Dr. Safi Mojidi describes himself as a Point Guard of Cyber and Data Privacy.  He is the Founder and CEO of Hacking the Workforce, which co-creates employment opportunities for QTIPOC to upskill their lives and move from empowered to employed in cybersecurity. He is a Board Member and Director of Partnerships at TransTech Social Enterprises and has had a long career in cybersecurity.

We start with a discussion of Safi’s roots in Nigeria and his prowess in sport, in which he played in the Nigerian national basketball team.  This formed a pillar of his youth and even still he sees his role as a Point Guard.

We look at the field of cyber security and the fact that it can largely be done as a remote role today.  While this can enable a more inclusive work environment and a more diverse work force it can also be isolating and can diminish community. The challenge of finding gainful rewarding employment is one that lies at the heart of the Hacking the Workforce initiative, which is a non-profit focused on empowering QTIPOC to upskill their lives. Safi mentions that while there has been progress made in the workplace there is still a gap when it comes to intersectionality and individuals who may be trans and from an ethnic minority. Safi’s goal is to ensure that this segment does not fall through the cracks.

Moving on to broader workplace issues, we discuss the toxicity that can exist at various workplaces and why “just leave” is not always the right answer, although it might be the most appealing one.

The 2023 Pride Series is kindly sponsored by members of our Rainbow Network including Laura J. LaTourette, who is a financial planner who describes her practice as one designed to enable LGBTQ+ folx make a plan to simplify their lives to enable them to live authentically and leave a legacy of love. Based in Dahlonega Georgia but with a national client base Laura has a particular interest in working with LGBTQ+ elders. You can find out more about Laura’s practice by following her on:

Linked In
linkedin.com/in/lauralatourette

Twitter:

• LauraLaTourette