ShaCamree Gowdy

Three Black women aim to close the racial wealth gap by building the access they want to see, launching culturally grounded, community-owned business schools by and for Detroiters. According to The Michigan Chronicle, Racheal Allen, Ebony Cochran, and Jessie Hayes are determined to build lasting infrastructure for the city’s overlooked entrepreneurs — proving that real business education isn’t just about profits; it’s about economic justice, shared knowledge, and long-term change. Ebony Cochran In June, Cochran — Michigan’s first Black woman to own a Little Caesars franchise, as AFROTECH™ r eported in 2022 — founded the Detroit Wealth Club, a 7,300-square-foot community business school on the city’s east side focused on entrepreneurship, credit literacy, financial planning, and real estate, The Michigan Chronicle reports. Offering educational programming, mentorship, peer accountability, and expert networks, Cochran calls it a movement — one she’s backed with $155,000 of her own...

Tech investor Marc Andreessen, co-founder of venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, warned that universities will “pay the price” for promoting diversity and allegedly discriminating against supporters of President Donald Trump , according to screenshots of chat messages reviewed by The Washington Post. During a May 3, 2025, WhatsApp chat with White House officials and tech leaders, Andreessen reportedly criticized DEI and immigration policies after being invited by moderator Sriram Krishnan, a White House senior policy adviser on AI, to counter a comment about their impact on economic growth . The outlet also noted that Krishnan had created the group chat at the time he was working at Andreessen’s firm. The group chat, formed in 2023 before Trump’s current term, connects investors and experts with diverse political views interested in open AI development. In addition to Andreessen and Krishnan, members include White House AI adviser Dean Ball, Meta’s chief AI scientist Yann...

Between March 11 and June 27, 2025, the Education Department ‘s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) dismissed 3,424 complaints — an unusually high number that has alarmed former officials and advocates amid the Trump administration’s plans for significantly cutting staff. According to POLITICO, court documents state that OCR received 4,833 complaints during that time, dismissing 96 due to insufficient evidence and resolving 290 through settlements, voluntary agreements, or technical assistance. OCR enforces federal civil rights laws in schools and other Education Department-funded institutions nationwide, its website states . Civil rights advocates argue that the Trump administration’s interpretation of civil rights law — such as discrimination based on gender identity, LGBTQ+ category, and race — draws concern due to the mass dismissals and increases the chances of neglecting critical cases. “The nation’s students and schools deserve a robust federal civil rights enforcement office that...

Akon’s $6 billion plan for a real-life Wakanda on Senegal’s Atlantic Coast “no longer exists,” said Serigne Mamadou Mboup, head of Sapco-Senegal, the state agency overseeing coastal and tourism development. The country has reclaimed most of the land allocated for “Akon City” after the Senegalese-American singer missed payments, according to Bloomberg. As Senegal faces a debt crisis following a state audit under former President Macky Sall, the government will move forward with a scaled-down, privately funded $1.2 billion tourism development featuring hotels, apartments, a marina, and a promenade, the outlet reported. “May this resort serve as a model for success in Senegal, a hub for tourism and a source of economic opportunity,” Mayor Alpha Samb said at a ceremony, according to Bloomberg. In 2020, Senegal granted Akon 136 acres of land for a 10-year project to transform the farming village of Mbodiène into a solar-powered city that would run on the singer’s cryptocurrency and...

The unemployment rate for Black women stands at nearly 6%, marking the third consecutive month of high rates among the group — an alarming trend economists see as a warning sign for the broader economy. The 19th, citing Bureau of Labor Statistics data, reported that the unemployment rate for Black women increased from 5.1% in March to 6.1% in April, peaking at 6.2% in May before decreasing slightly to 5.8% in June. In contrast, rates for white and Asian women stayed near 3%, and around 5% for Latinas. Most male subgroups experienced no change, except for Black men, whose rate increased from 5.2% in May to 6.9% in June. Black women lost 38,000 jobs in April, more than any other demographic. Their unemployment increased by 106,000, AFROTECH™ previously reported. This can be troubling, as Black women have the highest labor force participation of any female group, often working in essential sectors such as health care , education, and the federal government. Jasmine Tucker, VP of...

Dr. Valerie Camille Jones Ford, an educator with over 25 years of dedicated service, was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame on June 20, becoming only the sixth Black woman to receive the honor. The induction joins a long list of accolades, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, recognition in the U.S. Congressional Record by the late Rep. John Lewis, and multiple honors from President Barack Obama for her work advancing equity and excellence in education. As a Black female leader in STEM education , Jones Ford is committed to using her platform to inspire underrepresented students to pursue similar paths. “I’m incredibly proud to be among such amazing educators, but it lets me know there’s still work to be done as far as bringing recognition, because I know there are so many teachers of color who deserve this platform,” Jones Ford told AFROTECH™. She said that she wanted to use her platform to share her experience and to bring...

Del Monte Foods has announced that it has filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy as part of a strategic effort to restructure its balance sheet and pursue a potential sale, according to a news release. “This is a strategic step forward for Del Monte Foods,” President and CEO Greg Longstreet said. “After a thorough evaluation of all available options, we determined a court-supervised sale process is the most effective way to accelerate our turnaround and create a stronger and enduring Del Monte Foods. With an improved capital structure, enhanced financial position, and new ownership, we will be better positioned for long-term success.” The 139-year-old food company, based in Walnut Creek, CA, is one of the largest producers and distributors of branded packaged goods in the U.S., with brands including Del Monte, Contadina, Kitchen Basics, College Inn, JOYBA, and S&W. Del Monte has secured $912.5 million in financing from existing lenders, including $165 million in new funding, to...

A new version of TikTok is expected to launch in the United States on Sept. 5, 2025, according to The Verge. TikTok’s staff is reportedly working on the separate app, internally dubbed “M2,” which succeeds the current version known as “M.” The original TikTok app will be removed from app stores once M2 launches, and it is expected to stop functioning entirely by March 2026. Reports of the new TikTok app comes days after President Donald Trump said the U.S. “pretty much has a deal” for an American company to acquire TikTok, The New York Times reported. “We’re going to start Monday or Tuesday talking to China,” Trump told reporters traveling on Air Force One on Friday, July 4. “We think we probably have to get it approved by China. Not definitely, but probably.” He added, “I think the deal is good for China, and it’s good for us. It’s money, it’s a lot of money.” Though no company has been named, Trump mentioned, per The Verve, that it would be a group of “Non-Chinese” investors with...

Microsoft is laying off approximately 9,000 employees, impacting less than 4% of its global workforce. On Wednesday, July 2, 2025, the second day of its 2026 fiscal year, the tech giant confirmed the move to CNBC via email, stating it will “continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace.” Microsoft — which employed 228,000 people worldwide as of June 2024 — has conducted multiple rounds of layoffs in recent years, including letting 10,000 employees go in 2023. In January 2025, the company reduced its headcount by less than 1% based on performance. AFROTECH™ also reported that in May it laid off around 6,000 employees — roughly 3% of its global workforce. And the company cut at least 300 more in June. A source familiar with the matter told CNBC that, like with the May layoffs, Microsoft is aiming to streamline its organizational structure by reducing the layers of management between individual...

A legendary Hip-Hop artist, a force in the community, an entrepreneur , and a professor — it’s no secret that Bun B’s résumé runs deep. At AFROTECH™ 2024 , the Port Arthur, TX, native — born Bernard Freeman — joined Jeff Nelson , co-founder and chief operating officer of Blavity Inc. , for an insightful fireside chat that explored innovation, entrepreneurship, branding, and building wealth and success beyond the music industry . Highlighting his influence as an artist and how it carried over into his success in other business ventures, like his fast-food restaurant Trill Burgers, Bun B shared how he has leveraged his platform to create multiple streams of income and leave a lasting cultural imprint. Purchase your ticket to AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 now!   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by AFROTECH (@afro.tech) During their conversation, Bun B traced a pivotal turning point in his life back to 10th grade, when a simple journaling assignment revealed his love for writing....

In a significant update to credit scoring coming this fall, FICO will now include Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) data in its credit scores. On Monday, June 23, 2025, FICO announced the launch of FICO Score 10 BNPL and FICO Score 10 T BNPL — the first scores from a leading provider to incorporate BNPL data. BNPL is an interest-free loan that lets consumers split their purchases into smaller payments, AFROTECH™ previously reported. While short-term financing can benefit those with credit cards or who are managing debt, it can also cause harm if late payments occur; lenders can charge high fees, posing a risk for individuals with multiple loans. “Buy Now, Pay Later loans are playing an increasingly important role in consumers’ financial lives,” said Julie May, FICO’s vice president and general manager of B2B Scores. “By expanding our FICO Score 10 Suite with new models designed to incorporate BNPL data, we’re enabling lenders to more accurately evaluate credit readiness, especially for...

What happens when TikTok energy collides with food delivery? You get BiteSight — a new, Black-owned app rising fast in the Apple App Store rankings. It all started with a viral trend: a sister playfully “bullying” TikTok into supporting her brother’s startup. The internet listened — and now, BiteSight is taking off. As of June 24, 2025, the app holds a rating of 4.9 stars out of 5 from over 1,200 reviews. @realeater.flou It’s called BiteSight and it’s really fun I promise 🙂 #foodelivery #nyc #founder ♬ original sound – Lucious ~ Building BiteSight🍔 “I built this because I wanted to see all of my friends’ favorite food delivery spots,” founder Lucious shared. “Now, I can, like, go to their profile, see the places they like and what they rated them… and everything you see, you can get it delivered in like 15 minutes. It’s really cool.” On BiteSight, users scroll through short videos and photos from some of the best real spots in New York City, according to its description on the App...

Rep. Kathy Castor spotlighted Black-owned businesses in St. Petersburg, VA, on Juneteenth amid ongoing bureaucratic hurdles, such as limited access to capital, systemic bias , barriers to business networks, and discriminatory lending practices. Castor led a bus tour on Thursday, organized with the Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority (PSTA), visiting local businesses, including Community Tech House, Successful Futures Tutoring Services, and Central Station Barbershop and Grooming, according to The St. Pete Catalyst. “We want to spend our Juneteenth out there telling their stories and encouraging our neighbors to support them,” Castor said. When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, exacerbating the digital divide in underserved communities , Lynn Harrell Johnson at Community Tech House repurposed her former salon into a tech hub . She now teaches coding, web development, and digital literacy, offering free laptops to those committed to using them. Johnson has a goal to hire more passionate...

Authenticity and research fuel successful brand partnerships — and Aaron Walton recognized this long before it became the norm. At AFROTECH™ 2024 , Walton, CEO and founder of award-winning ad agency Walton Isaacson, joined Shardé Marchewski, Wayfair ‘s Head of Supplier Diversity , for a conversation on how aligning values and culture with the right celebrity can elevate storytelling and impact consumers. The session offered creatives a behind-the-scenes look at major brand collaborations and practical strategies for securing and executing high-impact campaigns. Walton’s brand story began after graduating from Babson College in 1983. With a passion for advertising , he joined the Pepsi-Cola Company as a research analyst, learning how to tell stories with data before being promoted into brand marketing , marking the start of a game-changing career. “The truth is everything that we do now, whether it is an event or some type of communication, starts with looking at what the business...

For CeD Mixon, balancing user-centered design with data-driven product strategy is core to his approach. As a seasoned design leader, he collaborates closely with product managers, VPs, and cross-functional teams to keep the end goal sharply focused on the user. At AFROTECH™  Conference 2024 , Mixon shared actionable insights on when to lead with design thinking and when to lean into product-led growth. The session offered practical frameworks to help engineers, designers, and solution architects align product development with both user experience and business goals. With over a decade of experience scaling companies from small startups to global platforms impacting millions, Mixon reflected on entering the tech industry at a time when he was often the only Black person in predominantly white spaces. Purchase your ticket to AFROTECH™ Conference 2025 now!   View this post on Instagram   A post shared by AFROTECH™ Conference (@afrotech.conference) “In the beginning, I wasn’t that...