Brown Girls In Cyber

4/18/2023

The Beginning: How IT All Started

Starting on this journey to transition into cyber security did not seem possible for me at first. Yes, at first. As a public school teacher, I engaged with minimal technology on the job. Mostly, Powerpoint and Google Classroom. To think of going from that to knowing how to secure networks, research and write cyber threat intelligence reports, or obtain digital evidence against a threat actor to present in a court of law was not something I had imagined. Honestly, I have always thought that my husband would make the leap first and transition into a technology career. So, here we are! I know there are questions about how I am doing this remarkable transition.

How Am I Doing IT?!

Great question! I know first hand that transitioning from the known (in my case being an elementary and middle school reading teacher) into the unknown (the ever expanding world of cyber security) can be chaotic, scary, and full of uncertainty. Guess what? It is doable. At first, I just kept saying I wanted a career in cyber security. Well, someone in the field ask a pertinent question...what specifically do you want to do in cyber security. I had not thought about that at all. I looked at cyber security as on big massive field with everyone doing the same thing when in reality there are many, many different career fields within cyber security. I had to find out what I liked and wanted to do as my newly chosen career field. I decided to look at leveraging my skills as a teacher, specifically a reading teacher, to help make this decision. I landed on cyber threat intelligence/threat analyst.

I know my weakness is understanding networking. Guess what? LinkedIn Learning has courses on networking that is helping me close the learning gap. However, LinkedIn is not the only resource that I am using. See in addition to being a teacher I am also a veteran and military spouse (the best of both worlds)! There are some resources I was able to use because of being a veteran. However, there are others that are free to everyone. Let's look at some of my training so far and the resources I have leveraged.

My training has consisted of:

LinkedIn Learning (free to Premium subscribers)
OSINT Academy-Threat/Warning Analyst (free for veterans)
ISC2-Certified in Cyber Security Certification (free to everyone)
CodeRed-Cyber Digital Forensics Essentials Training (free to everyone)
San Antonio College-Cyber Digital Forensics Certificate with Security+ certification (free for veterans)

Once you choose your particular field of interest, then look for resources that will help you close the knowledge gap. The above mentioned are located in the Resources section as well.

4/25/2023

Hi yall! Well a lot has happened since I last posted! On Friday I passed the ISC2 Certified in Cyber Security exam! So, yes! I am actually now certified! After the test, I literally broke down in tears. After months of study, I was relieved, excited, and stunned that I passed on the first try. I had to give God the praise immediately. I knew it was all Him. I always say, "Lord, I will put it in, but I need you to put it out!" In other words, faith without works is dead. So, I put in the work. Now I am moving on to my next goals.

Well what am I doing today?! I decided to start teaching myself how to code using Python. Python is a very popular programming language that is widely used in the tech industry. I know...it sounds intimidating. Remember what I said last post...focus on what you want then find the resources to help close the knowledge gap. When I first wanted to learn coding there were so many resources available I actually got overwhelmed. I had to put on my "teacher hat" and looked for resources that differentiated this process for me. I needed bite sized chunks that did not overwhelm me and that I could connect from day to day during this learning journey. Guess what I found two resources. One is free and one is inexpensive (sometimes). The first course is Python in 100 Days by Dr. Angela Yu. Her course in on Udemy and can range in price depending on what discounts the platform is offering on a particular day. The second program is Replit's 100 days of Code. This program is free and videos are available on their platform and Youtube. Out of the two I have chosen Replit's program. Replit's program is what I need at this moment to get a foundation with coding in Python. I will provide the link in the Resources section along with the YouTube tutorials. I did not have to down load Python to start learning. This platform has allowed me to learn in the browser.

Finally, I am currently studying CCNA: Intro the Networking to close the skills gap I have in this area. Afterall, a cyber security engineer having a working knowledge of networking is essential. I am preparing early because I have the actual class in June and I do not want to be on a learning curve. I am looking forward to this continued journey and sharing!

May 4, 2023

Welcome to the month of May! I know it feels like time is passing. Well, it feels like that to me. As I sit thinking about writing this blog, I thought about a very important concept that I had not shared on this platform. When transitioning from the known to the unknown, it can be hard emotionally. At times, I feel like I have enough light for the step I am on. As I get more proficient with the cybersecurity tools that I am learning, I see a glimpse at the end of the tunnel. One thing I want to say publically is to not forget about self-care. Don't forget to take care of yourself and love on yourself. It is ok to take a break from learning and do something for yourself. Sounds easy right? Well, it is not! I was so used to just go, go, go, go...and on and on and so forth. One day prior to leaving for work my husband told me to rest and take the day off. You know what? I failed at taking the day off. It this was a standardized test I would have failed miserably. I lasted about 3 hours before I felt the itch to do something. Well, I ended up overwhelming myself by setting goals that were too lofty and unachievable in the time frame I planned. So, I made myself try again...and guess what...I failed again. Yes, that was hard. I had to get intention with this pivot. So, I actually planned a girl day just for me so that I can focus on getting rest and not overwhelming myself. What did I learn...normalizing self-care is a priority. I can't take care of anyone else if I don't take care of me. Yes, I am talking to myself as well about intentionally taking care of ME. I have attached one of my articles I have written about this below. Remember, it is okay to take care of you. It is okay to love on you. It is okay to give yourself grace. Until next time...do something special for just YOU!

Normalizing Self-Care Dr. LaConti Bryant - FOREST OF THE RAIN PRODUCTIONS An Educational Affairs Organization

5/11/2023

Hey! It is me...again! I hope your week was productive! This week I had to take my own advice for learning. I was doing way too much in such a small amount of time. To be honest, it got quite overwhelming this week. I had to do a couple of things to get myself back on track. Hopefully, these tips can help you.

Take Time Away...The World Won't Stop

First, I took two days away from studying. I need time to decompress and care for myself. In this past this would have been a huge struggle, however, I have learned that if I rest the world will not stop nor will it crumble. I literally chilled out for two days. I actually did nothing, but care for me. It is completely fine to take time away. This is a skill that I was not always so successful at, but I have learned to be okay with taking care of myself.

Keep The Main Thing...The Main Thing

During my decompression time, I was able to think clearly about the next steps I need to take to get to my goal, which is employment as a cybersecurity professional. So I had to learn how to keep the main...the thing. With all the resources at I have, it got overwhelming because I was trying to complete each course I had access to at the same time. Guess what? It got overwhelming really quick. So I needed to come up with a plan that was not overwhelming and doable. At this moment, I realized that the main thing was to prioritize the OSINT Academy work since I was actively enrolled. However, there are a few other basic things I needed to keep front and center. Normally, I set a weekly plan for learning cybersecurity. I ended up putting too much on the schedule for each day. I did not realize this until I started following the schedule. Talk about overwhelming. I was in tears. I thought I was being methodical with my weekly schedule. So I refined what I needed to do to fill knowledge gaps and apply for jobs.

The Plan

The plan I came up with was to do a daily plan. I set goals at the end of each day for the next day. I set a max of 4 goals to complete each day. However, I give myself grace. If I complete 3 of the 4 goals, I consider that a success. I also take 2 days for self-care each week. Since doing this, it has been less challenging getting things done for the day. Also, I focus on three things: OSINT Academy, building an effective cybersecurity portfolio, and preparing for the upcoming networking class with San Antonio College. That is it. Nothing more...nothing less.

5/27/2023

It has been a few weeks since I have posted. I have been wrapping my mind around getting out of my comfort zone. Today I actually published my first LinkedIn article. I was both excited and nervous at the same time, but nonetheless, I did it! I have completed the first 3 courses of the new Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate. It has been an amazing course so far. Anyone that is a beginner in cyber, I would highly recommend. Also, I have been setting daily goals at the end of the day for the next day. So far it has worked out great. I feel less overwhelmed and feel like I am making progress. Since this is working for me, I will definitely stick with it!

Currently, I am in the last days of the OSINT Academy through Dakota State University. This course has been absolutely amazing. I highly recommend it to anyone that wants to transition into cybersecurity. Next, I will be starting a networking class and learning how to configure networks. To be honest, I am feeling a little intimidated because this is completely new to me. At the same time, I am up for the challenge. I am scheduled to be done with this process in December and then take the Security+ exam.

7/21/2023

Hi everyone! Wow! This journey is moving along quite well and interesting at the same time. This process of transitioning careers can be overwhelming at times. One thing I have learning with transitioning into cybersecurity it to take it one day at a time, one project at a time. I have had to push myself to leave the concept of "multitasking" in the past. It is really overwhelming for me. So, I took a few steps backs and started to take an even more strategic approach to completing my coursework and finishing cyber projects. Right now, I am wholeheartedly focused on my networking class from Cisco. To advocate for myself, I enrolled in additional networking coursework through Udemy. The course includes projects that I can work on each day. My next 2 projects are to familiarize myself with networking (further) and create videos of my configuring different systems. Additionally, I have started working with Nmap. One of the things that I have done is set up 5 virtual machines. I need to configure each to have its own IP address in order to ping them off of each other. This is an important skill. Pinging is simple, however, the work that happens prior to pinging can be challenging, especially if you do not have a background in technology or networking. I am leaving it here with projects until I near the completion of videos.

My next adventure is earning a certificate or certification in Python's programming language. I will be signed up for a 4-week program/bootcamp geared at filling in this learning gap. Why? Knowing a programming language sets me apart from others in the field. Finally, I have learned to celebrate the small moments. This month I have completed certificated in Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, and Open-Source Intelligence. Until next time, happy learning!

7/23/2023

Battling Anxiety During Transitioning Careers

I am quite transparent about self-care and coping anxiety at the same time. To be honest, I could not do this transition alone. I had to advocate for myself by financially investing in my mental health by seeing a therapist. I was strategic with sectioning someone that understood my experiences as a Black professional and as a black woman. I honestly did not want someone that did not understand me as an individual, my culture, or had the propensity to always refer to the "strong Black woman" stereotype. I wanted and needed to be seen as an individual that needed support dealing with mental health challenges and not expected to conquer the world every 24 hours, especially when no other woman group in the work has this same stereotype assigned to them. Honestly, it is an unrealistic and unfair expectation. Why do I say that? In May 2022, I suffered a back injury. As a result, I was assigned to long term physical therapy, as well as restricted to what I could physically do. In other words, Superwoman died on May 11, 2022. When I made my restrictions known to the leadership of the new school I was working at, it was disregarded. One of the team members even said, "We are going to resurrect Superwoman!" I replied, "Absolutely not." What message did it send to me? Simple, we do not care about your health or you. I ended up reinjuring myself and ended up on bed rest for 10 days. There were no phone calls acquiring about how I am doing. The only phone call from someone on the leadership team was to inform me she was teaching my class and pretty much did not like it or want to. The message was clear. There was no respect for me or my health. Once I did return to work, the restrictions continued to be ignored. When my husband asked me about what was happening, I shared with him the amount of pain I was in because of practically being forced to do what I cannot no longer do. At that moment, he surprised me and said, "put in your resignation. It is time for you to do something else and something new. Your time in public education has come to an end." I immediately put in the resignation, and he came over and packed up my classroom in 2 hours to end this leg of my journey in life. Traumatic right? I only provided the highlights, there is more to this story.

This space allows me to heal from past trauma that I have endured in my past careers. There's much I can say about being a soldier and a teacher that has caused a lot of trauma in my career and personal life. This allows me to effectively articulate my feelings about past challenges, process through those challenges, and heal.

Why do bring this up as part of this blog? Transitioning can be difficult and cause anxiety because the path is unknown. As I learn and move forward, I am constantly thinking about the next step to get to my goal. That can be scary, tiresome, traumatic, and weary, especially since I am going from being a teacher to technical roles in cybersecurity. Both of these roles are polar opposites in some respect in the notion of job functions, however, the soft skills such as collaboration, team work, writing, and research are absolutely transferrable.

August 2023

I completed the Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate this month. This was amazing! I feel like I can conquer the world. My most challenging course was the one with Python. It was new for me because I have never coded consistently. However, the way it was used in cyber to automate in this course made so much sense. I know it is a needed skill. So I will be setting goals for the New Year (yes, New Year). I hammer out 100 days of coding so that I become a consistent coder. I have a couple of other languages in mind like R and SQL to learn as well. Furthermore, I am now wondering whether I should attempt a 365/366 days of code for next year. This is food for thought for me.

September 2023

This has been a month of goal setting and reflecting about how to finish strong this semester, as well as what projects do I need to add to my portfolio. I am looking at adding some security awareness projects to my instructional design portfolio. I am thinking of adding a design document, e-learning course, and another infographic to my portfolio. In addition, I want to leverage my PowerPoint skills with by creating an animation. We shall see! That is it for this month. I will follow up with goals around November/December.

October 2023

I completed the Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate. I must admit that this was hard, especially when it came time to analyze data. The SQL got much more complicated for me. This tells me that I need to practice. So, I am on the lookout for a free resource I can use to practice this language. My favorite module was the one focused on R Programming. I think Google made a smart choice to use R instead of Python. I previously took a Python class, and it was challenging, but I know it gets better with practice. Furthermore, I saw some of the connections between the two languages. Having a good grasp of R can definitely transfer over into Python. A year or two ago, I could not or even would not imagine my learning journey looking like this. I have literally amazed myself with the things I have learned and can apply. As I venture more and more into cybersecurity, I am niching myself into data analytics and business intelligence arena. All of this just makes sense to me because I know I can add value to businesses, customers, and my (future) team with this knowledge. Guess what?! Now, I am enrolled in the Google Business Intelligence Professional Certificate. I think I am going to love this because I can see the connections between cybersecurity, data analytics, and business intelligence. I think this is a great way to discover my niche and add value to the field of cybersecurity.