Diversity within science and medicine is vital, and the work of these aspiring Black medical professionals is proof of it.

India Arie has always been about doing what feels right. Arie has shook the music industry since the very beginning, defying beauty standards with her hit song, “Video,” and always making it known that she will not conform to fit into what the world wants her to be. And, in 2022, nothing is changing. Rolling Stone reports that Arie is among the latest musicians set to remove music from Spotify in support of Neil Young, who first demanded action against the streaming platform’s failure to address the COVID-19 misinformation shared by Joe Rogan via his podcast. While misinformation about viruses and vaccines sparked the protest by musicians on the platform, Arie says it’s much more than that. “Neil Young opened a door that I must walk through,” Arie wrote via Instagram. “I believe in freedom of speech. However, I find Joe Rogan problematic for reasons other than his Covid interviews. For me, it’s also his language around race.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by India Arie...

Rihanna’s foundation is continuing its mission to advocate for policy and systems change. According to a press release, The Clara Lionel Foundation has partnered with Jack Dorsey’s philanthropic initiative, #StartSmall, to pledge $15 million toward the climate justice movement within the United States and the Caribbean.

Uber and Visa have linked up to support small businesses as the new year continues to unfold. The company has announced its Grants For Growth program which will provide small businesses in 10 U.S. cities with $1 million in funding, according to a press release. The program will be led by Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) with a focus on restaurant recovery and entrepreneurship. “We know that this year has been trying for many and that independently-owned businesses continue to face significant business challenges,” said Sarfraz Maredia, VP of the US and Canada Delivery at Uber in an official press release. “Uber and Visa are committed to supporting SMBs, especially through unexpected events, when they may need us most.”

The world may have joked about the COVID-19 Omicron variant by changing its name to “Omarion,” but that’s not the reaction that the scientist who discovered it, Sikhulile Moyo, is solely concerned about. The first case of the variant was reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) from South Africa, and since its discovery, Moyo has become disappointed in the world’s response. Moyo is a research associate with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the lab director of the Botswana-Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership team that was responsible for identifying the Omicron variant this past November. The New York Times reports, four international travelers contracted COVID-19 on Nov. 11, four days after entering Botswana. After further analysis, the scientists discovered the genetic sequence of the case was unique and foreign to the research and public community.

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation and REFORM Alliance have partnered to bring thousands of job opportunities to Madison Square Garden on Nov. 18. The news comes in light of a needed revitalization of New York’s economy following the alarming impact of COVID-19, which according to reports, may take years to recover from. The “Team Roc New York Job Fair” hopes to provide New Yorkers with relief by providing opportunities of all levels. “The Team Roc New York Job Fair is a real opportunity for socio-economic mobility for New Yorkers – those who want to work, yet have not had the exposure or connections to the right-fit jobs, or to the support services that can strengthen their prospects for employment,” Dania Diaz, Team Roc managing director, said in a press release. “It is also a chance for us to work together – public, private, nonprofit sectors – to address the state’s labor shortages in a meaningful way.” The Team Roc New York Job Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET and open to the general...

Live Nation wants the artists to have a choice. In a statement released by the company’s CEO — and obtained by Revolt TV — it was revealed that the concert promoter is leaving the onus on the artists, themselves, to issue a vaccine mandate at their concerts. “It has been great to see events make such a strong return across the U.S., with demand for concerts and festivals continuing to outpace expectations,” wrote CEO Michael Rapino, in the announcement. “We are working to ensure we are reopening in the best way possible for staff, artists, crew, fans, and communities at large. Our teams have worked together to put new processes in place so artists doing shows with Live Nation in the U.S. can require all attendees and staff to be fully vaccinated or show a negative test result for entry where permitted by law. We know people are eager to return to live events, and we hope these measures encourage even more people to get vaccinated. That is the number one thing anyone can do to take...

Neobank First Boulevard is not only for the culture, but it’s by the culture. Not to be confused with a traditional bank, First Boulevard is a fully inclusive financial services company that not only believes that banking should be inclusive, but has a plan in place to help Black America build generational wealth, control spending, and receive paychecks up to two days early. “Through representation, our goal is to show others that the solutions we need can be effectively developed within our own communities,” said First Boulevard Founder and CEO, Donald Hawkins in an exclusive interview with AfroTech. “Our company looks like the market we serve and as a result, we have an unfair advantage when it comes to building products that Black America needs. Our diversity is our intellectual property and our members are the driving force behind what we do.” As an institution dedicated to the betterment of the community, it was only right that the neobank’s beta launch took place during...