AQ'S Corner

Photo Credit: AQ’s Corner LLC

October marks the start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, an initiative first launched in 2004 by the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). What began as a national push to help Americans stay safer online has grown into a global movement, and it’s the perfect moment for families to join in.

This year, my own Cyber Awareness journey feels different. I’ve been building momentum not just as a professional, but as a mom, weaving cybersecurity into my home life and even my GitHub portfolio. My GitHub is no longer just a quiet corner; it’s filling with projects that connect code to community.

One of my favorites? Kid Cyber Log Detective.
My daughter sat down at the computer and went through the exercises, analyzing the logs like a pro. It was Python-powered practice, but what mattered more was the curiosity it sparked. That moment reminded me of the same energy I saw earlier this year when we worked with a local Girl Scout troop. The girls earned their badges by reviewing activity logs and, yes, investigating their parents. The joy was contagious.

Those moments taught me something: cybersecurity doesn’t have to be scary or complicated. With the right tools, it becomes a game, a story of heroes, villains, and smart choices. That’s the spirit behind my projects on GitHub. From family password checkers to mini risk registers, these tools are written in Python but designed with people in mind. They’re more than code. They’re building blocks, tools my daughter and I test, tweak, and learn from together, proving that cybersecurity can be both a family lesson and a professional skill.

For parents: Cybersecurity Awareness Month is your invitation to join in. Explore, play detective with your kids, and talk about online safety like you’d talk about crossing the street.

For me: it’s a reminder that every log analyzed, every tool built, every conversation sparked is momentum. Momentum as a mom raising a cyber-smart kid. Momentum as a professional growing a body of work. Momentum as a community-builder, bridging the gap between technical skills and family readiness.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month started as a campaign to help people stay safe online. For me, it’s now also about this: building a future where safety, learning, and empowerment start at home.