustainability areas came as a breath of fresh air,” Firsd Tea marketing director, Jason Walker, explains. He adds, “What’s so compelling about our global 2023 study’s findings compared with those in 2022 is that a larger slice of our respondents were actually from the coffee industry this go-around.” Coffee professionals comprised 36% of this year’s vs. 19% of last year’s study.

 

Apart from revealing tea’s notable perceived performance in key sustainability areas, the study also found:

  • Most survey-takers remain worried about the effects of climate change on their business operations (80% in 2022 vs. 75% in 2023).

 

  • Tea is still considered the most sensitive industry to the effects of climate change by most professionals in tea and related industries (93% in 2022 vs. 95% in 2023).

 

  • Most respondents in tea and related industries still agree Organic Certification is the most important standard to consumers (84% in 2022 vs. 88% in 2023).

 

  • Compared with Firsd Tea’s 2022 study, Vietnam (+37%), Kenya (+33%), China (+26%), and Sri Lanka (+26%) saw outstanding perceived sustainability improvements in 2023.

 

  • Most respondents in tea and related industries report improved outlooks on progress made in sustainability from 10 years ago, the current state of sustainability in tea, and the trajectory for the next 10 years.

 

“We are honored to continue this essential research to encourage stakeholders across tea and related industries to reflect on and prioritize sustainability,” explains Firsd Tea executive director, Shengyuan Chen.

 

The study derives its results from a three-month long survey conducted from May 2023 to July 2023 in collaboration with Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, a 120+ year-old publication covering the global tea and coffee industries from origin through the supply chain. Princeton-based Crothers Consulting administered the survey to 100 voluntary respondents conducting business in tea and related sectors (e.g. coffee, wine and cocoa).

 

For the full Firsd Tea Sustainability Perspectives 2023 Report, click here.

 

About Firsd Tea:

Firsd Tea is the U.S. subsidiary of parent company, Zhejiang Tea Group, Ltd. (ZJT), China’s largest tea exporter and the world leader in green tea exports. Founded in 1950, ZJT has been the largest tea producer and exporter in China for 25 consecutive years. The company has remained one of the leading and most technologically advanced manufacturers and innovators in the Chinese tea industry. ZJT boasts strategic collaboration with the Science Department of Zhejiang University as well as the Hangzhou Tea Research Institute of All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Co-operatives. Zhejiang Tea Group’s portfolio of products include EU compliant conventional teas and organic teas (first organic tea producer in China since 1989), decaf teas (one of only two companies in China who have a CO2 decaf facility) and chemical solvent-free tea extractions, including instant teas, tea polyphenols, and EGCG.

 

About the Firsd Tea Sustainability Perspectives study:

The Firsd Tea Sustainability Perspectives study is an annual, first-of-its-kind global tea report that derives its findings from a survey of voluntary respondents conducting business in tea and related industries (e.g. coffee, sugar cane, wine and cocoa). Survey responses are primarily generated by website posting and subscriber outreach by Firsd Tea and The Tea & Coffee Trade Journal, direct messaging on platforms such as LinkedIn, and word-of-mouth networking. Industry-specific organizations also promote the survey by sharing it with their respective stakeholders.

 

— Source: Firsd Tea
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Business Culture Economics Government

Mary O. Griffin, IOM, appointed to Northeast Board of Regents of Institute for Organization Management

A Leadership Training Program Produced by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce 

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Institute for Organization Management, the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, has appointed Mary O. Griffin, IOM, Vice President of Membership Retention and Relations of the African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey to the Northeast Board of Regents.

 

As a member of this Board, Griffin will implement the policies created by Institute’s National Board of Trustees.

 

“A strong Board of Regents is essential to Institute’s success,” said Raymond P. Towle, IOM, CAE, vice president of Institute for Organization Management at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “These volunteers drive site attendance, provide recommendations for program improvement, and serve as an on-site resource for Institute participants.”

 

Since its commencement in 1921, the Institute program has been educating tens of thousands of associations, chambers, and other nonprofit leaders on how to build stronger organizations, better serve their members and become strong business advocates.

 

Institute’s four Boards of Regents serve on behalf of the National Board of Trustees. Each Board of Regents is responsible for recruitment, retention, and marketing of the program nationwide. Each regent is an Institute graduate nominated by their peers.

 

Institute for Organization Management is the professional development program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. It is the premier nonprofit professional development program for association and chamber professionals, fostering individual growth through interactive learning and networking opportunities.

 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business organization representing companies of all sizes across every sector of the economy. Our members range from the small businesses and local chambers of commerce that line the Main Streets of America to leading industry associations and large corporations.

institute.uschamber.com           @IOMeducates

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Most Mercer government offices to be closed for Election Day

Most Mercer County government offices and facilities will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023, in observance of Election Day.

The Mercer County Clerk’s Office, 209 South Broad St., will be closed for regular business on Election Day but will be open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. to perform election duties. Completed mail-in ballots can be delivered to the Mercer County Board of Elections, 930 Spruce St. in Lawrence (next to Trenton Farmers Market), until 8 p.m. on Election Day.

The following County facilities will remain open on Election Day: Trenton-Mercer Airport (except administrative offices), Correction Center, Sheriff’s Office and Emergency Services Communications Center. Also open for business will be four branches of the Mercer County Library system: Ewing, Hickory Corner, Lawrence Headquarters and West Windsor, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; all other branches will be closed.

The following Mercer County Park Commission facilities will be open on Election Day: Ice Skating Center, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for public skating; Tennis Center, 7:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; all five County golf courses, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Mercer County Stables, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; and Wildlife Center, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for patient drop-off, by appointment only. The Tulpehaking Nature Center, Howell Living History Farm and Park Commission administrative offices will be closed. For more information on Park Commission facilities, visit www.mercercountyparks.org

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Culture Lifestyle Local News Perks Perspectives Programs & Events

Annual Holiday Toy Drive runs through December 11

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes invites county residents, businesses and civic groups to join Mercer County employees in their annual Holiday Toy Drive. 

Toys can be dropped off at a number of convenient locations around the county, and the Mercer County Park Commission will ensure your gift goes directly to a deserving area child.

“The holidays are upon us, and as you shop for your friends and family, I encourage you to consider adding to your list a gift for a child whose family might be struggling at this time of year,” Mr. Hughes said.

“Even the smallest or simplest item can bring a smile to a child’s face, so let’s make this year’s collection bigger than ever.”

Click here or the flyer for drop-off locations.

For information, call (609) 303-0700.

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Art & Life Culture Education Lifestyle Programs & Events

NJPF announces AI workshop for photographers and other artists

Nancy Ori and Umesh Bhatt will be doing two workshops: Nov. 12 in-person in Berkeley Heights, and Nov. 26 on Zoom regarding Artificial Intelligence image creation.

Both sessions will run from 11-4 p.m. Each will have limited seating in order to give participants a lot of one-on-one attention.

 

“Create images you could never do before. Artificial Intelligence software makes it possible to create images literally off the top of your head. You are no longer restricted to the images that come out of your camera and the traditional manipulations you know how to do in post-production.”

 

This workshop is specific to photographers and will teach them to create images that look like real photographs taken with a camera! Join them for a fun-filled day of learning how to set your computer up and get started using this new tool. Participants will not believe  when they see what it can do as soon as they take charge of the software.

 

Umesh and Nancy will demonstrate step by step so you will have no fumbling with the set up. Things are so new and obviously designed by techies, so having a techie and a right brainer explain it to you will be immensely helpful. Umesh and Nancy are the perfect combination to get you up to speed. You do not need to own any other complicated software programs. It will work with any type of subject matter. If you can imagine and describe it, you can create it. Supplement your library of images in a new and easy way.

 

Topics will include:

·      MidJourney installation, setup, and time for hands-on.

·      A formula and tools for creating effective prompts.

·      Using AI to generate photographs – Tips and techniques.

·      Use AI software to enhance your photographs (in painting, out painting etc.)

·      Learn how to use Photoshop Firefly, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion etc.

·      Advanced techniques to take your photographs to new levels never done before.

 

As an engineer at the top of his game with technology, Umesh has used his quest for precision and logic to inform his approach to photography. Through these workshops, he will share his passion for the craft and love of new technology. His analytical mind has drawn him to the exciting frontier of artificial intelligence and machine learning. Umesh says, “Let’s see what we can discover and create together during this workshop. In the world of art and photography, anything is possible.”

 

Nancy is the owner of New Jersey Media Center, LLC in Berkeley Heights where she continues to do product, portrait, and food photography after a 25-year career as photographer and manager of video and photographic services for Ciba and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Nancy was taught by Ansel Adams and then affiliated for many years with the Ansel Adams Workshop in CA. She enjoys teaching locally and running photography tours globally. In 1994, she founded the New Jersey Photography Forum, which under Ori’s direction, has become the largest and most recognized group of fine art exhibiting photographers in the state. Nancy says, “Join us for this cutting-edge workshop and get inspired. Your creative world now has infinite possibilities. Let us help you open the door! You will only need a laptop and an open mind.”

 

Contact Nancy at nancyori@comcast.net for more information and to register.

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Culture Entertainment News International & World Lifestyle Programs & Events

‘Against the Tide,’ ‘The Monk and the Gun’ among Mumbai Film Festival winners

Sarvnik Kaur’s documentary “Against the Tide” has won the Golden Gateway Award at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.

 

The film previously won awards at Sundance, Sydney and Seattle. Diwa Shah’s San Sebastian winner “Bahadur: The Brave” received Mumbai’s Silver Gateway Award.

 

The festival’s Gender Sensitivity Award, decided by India’s Film Critics Guild, was won by Leesa Gazi’s “Barir Naam Shahana” “(A House Named Shahana).” The Special Jury Award went to Kanu Behl’s “Agra,” which premiered at Cannes earlier this year.

 

The Rashid Irani Young Critics’ Choice Award, a program created by the festival to nurture young writers on cinema, was won by Shahrukhkhan Chavada’s “Kayo Kayo Colour?” Dominic Sangma’s Locarno title “Rimdogittanga” “(Rapture)”  won the NETPAC Award.

 

This year, global media company Civic Studios teamed with the festival to create a new category of award, the Light Camera Impact Award. This award recognized two short films focusing on subjects of climate, sexuality, and caste – “Blackhole” by Pradyumna Patil and “Praan Pratishthana” “(Consecration)” by Pankaj Sonawane. “Flowering Man” by Soumyajit Ghosh Dastidar got a special mention in this category.

 

The IMDb Audience Choice Award was won by Pawo Choyning Dorji’s “The Monk and the Gun.”

 

Filmmakers selected for the festival’s self-explanatory Jio MAMI Select – Filmed on iPhone initiative include Archana Atul Phadke, Faraz Ali, Prateek Vats, Saurav Rai and Saumyananda Sahi. They will be mentored by Vishal Bhardwaj who directed the iPhone short “Fursat,” Vikramaditya Motwane “(Jubilee)” and Rohan Sippy “(Bluffmaster).”

 

The closing ceremony was hosted by actor Kalki Koechlin “(Goldfish).”

 

The festival opened with Hansal Mehta’s “The Buckingham Murders,” starring Kareena Kapoor Khan, opened the festival on Oct. 27. The closing film, Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla,” screened at the festival on Nov. 3. MUBI owns all rights to “Priscilla” in India. The film will release across the country via MUBI in partnership with PVR Inox Pictures.

 

This year the festival hosted masterclasses with jury head Mira Nair, excellence in cinema recipients Mani Ratnam and Luca Guadagnino, festival chair Priyanka Chopra Jonas and juror David Michôd. The festival’s Industry Connect Symposium featured a keynote from leading producer Siddharth Roy Kapur and included case studies of Shubhashish Bhutiani’s Venice winner “Hotel Salvation” and Bauddhayan Mukherji’s Durban winner “The Violin Player.”

 

 

— Variety

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Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan set cameos in Salman Khan’s ‘Tiger 3’

The super spies of producer Aditya Chopra’s spy universe are set to converge in Yash Raj Films’ “Tiger 3.”

 

Hrithik Roshan’s Kabir from “War” and Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan from “Pathaan” are set to join Salman Khan’s Avinash Singh Rathore and Katrina Kaif’s Zoya Humaini Rathore in the film, Variety has learned.

 

The spy universe kicked off with the Tiger franchise, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, beginning with “Ek Tha Tiger” (2012) and “Tiger Zinda Hai” (2017) and continued with “War” (2019), starring Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff and “Pathaan” (2023), starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone.

 

In the Tiger franchise, Salman Khan plays Avinash Singh Rathore, AKA Tiger, who belongs to Indian intelligence agency RAW and Kaif plays Zoya Humaini Rathore, an ex-agent from Pakistan’s ISI. In “War,” Roshan is rogue RAW agent Kabir Dhaliwal and Shroff his protégé Khalid Rahmani. In “Pathaan,” Shah Rukh Khan plays exiled RAW agent Pathaan and Padukone ISI agent Rubina Mohsin.

 

In “Tiger 3,” directed by Maneesh Sharma “(Band Baaja Baaraat),” Tiger is in peril after being framed as enemy number one and goes on a life-threatening mission to hunt down his enemies. Tiger wants to clear his name for his country, for his family and he won’t stop at anything. Emraan Hashmi plays the antagonist Aatish Rehman.

 

“Aditya Chopra has set the wheels in motion for a full convergence of super spies within the YRF spy universe,” an industry source told Variety. “No one knows this but along with Pathaan, Kabir too will make his appearance in ‘Tiger 3.’ A handful of people know how Adi is visualising Kabir in ‘Tiger 3’ and this information is being kept under wraps to be only revealed when it releases in theaters on Nov. 12.”

 

The four spy universe films so far have together grossed some $300 million.

 

The Tiger character had an extended cameo in “Pathaan” and the film also featured Colonel Sunil Luthra (Ashutosh Rana), who first appeared in “War” and is expected to be in “Tiger 3” as well. Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan will headline “Tiger vs Pathaan,” which is expected to commence principal photography in January 2024. NTR Jr, star of Oscar- and Golden Globe-winner “RRR,” will feature alongside Hrithik Roshan in “War 2,” one of the future installments in the spy universe.

 

“Tiger 3” will release in India on Nov. 12, the day of India’s biggest festival, Diwali, in the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu languages. It will release in North American one day earlier on Nov. 11.

 

 

— Variety (EXCLUSIVE)

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On Instagram, journalists and creators inside Gaza see a surge in followers as they document the Israel-Hamas war

—  One journalist has added more than 12 million followers.  The work highlights some of the challenges and dangers of covering the conflict.

 

 

NBC News:

 

Before early October, Motaz Azaiza’s Instagram account documented life in Gaza to about 25,000 followers with a mix of daily life and the ongoing hostilities between Israel and Hamas.

 

That began to change in the days after Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel and the retaliation on Gaza. Since then, more than 12.5 million people have begun following Azaiza’s feed, which has become a daily chronicle of Israeli strikes.

Many other journalists, digital creators and people active on social media based in the region have seen a similar uptick in followers. Plestia Alaqad, a journalist whose work has been featured by NBC News, has gained more than 2.1 million, according to the social media analytics company Social Blade. Mohammed Aborjela, a digital creator, gained 230,000. Journalist Hind Khoudary drew 273,000 in the last five days of October. Photographer and videographer Ali Jadallah added more than 1.1 million.

 

Those surges have made Instagram, an app generally associated with lighthearted social media posts and lifestyle influencers, a suddenly crucial view into Gaza. The app has previously been embraced by some journalists, most notably photojournalists, but the sudden increase in followers appears to have no precedent.

 

The posts can at times be difficult to absorb. Most if not all appear to be firsthand videos rather than recycled content: People pulled from rubble, children crying over the bodies of their parents, and to-camera accounts of what the journalists are seeing and feeling.

 

The unfiltered coverage, as seen in the Instagram post below, adds a unique element to the broader journalistic efforts to capture what’s happening in Gaza.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CzBI6aigIqX/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

It’s a role that Instagram may not fully embrace (parent company Meta has broadly moved away from the news), but it appears the company is doing little to discourage the growth of the accounts. The app has rules against graphic content but does make exceptions for posts that are “newsworthy and in the public interest.” Some posts are initially covered by a “sensitive content” warning.

 

Instagram and other social media apps have come under some scrutiny over concerns that pro-Palestinian voices have been censored or suppressed. Meta confirmed in October that the company had accidentally limited the reach of some posts but said the problem was a bug that did not apply to one specific type of content and denied any censorship.

 

Meta also worked with the people behind the account Eye on Palestine after the company said it had detected a possible hacking attempt. That account had already been among the most-followed accounts focused on Palestinians before the war, with about 3.5 million followers. The account is back online after a multiday outage and now has more than 7 million.

 

The emergence of Instagram also comes as the social media platform X, once the go-to destination for journalists and witnesses to breaking news, has come under fire for its shortcomings around misinformation related to the conflict. Telegram is also a popular app for unfiltered updates but has a relatively small user base in the U.S.

 

A Meta spokesperson declined to make anyone from Instagram available for an interview.

 

Foreign journalists covering the Israel-Hamas war are facing enormous challenges obtaining firsthand information, and that dynamic is having a deep effect on the world’s understanding of what’s happening especially in Gaza, according to organizations that monitor press freedom.

 

The obstacles for reporters are wide-ranging even for a war zone. These include physical danger to journalists, lack of access to Gaza itself and the logistical challenges of operating within Gaza such as electricity and internet blackouts.

 

Many major media operations including NBC News have sent reporters to Israel to cover Hamas’ attack and the ongoing conflict, during which more than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed and more than 200 have been taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities. More than 9,000 people have been killed in Gaza from the Israeli counteroffensive, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.

 

Few foreign reporters are believed to be in Gaza, according to journalists outside the territory. Israel and Egypt control entry to Gaza and have not allowed in foreign journalists, according to a petition this week signed by nearly 100 French journalists demanding access to the strip, France 24 reported Tuesday.

 

Marc Owen Jones, an associate professor of Middle East studies at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar who closely follows social media, said the accounts are important “precisely because of the chaotic and toxic information environment that is so heavily mediated and sanitised.”

 

“It is so hard for anyone to get into Gaza that these journalists using Instagram are one of the only windows into bearing witness,” he said in a text message.

 

Those challenges were most apparent last Friday when a near-total communications blackout and Israeli bombing made it almost impossible to tell what was happening in Gaza. Also Friday, Reuters reported that Israel’s military had told international news organizations that it could not guarantee the safety of their journalists operating in Gaza.

 

As communication systems were gradually restored, voices from Gaza began to cut through the silence on social media.

 

A video of Khoudary and Azaiza uploaded on Saturday served as a sort of public service announcement confirming they were alive. Many commenters expressed their concern, worried that their lack of posts meant they had been hurt or killed. Neither responded to interview requests.

 

They both said they were struggling to get in touch with family members in other parts of the Gaza Strip.

 

“We don’t know where our families are and we don’t know if they’re ok and we really need to know what they’re going through because yesterday was a very bad night,” Khoudary said. “It was one of the deadliest nights on the Gaza strip.”

 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cy8gT7PtfwX/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

 

More than 30 journalists and media workers have been killed in the conflict as of Tuesday, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom organization based in New York. Another nine journalists were reported missing or detained, it said.

 

Sherif Mansour, the Middle East and North Africa program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, said any journalist working in Gaza is in danger.

 

“In a way, the people who are needed the most are the ones who are most vulnerable right now,” Mansour, who is based in the U.S., said in a phone interview.

 

He said that Hamas has contributed to the censorship of journalists within Gaza including through harassment.

 

“It’s basically hard to get by or be able to do work, but there has always been enough people trying to tell the story,” he said.

 

A regular stream of videos and images has made it out of Gaza, but the spread of misinformation and unverified claims — often in the form of legitimate content that is old or inaccurately described — has added to the challenge of verifying information from the region. On Instagram, many of the Palestinian journalists are verified, which means Instagram confirmed the identity of the person behind the account.

 

Jones noted that declining trust in the media has pushed some people to seek information directly from firsthand sources.

 

“They are also providing unfiltered coverage that has a raw and authentic quality, and the current distrust of the mainstream media is not helped by the more sanitised (for understandable reasons) content,” he wrote.

 

 

CORRECTION (Nov. 3, 2023, 9:30 a.m. ET): A pervious version of this article misstated Marc Owen Jones’ position at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar. He is an associate professor, not assistant.

 

— Techmeme

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Milhouse Engineering & Construction Chairman and CEO, Wilbur C. Milhouse III, to speak at 2023 DEI Trailblazer Awards

TRENTON, N.J. — The African American Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey (AACCNJ) and the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce (NJCC) are pleased to announce that Wilbur C. Milhouse III, Chairman and CEO of Milhouse Engineering & Construction, Inc., will be a featured speaker at the 2023 DEI Trailblazer Awards.

Milhouse, an award-winning entrepreneur with more than 30 years of diversified civil and structural engineering experience, has transformed his expertise into a global enterprise that has garnered national attention.

His passion for community advancement led to the co-founding of Milhouse Charities in 2012, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting academic achievements and opportunities for minorities and underrepresented youth by supporting STEM-focused initiatives.

“It is an honor to have the leader of the largest Black-owned engineering design firm in the United States speak at the DEI Trailblazer Awards ceremony,” comment John E. Harmon Sr., IOM, AACCNJ’s Founder, President, and CEO. “This is a special treat for our guests.”

This year’s DEI Trailblazer Awards event marks the second annual ceremony co-hosted by AACCNJ and NJCC. It is dedicated to recognizing companies and organizations that are making noteworthy progress in the crucial domains of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Specifically, the DEI Trailblazer Awards acknowledge outstanding achievements in six distinct categories:

  1. Supplier Diversity: Recognizing businesses committed to diverse contracting for goods and services.
  2. Access to Capital: Commending businesses supporting enhanced access to capital for historically marginalized enterprises and entrepreneurs.
  3. Corporate Board Diversity: Celebrating businesses with diverse board compositions that reflect underrepresented communities.
  4. Workforce Diversity: Honoring businesses that exhibit a strong commitment to diversifying their staff through comprehensive recruiting, hiring, and retention efforts.
  5. Corporate Citizenship: Recognizing businesses with a significant commitment to philanthropy and community engagement, with a focus on historically marginalized communities.
  6. Emerging DEI Influencer: Applauding businesses in the early stages of DEI implementation, demonstrating intentionality across the above categories.

The 2023 nominees include AmeriHealth; Bank of America; Bridge Builders Newark, LLC; CannPowerment; The Ceceilyn Miller Institute for Leadership & Diversity; Chiesa Shahinian & Giantomasi P.C.; Cole Schotz; Delta Dental of New Jersey; Gibbons P.C.; Hackensack Meridian Health; Johnson & Johnson; Lockerbie & Co.; Modivcare; New Jersey Institute of Technology; Phillips 66-Bayway Refinery; PSEG; Santander US; Somerset County Business Partnership; Tené Nícole Creative Agency; UnitedHealth Group; and We Are Jersey.

The DEI Trailblazer Awards ceremony promises to be an inspiring event. Attendees will have the unique opportunity to hear from Milhouse and other esteemed leaders as we celebrate the nominees and reveal the 2023 awardees. The awards reception will take place at the Olde Mill Inn in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, on Monday, November 20, 2023, 5-8 p.m. For more information about the DEI Trailblazer Awards and to register for the event, please visit: https://njchamber.com/events/dei-trailblazer-awards