Livelihood Security in an Era of Cyber Insecurity and AI
Day 1: Friday, April 25, 2025
11 am – 12:50 pm. Delegates Check-in and Registration
1 pm – 2:30 pm. Opening Keynote Panel (1)
The Urgency of Centering Cyber Security and Protecting Vulnerable Minority Owned/Led Small/Medium Size Institutions: A New Critical Agenda for Social Justice.
Presentations, Open Discussions, and Q&A
3:00 pm – 5:00 pm. Opening Keynote Panel (2)
Privacy Security and Data Breaches: Impacts, Implications, and Tools for Protecting Vulnerable Minority Own/Led Institutions.
Presentations, Open Discussion, and Q&A
Free evening: Networking and Exploring the Boston Area
Day 2: Saturday, April 26, 2025
High-Level Plenary Session 1
9:00 am – 10:30 am. Plenary Session 1
Paradigm Shifts, Challenges, and Opportunities Associated with Cyber Security Systems and the Vulnerability of Minority Institutions
This panel aims to identify the urgent challenges and opportunities associated with current cyber security systems and the paradigm shifts associated with threats targeting minority-owned institutions and organizations that serve vulnerable groups in our society. The session will discuss new initiatives and tools available to counter such threats and the importance of policy frameworks and concerted efforts to counter these challenges.
10:30 am – 11:00 am
Coffee Break: Networking and Organizational Interviews with Students
11:00 am – 12:30 pm. Parallel Panel Session 1.
Cyber Threat Landscape and Resilience to Cyber Attacks for Livelihood Security
The session aims to discuss the state of national policies and laws that govern the field of Livelihoods and Cyber Security within the US and globally. The session will discuss the current cyber threat landscape and common tactics used by cybercriminals targeting minority-owned/led businesses, charities, and religious organizations. It will identify key vulnerabilities and risk factors and provide practical hands-on and systematic steps to address them. The session also exposes delegates to how to counter cyber threats with free cybersecurity resources and programs available for enhanced security and strategic management.
12:30 pm – 1:30 pm
Lunch Break: Networking + Organizational Interviews with Students
1:30 pm – 3:00 pm. Plenary Panel 2.
Cyber Security Policy Governance and Protecting the Vulnerable
The session aims to provide an examination of the role and impact of cyber security policy-making across various private, state, national, and global levels. It will explore the state of cyber security policies, and their utilization, and identify the barriers to effective implementation. The session will also debate the assessment of skills and capacity at the national/global level, particularly for monitoring cyber attacks and interruptions against vulnerable institutions. It will highlight best practices through case studies.
3:00 pm – 3:30 pm.
Coffee Break: Networking + Organizational Interviews with Students
High-Level Plenary Session - 2
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm. Plenary Panel Session 3
Partnerships and Capital Mobilization for Cyber Security Resilience
The session will explore the role of local, state, national, and international organizations in bolstering cyber security through the use of new funding initiatives and technologies to enhance the capacities and practices of Minority-Owned/Led Institutions against cyber attacks. It will focus on opportunities, knowledge exchange, collaborative efforts, and technical assistance provided by these entities to enhance resilience, and livelihood security, to achieve a sustainable impact.
Day 3: Sunday, April 27, 2025
8:00 am – 8:55 am
Breakfast
9:00 am – 10:30 am. Plenary Panel Session - 4
Identity and Gender-based Cyber Targeting and Vulnerability: Two Sides of the Same Coin
This session examines Identity and Gender-based Cyber Targeting and Vulnerability of Minority-owned/led and Small/Medium Size Organizations. Minority-owned/led institutions are often considered easy targets for various reasons, some of which will be examined at this session. It is also known that hackers and cyber attackers often target their prey and even spend time in a dormant phase before they attack. Most of these attacks are proven not random but often calculated and trenchant. The session will shed light on these tactics and offer guidance on identifying and dealing with them.
10:30 am – 12:00 pm. Parallel Panel Session 2:
Cybersecurity Tools and AI: Boosting Organizational Level Cyber Security Needs within Minority-Owned/led Institutions
The session will discuss cutting-edge emerging research within the cybersecurity space that is currently being undertaken, tools being piloted, and the transformation they promise to offer to stakeholders such as Small-Medium Size Minority-Owned/led Institutions. It will explore how this will transform the adoption of new technologies and business models to the benefit of institutions. The session will delve into the complexities and potentials of AI-powered tools for business expansion and innovation. Presenters will address crucial questions surrounding the ethical implications, responsible usage, and the role of multi-stakeholder partnerships in integrating AI into business models and frameworks for livelihood enhancement and security. The session will address and provide resources and tools available to improve organizations' cybersecurity posture including one-on-one consultation and interaction with cybersecurity experts.
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm.
Lunch: Closing Session and Appreciation