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VJ Edgecombe, a 2025 NBA draft pick, isn’t taking his positioning for granted. Edgecombe was drafted on Wednesday to the Philadelphia 76ers during the first round as a third overall pick, according to CBS Sports. The moment was emotional for Edgecombe as he reflected on his upbringing. He was born and raised in Bimini, a small island in the Bahamas, according to WHYY. He told NBA reporter Taylor Rooks that his family struggled, lived without electricity for seven years, and had to rely on a generator. “See what she had to go through to feed us? It’s crazy… My mind [is] everywhere right now,” he told Rooks. Basketball is now his saving grace. Edgecombe moved to the U.S. in the ninth grade and completed his senior year of high school at Long Island Lutheran in Brookville, NY, per USA Today. In college, he played basketball at Baylor University and made a name for himself, averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 2.1 steals per game, Sports Spectrum reported. His talents...
Michael Strahan is reportedly looking to invest in his former team. Strahan was drafted by the NFL’s New York Giants in 1993 as a 40th overall pick, according to Sports Illustrated. He remained with the team throughout his 15-year career, stamping field achievements such as 850 tackles and over 135 sacks. In 2008, he won the Super Bowl, which he says changed his life permanently. “That Super Bowl was the biggest thing – that’s pretty much one of the biggest things to ever to happen to me,” Strahan expressed, per Big Blue View. “Winning that Super Bowl, especially in the fashion we did it, against the team that we did it against with that record that they had, definitely put me in a different light to a lot of people – which has led to an incredible life.” Nearly four months after the major victory, Strahan announced he would retire from the league, forgoing a $4 million contract for the 2008 season, The New York Time reported. Strahan amassed $76 million in earnings throughout his...
Aisha Bowe nearly failed high school but she never allowed her dreams to escape her, leading her into space. Choosing Her Own Path In high school, a guidance counselor suggested that Bowe, a first-generation Bahamian-American, consider a career in cosmetology, since school had not been her strong suit at the time. However, it was through her father — who passed away in 2025 — that she found encouragement to pursue mathematics and reject the limited path the counselor had envisioned for her. On the “Black Tech Green Money” podcast hosted by AFROTECH™ Brand Manager Will Lucas, Bowe acknowledges that the counselor’s restrictive views made her feel “demoralized,” so she chose not to apply to a four-year university and instead enrolled in a community college. Following a reality check, Bowe decided she wanted to become a NASA rocket scientist, a dream first envisioned by her father, who had initially moved to the United States to pursue this goal, notes Travel Noire. “I wanted to do...
Tallahassee, FL, is a growing hub for Black businesses, but there is still room for improvement. A survey released by LendingTree reveals that the city has surpassed the national average for Black-owned businesses, notes WUSF. Out of Tallahassee’s 7,828 businesses, 549 are Black-owned. Nationally, 3.3% of businesses are Black-owned as of 2022, which is a 22.2% year-over-year increase. “We found that 7% of businesses in Tallahassee are Black-owned, and that puts Tallahassee tied for 14th among the 50 biggest metros in the country,” Matt Schulz, the chief credit analyst for Lending Tree , remarked, according to the outlet. While Tallahassee’s statistics appear hopeful, considering the area’s Black population, there is still much work to be done. “When you contrast that to the fact that about 32% of the population of the city is Black, there’s a lot of room for growth,” said Schulz. Xclusive VIP Fashions Founder Kenneth Barber commented: “To that point, it becomes a growing pain.”...
Cincoro, Michael Jordan’s spirit company, is making large strides. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the tequila company was founded in 2019 by Jordan in partnership with NBA team owners Jeanie Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks’ Wes Edens, and Boston Celtics’ Emilia Fazzalari and Wyc Grousbeck. Since then, it has won numerous awards and attracted notable investors, including Serena Williams, Derek Jeter, Michael Strahan , Fenway Sports Group Co-founder Tom Werner, and RedBird Capital Partners Founder and Managing Partner Gerry Cardinale. “Michael introduced me to the brand, and I’ve been an avid fan of Cincoro Extra Añejo since it launched in 2019. I’m honored to support Cincoro in its next era,” said Jeter in a press release. Williams commented: “Being part of Cincoro isn’t just about business —it’s about championing a legacy of greatness. I love Cincoro. Just as I’ve strived for excellence on the court, I recognize the dedication and drive behind Cincoro, and I’m...
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, President Joe Biden announced $600 million in new funding to support the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor’s rail infrastructure. The Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor is a series of railway networks connecting the Central African Copperbelt to the Angolan port of Lobito. Known as the Benguela Railway , the rail line is essential for transporting goods to global markets. According to the White House, the investment will support key sectors in the region, including agriculture, clean energy, transportation and logistics, supply chains, as well as health and digital access. “The United States understands how we invest in Africa is just as important as how much we invest in Africa,” Biden said, as Bloomberg reported . “To help Africa lead the way. We need more capital and more infrastructure to deal with these real solutions. That’s why we’re here today.” The U.S. has invested $2.9 billion in Angola’s energy, infrastructure, and telecommunications sectors. Earlier this...
Chpter, an AI-powered company based in Kenya, has secured significant funding. Chpter Launched in 2022 by Mesongo Sibuti (chief technology officer), Kuria Kevin (chief product officer), Mark Kiarie (chief operating officer) and Tesh Mbaabu (CEO), the conversational commerce company allows businesses to scale their revenue — on platforms such as WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok — by up to five times through features that include automated abandoned cart recovery, post-purchase chat messages, and automated responses through chatbots, per its website. “We are thrilled to pioneer the social commerce revolution, starting in Africa, as more and more consumers turn to social channels such as WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to communicate and purchase from the brands they love.” Mbaabu, co-founder of Chpter, said in a post shared on Medium. “Specifically, WhatsApp’s role in business communication cannot be overstated. With more than two billion active users, it offers an...
Celebrity-backed investment firm Avenue Capital Group seeks to raise more than $1 billion. According to a press release, Marc Lasry and Sonia Gardner’s Avenue Capital Group established a sports investment fund in October 2023 to provide capital to sports leagues and teams in North America and Europe. The fund intends to extend its reach to Africa, Asia, South America, and Australia. The fund also plans to supply financial solutions to sports teams, owners, and leagues and invest in sports media, entertainment rights, real estate, and associated ventures, per the press release. Notable names supporting the venture include Stephen Curry, Lauren Holiday, Harry Kane, Candace Parker, Michael Strahan, and Lindsey Vonn. “We built out the company advisory board of athletes who are part of our company… Lauren Holiday, Candace Parker, Harry Kane over in Europe, and Steph Curry,” said Strahan during an interview with Forbes at the 2024 Forbes Iconoclast Summit. “It’s interesting ’cause it was...
NBA legend Michael Jordan is enlisting a team of athletic superstars as co-owners of his award-winning tequila company. In a press release shared with AFROTECH™, the NBA Hall of Famer has tapped Serena Williams, Derek Jeter, and a host of other athletes and sports enthusiasts as investors in his award-winning portfolio of luxury tequilas, Cincoro Tequila. “Cincoro has always been special to me because of the authentic friendships we’ve established around enjoying Cincoro and spending time together, designing it, experiencing it, and tasting it. We are constantly striving for greatness,” Jordan, co-founder of Cincoro Tequila, said. “And now that we’re welcoming in some of my closest friends to the business, I’m looking forward to this next era of Cincoro alongside this all-star team.” The company’s new ownership group, Team Cincoro, also includes RedBird Capital Partners Founder and Managing Partner Gerry Cardinale; The Lerner Family, owners of the Washington Nationals; former NFL...
“Stay smooth, don’t be ashy” is the slogan behind Abena Boamah-Acheampong’s Hanahana Beauty. The Ghanaian-American founder and chief executive officer launched the skincare and wellness brand in 2017 to provide consumers with clean products to include in their skincare routines. According to Hanahana Beauty’s website, the shea butter in its products is sourced directly from the Katariga women, who are producers based in Tamale, Ghana. Seven years officially into the beauty industry, Boamah-Acheampong’s mission statement to “increase accessibility, transparency, and sustainability” in their products has continued to spark people’s interest in backing her brand. During an interview with Forbes’ “New Money” podcast, she shared how she built Hanahana into a multi-million dollar company with over $2 million in sales. A pivotal part of the Hanahana Beauty journey was when the company received its first check in 2022 from a Black woman investor , per the outlet. From there,...
A’ysha Callahan’s love for cooking led her to become a food scientist at 24 years old. Growing up, Callahan was enveloped by hearty Southern cuisine influenced by her Mississippi and Louisiana heritage. This inspired her to spend more time in the kitchen and prepare the meals she grew up loving, including seafood gumbos, boudin, and salmon croquettes. “Growing up, I was always in the kitchen, messing with stuff, creating random things. I was also really passionate about the functionality of food,” Callahan told AFROTECH™ in an interview. It was later in high school that she saw her interest in cooking as a viable career path. There she received mentorship from a community coordinator at a nonprofit organization that she connected with through a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) program. With guidance, Callahan discovered she could become a food scientist, which was her mentor’s position before her current role. “When she told me she was a food scientist, she...
Cordell Broadus persists in his quest to foster opportunities for artists. On Thursday, March 7, 2024, Broadus was seen in The Bahamas to distribute scholarships through t he Champ Medici Arts Fund, a $1 million philanthropic initiative in collaboration with the Tezos Foundation. The purpose of the financial commitment is to ensure “emerging and legacy musicians and artists” are supported in their creative endeavors on the Tezos blockchain, the foundation’s website mentions. “The power of community is at the center of everything I create,” Broadus told AFROTECH™. “My vision and the inspiration behind the fund have been to provide opportunities and access to new technology and innovative forms of artistic expression for up-and-coming artists, especially for minority groups.” Broadus’ focus on the country follows years of visitations, igniting his desire to support local artists in a meaningful manner. Hence, the University of The Bahamas (UB) emerges as one of the recent recipients...
Sixty-one-year-old Shirlene Ingraham continues to share delicious foods across Miami, FL. At the age of 7, Ingraham’s love for cooking began while she worked for her family’s business, the Miami Herald reports. Her parents, Jessie and Demas Jackson, were the proud owners of Jackson Soul Food. The first location was built in 1946 and was located in Miami’s Overtown neighborhood. When she became a young adult, Ingraham first pursed a career in criminology. However, she was not fulfilled when she moved back home to secure a job post. “My parents had a restaurant in Overtown since 1946. I went off to college in Gainesville at Santa Fe College to study criminology and then came back home,” Ingraham told the Miami Herald. “I started working in the Miami Police Department. One day I decided I didn’t want to work in law enforcement anymore.” Ingraham would then transition into the restaurant sector. As a child working at Jackson Soul Food , she had taken food orders while standing on a...
