Even with being selective, AJ Dybantsa is winning big in the name, image, and likeness (NIL) arena. The Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars basketball player is not only the highest-ranking high school player on the court, he is also the top earner in college basketball — and he hasn’t even officially jumpstarted his college freshman year, notes Athlon Sports. A new graduate of Utah Prep Academy, he will begin representing BYU officially for the 2025-26 college basketball season. Dybantsa has deals that include Red Bull, which is historic. According to Out2Win, it is the first time Red Bull has signed a male basketball athlete to an NIL deal. View this post on Instagram A post shared by AJ Dybantsa (@aj.dybantsa) “I think it was a great partnership because it’ll be beneficial for the both of us with the platform that they have,” Dybantsa said on “The Youngins Sports Podcast.” “I think we fit right in with each other, so it’s going to be good. It’s going to be special.” He later...

Goodr will be bringing its free grocery store to the windy city. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Goodr — the brainchild of Jasmine Crowe-Houston — is a sustainable food waste management company based in Atlanta, GA. Since its inception in 2017, the company has launched various initiatives, including a free grocery and clothing store at Atlanta’s McNair Middle School in partnership with rapper Gunna (2021). More recently, it introduced the Goodr Community Market at iVillage @ MLK (2024), which features a free grocery store and health clinic, with a goal of serving 600 families by 2026. “I have a lot of crazy good ideas to help people and I am so blessed when partners and my team join me to bring them to life,” Crowe-Houston said at the time. “I’m so excited on the impact that this will bring to Atlanta’s District 10 and for the work we continue to do at Goodr to innovate and find more ways to make sure that no one goes hungry!” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jasmine...

In East Oakland, CA, a powerful coalition of Black-led organizations has secured $100 million to fund Rise East, a decade-long effort to transform 40 blocks into a model for what real community-led development can look like, Shoppe Black reports. According to the outlet, after decades of disinvestment and promises not met, the project marks one of the most significant grassroots investments in Oakland’s history, aimed at reversing long-standing patterns of displacement and economic exclusion. A Vision Rooted In Community At the center of Rise East is the 40×40 Council, a group of Black-led nonprofits working together to create long-term stability by focusing on three key areas: education, public safety, and housing. The 40-block area, according to Shoppe Black, spans from Interstate 580 to the San Francisco Bay and from Seminary Avenue to the San Leandro border. It’s home to Oakland’s largest concentration of Black residents, a community that has long endured the ongoing effects of...

Cities across the U.S. have a clear opportunity to boost their economies by increasing the number of Black-owned businesses that serve as employers. Recognizing this potential, The Brookings Institution’s Metro Center for Community Uplift initiative is on a mission to help communities, policymakers, and grassroots organizers understand the crucial role of Black entrepreneurship. In June 2025, Brookings launched the Black Business Parity Dashboard. The dashboard shows the number of businesses and jobs, as well as the potential revenue and payroll generated if Black business ownership were to match the Black population in metro areas, according to a Brookings news release. Brookings’ research indicates that Black Americans outperform the national average in entrepreneurial traits tied to business success. However, systemic financial barriers — such as limited access to credit and the long-standing denial of wealth-building opportunities — have hindered growth. Centuries of denying...

Disney and NBCUniversal have joined forces to take legal action against Midjourney, accusing the generative artificial intelligence (AI) company of copyright infringement for allegedly producing “hundreds, if not thousands” of unauthorized AI-generated images on its website. The companies’ lawsuit , filed on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Los Angeles, CA, includes examples of alleged infringements featuring characters from Marvel, “Star Wars,” Disney’s “Frozen,” “The Simpsons,” Pixar’s “Toy Story” and “Cars,” DreamWorks’ “How to Train Your Dragon,” and Universal’s “Shrek” and “Despicable Me” franchises, according to Variety. “By helping itself to Plaintiffs’ copyrighted works, and then distributing images (and soon videos) that blatantly incorporate and copy Disney’s and Universal’s famous characters — without investing a penny in their creation — Midjourney is the quintessential copyright free-rider and a bottomless pit of plagiarism,” the lawsuit states. The complaint further states...

80-year-old entrepreneur Beatrice Wilson did not take no for an answer. Wilson had worked at local car dealerships before deciding to attend nail school to learn how to do nails, according to 11 Alive. However, when she tried to get a job at a nail salon, she faced rejection. That is when she took matters into her own hands and opened Bee Nails, a nail salon in Atlanta, GA. “I feel you’re never too old; it’s never too late to follow what you love doing,” Wilson told 11 Alive. Wilson opened seven storefronts across metro Atlanta before retiring in 2021. However, as a result of boredom, she jumped right back into the business and opened up an eighth location. “Personally, I love being away from home and talking and interacting with people,” Wilson told the outlet. Now, she is the proud owner of her newest and largest store. Last week, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and City Council member Andrea Boone attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new storefront. “It’s very heartwarming...

Nigerian clean energy startup Salpha Energy has secured $1.3 million in funding from All On, an impact investment firm supported by Shell, People of Color in Tech (POCIT) reports. The funding will help Salpha Energy advance its mission of delivering dependable and affordable solar power to underserved communities across Africa. Notably, Salpha Energy is the only female-founded company in sub-Saharan Africa operating a solar home system assembly facility. Investment To Fuel Solar Growth And Innovation The $1.3 million investment will scale Salpha Energy’s operations, expand its product offerings, and strengthen its local assembly infrastructure. The company’s solar power solutions in Africa, ranging from 150Wp to 100kWp systems with battery storage and smart inverters, have already reached more than 2 million people, helping to make clean energy more accessible and affordable, according to POCIT. “This capital raise is a huge step forward in our vision to power homes and businesses...

HarbourView Equity Partners just landed a major financial boost to supercharge its growing empire. The Black-founded investment firm, led by Sherrese Clarke Soares, has secured $500 million in debt financing from KKR, according to a press release. The funds will be used to expand the firm’s portfolio of music, media, and sports-related intellectual property. The financing was structured by Barclays, with Barclays and KKR Capital Markets serving as placement agents and Fifth Third Bank as passive placement agent. “We are thrilled to have KKR’s continued support as we further scale the firm,” Soares said in the press release. “This additional capital will help us accelerate our strategy to align with where the media, sports, and entertainment markets are headed. We see a tremendous opportunity to continue investing in evergreen intellectual property, which we believe is historically uncorrelated to broader market volatility and forms a powerful diversification tool.” The new capital...

A federal judge approved a multi-billion-dollar legal settlement on Friday, June 6, permitting college athletes to receive compensation from their schools, ESPN reports. College athletes who completed their college education from 2016 to present day will receive damages from the NCAA as part of the $2.8 billion settlement, Judge Claudia Wilken ruled. Per the ruling, schools will now be able to start paying their athletes as early as July, according to the Associated Press. The exact terms will involve schools sharing up to $20.5 million (a 22.5% cap) per year with current players. The ruling follows a 2020 lawsuit by Arizona State swimmer Grant House against the NCAA and its five major conferences: the Pac-12 Conference, the Big Ten Conference, the Big 12 Conference, the Southeastern Conference, and the Atlantic Coast Conference. In total, there had been three separate antitrust lawsuits related to the restrictions in pay. “It’s historic,” former college basketball star Sedona...

It will now be easier for employees to file reverse discrimination lawsuits. This stems from an initial lawsuit filed by Marlean Ames in 2020. As AFROTECH™ previously told you, she had been working at an Ohio government agency managing juvenile corrections until her position was given to a gay man the year before she filed her claim. Ames, a heterosexual white woman, also mentioned a promotion was given to another individual who was lesbian, a person she claims was less qualified. At the time, those from majority backgrounds — such as white, heterosexual, or male individuals — were required to present more evidence than minority individuals s howing proof of discrimination in the workplace. “Title VII aims to eradicate all discrimination in the workplace. But the background circumstances rule doesn’t do that, doesn’t eradicate discrimination,” Ames’ lawyer Xiao Wang told Reuters. “It instructs courts to practice it by sorting individuals into majority and minority groups based on...

Meta Platforms Inc. CEO Mark Zuckerberg is taking a highly personal approach to what could become the company’s boldest artificial intelligence (AI) play yet. Frustrated with Meta’s current progress in AI, Zuckerberg is forming a new elite unit internally dubbed a “superintelligence” team, Bloomberg reports . His goal is to achieve artificial general intelligence (AGI) AI systems that can perform human-level tasks across domains. In recent weeks, Zuckerberg has hosted top AI researchers and engineers at his California homes in Lake Tahoe and Palo Alto, according to the outlet, pitching them directly on his vision. Around 50 new hires will form a group that will closely operate under Zuckerberg’s supervision at Meta’s headquarters in Menlo Park, CA. Insiders told Bloomberg that the Meta chief is personally selecting talent and serving as the primary point of contact during outreach. A $10 Billion Investment And A Strategic Ally In Scale AI Meta is reportedly building its...

Tyler Perry says he has done more to support Black talent and generate wealth for his community than Hollywood has. The billionaire made the comments during a speech on Monday, June 9, at the 2025 BET Awards, which celebrated 25 years of Black excellence in entertainment. Legends Jamie Foxx, Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg, and Kirk Franklin were also honored with the Ultimate Icon Award. The event featured performances from artists such as GloRilla, Leon Thomas III, and Lil Wayne as well. Perry, who has the largest Black-owned studio in America, delivered a powerful message about the resilience of the Black footprint and encouraged attendees to continue striving for excellence. “I have made more Black millionaires — hear me when I say this — than any studio in this city combined because I’m making footprints,” Perry said. “So I don’t care if you’re struggling, if you’re trying to make it, you’re trying to build a business. If you have a dream, keep making footprints.” View this post on...

Tennis champ Coco Gauff continues to win and inspire. For the past two years, Gauff has been the highest-paid female athlete in the world, AFROTECH™ previously reported. The 21-year-old earned $30.4 million in 2024, which includes her prize earnings and endorsement deals such as Naked Juice, Bose, Wheaties Cereal, Carol’s Daughter, and Rolex. View this post on Instagram A post shared by ROLEX (@rolex) The Atlanta, GA, native won the 2025 French Open on Saturday, June 7, in Paris, defeating Aryna Sabalenka 6-7, 6-2, 6-4 to secure her second Grand Slam singles title after winning the 2023 U.S. Open. The win marks Gauff’s 10th career title and first Women’s Tennis Association title of the year. Earning $2.9 million from this win brings her total prize earnings to $27.3 million, according to Sportico. She took to Instagram to reflect on what the win meant to her, shedding light on the doubts she had previously held and overcome. “Waking up and starting to realize it was indeed not a...

NBA superstar Stephen Curry is experiencing considerable success with his business venture, Thirty Ink, which generated $173.5 million in revenue in 2024, according to CNBC. Thirty Ink is a brand conglomerate that encompasses Unanimous Media, Gentleman’s Cut bourbon, and Underrated Golf and Basketball, the outlet reported. A majority of the company’s revenue stems from Curry’s Under Armour partnership. As previously reported by AFROTECH™ , he has been signed to Under Armour since 2013, with the retailer establishing The Curry Brand in 2020. The Golden State Warriors point guard, who is also an 11-time NBA All-Star, serves as the president of The Curry Brand and was awarded 8.8 million Under Armour common shares in 2023, valued at $75 million at the time, which also included awards and incentives, CNBC reported. Now as Curry’s Thirty Ink portfolio continues to grow every business is making a profit. “It’s completely unique,” Suresh Singh, Thirty Ink’s secretary-chairman, told the...

Meta Platforms Inc. is reportedly in negotiations to invest over $10 billion in Scale AI, a rapidly emerging player in the artificial intelligence (AI) ecosystem, known for its data labeling services and model training, according to Bloomberg. If completed, the multi-billion-dollar deal would rank among the largest funding rounds ever for a private company and would be Meta’s largest external AI investment to date, the outlet reports. The move reflects Meta’s growing ambition to control the AI market, where tech giants are competing for the best language models to develop and implement across platforms and products. What Does Scale AI Do? Under the direction of CEO Alexandr Wang, Scale AI provides high-quality labeled data essential for training advanced AI models for major players, including Microsoft and OpenAI. In 2024, the company brought in roughly $870 million in revenue and is on track to more than double that to $2 billion in 2025, Bloomberg previously reported. Much of...