International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals Announces Rebranding, Changes Name to Cyversity
Established non-profit has unveiled a new name, logo, tagline, and website as part of an extensive rebranding initiative to more fully align with its growth and impact on diversity in cybersecurity
NEW YORK, Sept. 14, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals, a 501(c)3 non-profit association dedicated to the academic and professional success of minority cybersecurity students and professionals, has completed an extensive rebranding effort that embodies the organization's growth and represents their achievements in facilitating bold, large-scale initiatives that aim to bring principles of diversity and inclusion to the cybersecurity industry.
According to a recent report by The Aspen Institute's Tech Policy Hub, it is estimated that only 4% of cybersecurity workers self-identify as Hispanic, 9% as Black, and 24% as women. As cyber attacks on global technology infrastructure grow in both number and complexity, they must be met with a cybersecurity workforce that is growing in size and diversity. A workforce that embraces diversity of race, gender, socio-economics, culture, and thought is more capable of responding to today's array of threats and mitigating risk to their organizations through the wider range of perspectives and unique insights that come from teams with a variety of backgrounds and life experiences. Developing a diverse cybersecurity workforce has been identified as a national priority for the Department of Homeland Security and the federal government under the Biden-Harris Administration and by the private sector at large.
Since its founding in 2014, the International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals (ICMCP) has focused on its mission of achieving consistent representation of women and underrepresented minorities in the cybersecurity industry through programs to foster diversity, education, and empowerment. At a total member base reaching nearly 3,000 that continues to grow month-over-month—with 40 percent growth in the first eight months of 2021 alone—it is time for the organization to grow the brand alongside its mission.
A play on the words cyber and diversity, the new name Cyversity directly reflects the organization's ongoing mission and is bolstered by the introduction of a new tagline that succinctly describes the goal of Cyversity on behalf of its members and partners: "Diversify. Educate. Empower." Along with the new name, Cyversity also introduced a new logo and color scheme that is appropriately symbolic of an organization that is working to change the face of cybersecurity.
"We're excited to introduce our new Cyversity identity to our members, chapters, and partners," said President and Co-Founder Larry Whiteside, Jr. "This organization needed a name with the same level of impact as it has had on the community, which is to change and strengthen the world of cybersecurity, one person at a time."
"The world of cybersecurity demands businesses, institutions, and practitioners continually adapt their knowledge and skills to guard against threats that are growing in scale and complexity," said Vice President Sherron Burgess. "Education is a fundamental element of what we do at Cyversity."
In addition to a new name, logo, and tagline, Cyversity also unveiled a new website at http://www.cyversity.org. The new website is designed to better tell the organization's powerful story and more closely define the membership journey as the organization continues to grow in both membership size and industry impact.
"Our new site is a means by which to provide a logical and immersive experience for members," said Cyversity Treasurer Ed Adams. "Whether someone is entirely new to cyber or is a cyber veteran, the site ushers visitors through a process to introduce them to the roles in cyber, assess their skills, direct them to scholarships and educational opportunities, and equip them with mentors and career placement services, as needed."
"As cybersecurity professionals, we work alongside and within some of the most important, most recognizable institutions in the world," said Maggie Domond, Cyversity Executive Director. "While our programs and services have been and remain in high demand, our brand didn't measure up. That needed to change."
About Cyversity
Cyversity (formerly The International Consortium of Minority Cyber Professionals/ICMCP) was created as a 501(c)3 non-profit association dedicated to the academic and professional success of minority cybersecurity students and professionals. Cyversity tackles the 'great cyber divide' with scholarship opportunities, diverse workforce development, innovative outreach, and mentoring programs.
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SOURCE Cyversity
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