During a recent roundtable discussion at the White House on the state of cybersecurity in the Black community, Curley Henry, Southern Company's vice president and deputy chief information security officer, was among the distinguished Black cybersecurity leaders invited to participate.
The event was held in recognition of Black History Month and aimed to address issues such as access to good-paying jobs, economic security and growing small disadvantaged businesses in Black communities.
“The invitation to participate in this roundtable was quite an honor,” Henry said. “It aligns with the meaningful work Southern Company and the Technology Organization are doing every day to improve diversity, equity and inclusion outcomes across our footprint.”
Henry shared insights on enhancing security and economic prosperity in cyberspace and creating more pathways to good-paying cyber and tech jobs for underrepresented communities.
The event also included briefings on cybersecurity workforce issues, methods to address cyber risks and advocacy tactics to support policymaking. Additionally, approximately $90 million in funding to support cybersecurity and other critical industry-related apprenticeships for underrepresented groups was also announced.
“The open dialogue between peers across multiple sectors resonated that there is concern around this topic,” Henry said. “With support of this administration, I am hopeful that progress will be made.”
Find out more about the roundtable.