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GREENWOOD Dist. — The White House Office of the National Cyber Director visited Historic Greenwood. The visit was led by Director Harry Coker Jr. It was part of their National Cyber Workforce and Development initiative tour. Black Tech Street, a local organization dedicated to rebirthing historic Black Wall Street, hosted the event. Its aim is to create an innovation economy rooted in cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
Cyber Talent Development Highlighted During National Cyber Director’s Visit to University of Tulsa
National Cyber Director Coker Jr also visited the University of Tulsa. There, he spoke with their leadership, staff, and students about their experiences.
Chad Raduege, executive director of UTulsa’s Oklahoma Cyber Innovation Institute and retired U.S. Air Force brigadier general, shared his thoughts:
“As the institute and its community partners strive to meet the global demand for cyber talent and technology, we are excited to welcome Director Coker to Tulsa and the university. Our goal is to develop a highly educated workforce trained in cutting-edge technology and ready to tackle real-world cyber challenges.”
UTulsa President Brad R. Carson echoed Raduege’s sentiment: “The University of Tulsa has been a nationally recognized leader in cyber education and research for 25 years. We attract top-tier professors and support critical research projects in collaboration with federal agencies, Fortune 500 corporations, global nonprofits, and private entrepreneurs. And we are eager to share more about these relationships and opportunities with the White House.”
Embracing Innovation and Legacy: National Cyber Director Coker’s Address in Historic Greenwood
Director Coker then traveled to Oklahoma State University-Tulsa. There, he spoke at a public event. Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum joined him. Also present were Tulsa Innovation Labs Director of Grants and Policy, Justin Kitts, and Founder and Executive Director of Black Tech Street, Tyrance Billingsley II. A roundtable of Tulsa leaders and officials followed the event.
“I am aware that today I stand on sacred ground, addressing you within the historic Greenwood District here in Tulsa. Today, I’ll have the opportunity to visit the site of Black Wall Street, a space where African Americans – for many generations following the Civil War – thrived,” said Director Coker.
“More than 100 years after their work began to create not only a self-sustaining business district but economic opportunity and generational wealth, we stand here on their shoulders. And we are, here again, looking to innovation. And to hope. Their fearless example is what we remember and what we allow to inspire us today,” the Director added.
“It was a tremendous honor to host Director Coker Jr and ONCD in Historic Greenwood. The crux of our work here is pioneering a new narrative and mechanism for how to over-index Black and minority talent into critical technology areas like Cyber and AI, not only for economic stability but to secure technological leadership of the United States for the next half a century,”
Mayor GT Bynum Highlights Cybersecurity’s Crucial Role and Future Plans at Public Address
Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum also shared his understanding of Cybersecurity’s importance to the City of Tulsa. Bynum recently announced his plans for the future after leaving the office. Moreover, he will join the Saint Francis Healthcare System as Vice President of Community and Government Affairs. Notably, healthcare is one of the sectors most targeted for cyber attacks. He shared his deep appreciation for the field of Cybersecurity.
“Over the past seven years as mayor, I have placed a primary focus on how we govern and manage information technology at the City of Tulsa and the sheer dedication it takes in building cybersecurity capacity,” Tulsa Mayor G.T. Bynum said.
“The groundwork to advance cyber security is in place through our higher-education institutions and organizations like Black Tech Street, and the City of Tulsa stands committed in supporting and investing resources to stand as a leader in this space,” the outgoing mayor added.
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Advancing Tech Innovation and Cybersecurity: Black Tech Street and Tulsa’s Vision for a Secure Future
New advancements in Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and Autonomous Systems are heavily intertwined with Cybersecurity. Black Tech Street and the broader Tulsa community hope that Director Coker’s visit will enhance their current work.
Recently designated as a Tech Hub by the Economic Development Administration, Black Tech Street and Tulsa aim to serve as a nationwide example and call to action. By doing so, they hope America will embrace these new technologies. Their goal is to hand future generations a secure and prosperous future.