The Blerdy Blackness of Technology

[williamjackson]

The Blerdy Blackness of Technology

Thinking back on a recent trip to University of
South Florida and the Engineering Expo, seeing
about 3000 youth and many of them Black youth
brings a renewed feeling of potential for Black
youth. The eight young men with me learned
about new opportunities for their successes and the
importance of education. Educational exposure
is important to show Black youth their options
and opportunities.

The Blackness of technology is growing; it is a
shining Black light of intelligence, creativity and
innovation; basking in its diversified influenced
by people of color. As a Engineering teacher I see
a new world for learning.

The engagement of technology allows Black children
and children of color to expand their intellectual and
creative abilities beyond sports, entertainment and the
stereotypical elements that society deems appropriate
for Black children. Black children are more than items
for entertainment, objects to parade around in rap videos,
they are more than being portrayed as gunman, thieves,
in poverty, drug dealers in video games that glamorize
prison and crime. Black children, teens and young adults
have Blerd skills and talents that should be encouraged,
supported and importantly respected and cultivated.

As President Obama has stated, America will not achieve
the greatness it is destined if Black children are not
educated to the best of their abilities.

It is now cool to be a Nerd and Geek; to love Science,
to read, enjoy comic books and the intellectual enjoyment
of attending technology conferences, workshops and seminars.
Blacks that do not feel secure about their Blerdiness are
insecure about their own identities, it is not about embracing
“whiteness” it is about embracing the empowerment and
engagement of technology. This is what I tell my elementary
engineering students. To be self confident, to have high
self esteem and high expectations for their success with
technology.
America may have the mentality that Blacks are not
intellectually capable of using technology. The
same mentality about the Tuskegee Airman (Red Tails).
This closed mindedness still shows that even with
technology there is ignorance and racism. Blacks still have
to fight past the stereotypes, so when the word Blerd and
others are used as Kat Calvin states that Blacks are
“wanting to OWN who we are, our history, our culture,
our uniqueness.”

Blerds are not scared to be seen in public libraries either
in the DVD section under technology, programming and
web development or in the science and engineering section
with books in hand and a joyful bounce in their step. If
parents were smarter they would encourage their children
and take them to the library where the family as a unit
can learn.

The integration of STEAM Science Technology Engineering
Arts and Mathematics, in elementary schools has allowed
Black children to explore new areas of intellectual
growth. STEAM encourages reading comprehension,
critical thinking skills and higher order rationalization
that is needed in corporate careers and in scientific careers
requiring research skills. Knowledge of engineering and
math that even embraces the Arts. 

Blerds like Shareff Jackson (Philadelphia)
#ScienceLooksGood; He shows the coolness and
awesomeness to be a Blerd http://shareefjackson.com/
Young ladies like Tiffany Duhart  http://about.me/tiffanyduhart
(Jacksonville, Fl.) whose Tumblr, Twitter, Instagram account
names Brand and Market her abilities that women have
Swaggalicious Blerdiness and possess #BlerdGirl powers.

Women like Amanda Spann of Blerdology.co
that mentor and offer girls opportunities to learn how to code
and many other technology skills, and HBCUKidz -
http://hbcukids.com/ promoting HBCU’s, education and
sharing resources. Ladies such as my wife Cheryl using
technology to promote her catering business Sister2Sister
Catering http://sister2sistercatering.wordpress.com
learning
how to blog and post her recipes and catering jobs.

Using Instagram and Twitter sharing her culinary skills
passed down from the great cooks in her family.
There are many others!!!!

Terms such as Blerds, (Black Nerds), Bleeks (Black Geeks)
and a association of complementary phrases: #Blerdology,
#BlackLadyNerd, #BlerdMovement, #BlerdGirl, #Nerdlife,
#BlerdSwag, #BlackGirls, #BlerdLife, # Swaggalicious #Swag,
#BlackHack,  even on Social Media sites like Tumblr where
you will find associated pictures:
http://www.tumblr.com/tagged/blerd   
are attracting a following.

This is not a new direction in technology, but a gradual
transition people of color are migrating. Forming their own
communities in membership and social consciousness
of how important technology is and will be in the future.
Blacks are attending and creating their own technology
conferences like:
Blogging While Brown http://bloggingwhilebrown.com/
Displaying the ability of Blacks to uplift and build their
own up in support and recognition. Blogging While Brown
has grown to become the premier blogging conference
dedicated to education, collaboration, and innovation
among Bloggers of Color.

Shifting paradigms creating Blerdiness from elementary
classrooms like mines to colleges like #FAMU,
#SCSU and other HBCU’s. Education has changed with
more schools, even elementary schools having computer
labs, technology centers, students building Apps,
involved in STEM and STEAM programs.
Students are involved in projects, managing data, collaborative
engagement locally and globally. Students are comparing and
contrasting data, examining human capital and human genetics,
managing the placement of people and their skills to accomplish
tasks that have international affects, all using technology.

I read about Malcolm X and his passion to learn. He had
a deep love of mathematics and stated his college was a
library. When asked where the idea for his new last name
came from, he said in a television interview that the
“X stands for the unknown, as in mathematics.”
That is a true Blerd….

As Black children grow and mature not only will their
designation of self change, but the solidification of their
place in a world where technology is life and life is
technology. Blerds are developing a natural equilibrium
with technology. They are developing their own Matrix,
not waiting on others to define their existence.

Blacks In Technology
https://www.blacksintechnology.net/

Blerds Came from Where
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEM45v3wR10
Great discussion on Blerds

HBCU Kidz
http://www.hbcukids.com/HBCUkidz-Blogs.html

Attack of the Blerds
By Kat Calvin
http://www.bitdigest.net/attack-of-the-blerds/

“Blerds”: The Rise of the Black Nerd Movement
http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-07-30/news/the-rise-of-the-black-nerd/full/

Blerdology
http://blerdology.co/