Today we’d like to introduce you to Tennisha Martin

Hi Tennisha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

My BGH story starts from a place of Empathy and Community. When I started trying to transition into cybersecurity over 5 years ago I said if i’m having trouble navigating the job market imagine what the people without a bunch of degrees and certifications and 20 years of experience are having. I could have just self corrected and persevered like I always do but instead, I took a moment to reflect on what must be the experience of the people coming behind me. I started BGH as I was learning to hack myself and started live streaming my learning process and bringing people along with me. When I started these streams we’d have maybe 5-10 people come along for the ride and there was always turbulence. I didn’t always have the answers but I consistently showed up and we learned together. Today most of those folks who started with me at the beginning are well into their cyber careers. Some are now team leads and managers of their own team and we’ve grown to over 100 volunteers and over 2500 members who join with us to learn the hands on skills they need for their new careers. Empathy made me consider the experience of others, and community helped us to build a safe space where others can come and learn. We’ve trained thousands of people for careers in technology and cybersecurity and will continue to help increase diversity in the industry.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

One of the biggest struggles trying to help people to improve their lives as a nonprofit is funding. There’s been an attack on DEI over the past year or so which has impacted us in terms of sponsorships and funding. It’s hard as a Black-led nonprofit to get people to donate. As we’ve “grown” over the years it has become easier in some spaces where people are familiar with our work but Black nonprofits are chronically underfunded.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

Outside of my work running BlackGirlsHack I am a hacker who loves to teach. I specialize in penetration testing and curriculum development and have trained so many hackers that I joked one day that i’d “birthed so many hackers that they need to be calling me mom” and the “Mother of Hackers” moniker was born. I am known for breaking things down in a way that people can easily understand and having patience. I think what separates me apart from others is my willingness to exceed and achieve higher heights and bring others with me. I believe in sharing information and collaboration above all. Most people are out for themselves, but i’m about community. We started a cybersecurity conference, the only Black led conference in Las Vegas to help promote the research and careers of underrepresented communities. SquadCon was born in 2023 and for two years has served as a beacon of diversity and representation in the cybersecurity and technology fields.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?

I have a very active presence on LinkedIn. Feel free to connect with me, email me, and if you’d like to work together reach out. We’re always looking for volunteers and ways to give back to the community. My website is tennisha.com and i’m on social media in most places as @misstennisha or @mrstennisha

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.tennisha.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/mrstennisha
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/blackgirlshack
• Twitter: twitter.com/blackgirlshack or /misstennisha
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@blackgirlshack
• Other: www.blackgirlshack.org www.squadcon.me