(BALTIMORE – February 12, 2025) – Not that the world will ever make sense of a Donald John Trump presidency. And not that one word I write will even matter. But, … I just gotta say: This guy!
That’s it. This guy!
This guy who is the president of the free world, who said that the plane and helicopter collision was the result of DEI—when all of the people flying the aircraft were white—is now saying the nation will not support BEYA (beya.org), the premier event for Black engineers.
With Trump, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. Seems like we’d better just do!
I should have seen it coming, given President Trump’s long list of antics, including the recent gutting of historic civil rights legislation. Anytime an American president can demonstrate such utter disregard for a proud and meaningful demographic, the Black community, I’m not sure anything else he does will shock me.
This president has ignited racial hatred while proclaiming that whites in America are somehow victims of reverse racism. That’s like blaming a rape victim while compensating the rapist.
Only in America.
This President, who has the audacity to challenge Canada and Greenland (who messes with Canada?), is causing discord both nationally and internationally. At this rate, I don’t see him finishing out his term. It’s only a matter of time before he crosses the line so egregiously that the people and the government must demand his departure.
Now granted, Dr. Tyrone Taborn, the brilliant mind behind BEYA (the Be Everything You Are Conference), has been organizing this and similar conferences nationwide for nearly four decades. He is no stranger to adversity and has the resilience to overcome unexpected hurdles.
This act of non-support by the president only reinforces the importance of backing BEYA, especially for those of us in Baltimore. If you do not know, Dr. Taborn has dedicated his career to fighting against digital apartheid. He is a cerebral brother who understands the setbacks of the Greenwood District of Oklahoma. As a child, he spent summers on the historic “Black Wall Street” and profoundly appreciated Black excellence and resilience.
Dr. Taborn has championed the underserved and overlooked in America—something President Trump might never comprehend. But for the rest of us, Dr. Taborn is a hero, a mentor, a teacher, and a pioneer. He has shown his mentees, including me, how to succeed in the media industry—no matter what. His leadership is authentic, his heart is unconditional, and his circle of friends spans all walks of life. He preaches forgiveness and lives a life rooted in agape love. Again, our president might never drink from the same fountain.
Here in Baltimore, we thank God for the kindness and benevolence of such a dedicated leader as Dr. Tyrone Taborn. With his queen, Jean Hamilton, lovingly at his side and a team of qualified professionals, I pray the good Lord continues to bless Dr. Taborn and BEYA to continue to be everything they’re meant to be.
Tyrone D. Taborn is the publisher, chairman, and CEO of Career Communications Group (CCG). This minority-owned media services company connects top technology talent to employers capable of fulfilling their career goals. For over a quarter of a century, CCG has established enduring partnerships with America’s leading companies, government agencies, and educational institutions through its magazines, the Internet, and conferences that celebrate the achievements of minorities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Taborn founded the Foundation for Educational Development, which raises awareness of technology literacy in minority communities across America. The foundation’s programs—Black Family Technology Awareness Week, La Familia Technology Awareness Week, and The Native American Family Technology Journey—aim to bring families into the digital age through computer literacy workshops.
As a regular contributor to technology columns in major print media, Taborn was a contributing author to “Learning Race and Ethnicity, Youth and Digital Media,” funded by the MacArthur Foundation and published by MIT Press. He also wrote “Closing The Racial Digital Divide,” one of ten essays in “The Covenant With Black America” (Third World Press), a 2006 New York Times bestseller compiled by PBS-TV’s Tavis Smiley. Additionally, Taborn has made appearances on several prime-time television shows.
His board affiliations include Women Legislators of Maryland Foundation, Inc., Baltimore Partners for Enhanced Learning, Maryland Black Caucus Foundation, Inc., Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering (AMIE), and the Granville Academy. He is also a member of The National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Recognized for his impact, Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and the state’s Legislative Black Caucus honored Taborn with a 2008 Living History Award in Engineering, Science, and Innovation. Historymakers.com acknowledges him as an influential figure in the African American community. Among his many accolades are the Hispanic Engineer of the Year Chairman’s Award (HENACC), the Baltimore Marketing Association’s Business Person of the Year Award, a Mercedes Benz Visionary Award, and an Internet and Technology Leaders Award from Sprint and MOBE IT. He was also named one of the “50 Most Important Blacks in Technology” by blackmoney.com and SoulofTechnology.net.
With roots in both the Latino and Black communities, Taborn grew up in Los Angeles, California, and attended Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, where he majored in government. He was a member of the prestigious Senior Honor Society “Quill and Dagger” and the Telluride Association. In 1978, he served as the first LBJ (Lyndon B. Johnson) Congressional Intern in the office of the late Congressman Julian C. Dixon. He holds honorary degrees from Morgan State University and the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a Bachelor of Science degree from Johns Hopkins University.
