Showing 10 results for:
aurora-james
Popular topics
All results
Kevin Hart is aligning himself with an initiative to support Black founders using artificial intelligence (AI). The AI Illumination Grant has been launched by the Fifteen Percent Pledge, a nonprofit advocacy organization founded by Aurora James. The initiative challenges retailers and corporations to allocate 15% of their shelf space to Black-owned brands. As AFROTECH™ previously reported, 29 retailers have committed to this pledge, benefiting 800 Black-owned brands . The Fifteen Percent Pledge is scaling its efforts to support Black entrepreneurs with the aid of Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat Ventures and Andreessen Horowitz’s (A16z) Cultural Leadership Fund. Eligible members of the Fifteen Percent Pledge’s Business Equity Community are invited to apply for a chance to gain insights on leveraging AI and compete for a share of a $35,000 grant pool—$20,000 for the winner and $15,000 for the runner-up. “It is specifically focused on ensuring that the Black founders that are a part of the 15%...
As the rollback and termination of diversity and inclusion initiatives continue, the fourth annual Fifteen Percent Pledge Gala successfully raised $3 million on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, to support black-owned businesses. According to Women’s Wear Daily, the event at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles, CA, attracted many notable figures from culture and business, including Keke Palmer , Ciara, Kelly Rowland, Teyana Taylor, and Jesse Williams. Prominent artists such as Amy Sherald and Mickalene Thomas were also in attendance, along with CFDA Womenswear Designer of the Year Rachel Scott from Diotima; Tatcha founder Vicky Tsai; model Amber Valletta; and celebrity stylists Law Roach, Wayman Bannerman, and Micah McDonald. “This is exactly the time we need to show up and continue to speak out,” Fifteen Percent Pledge Founder Aurora James said at the gala, per WWD. “Each and every one of us, our stories, our pasts, our cultures and identities, are part of the fabric that makes America great....
One commonality among the greats is their ability to shape a more promising tomorrow for upcoming generations. In February 2024, 18 Black leaders were recognized by Time magazine in its inaugural list of ‘The Closers,’ which amplifies change-makers who are working to dismantle the racial wealth gap. Among those were Angelica Ross; Aurora James; Arian Simone and Ayana Parsons of Fearless Fund; and Issa Rae, who recently revealed she has secured investors to build out a studio that will provide opportunities for creators. During Time’s Impact Dinner : The Closers! held in Midtown Manhattan, NY, on Feb. 22, Rae reflected on her recognition and her impact over the years. She shared she has come a long way since her early days on YouTube through her web series “Awkward Black Girl.” She is the founder of independent media production company Hoorae Media, became the producer of two former shows for HBO (“Insecure” and “Rap Sh!t”), and dove into the spirits industry through the launch of...
Hyundai is on a mission to get drivers to transition to electric vehicles (EVs). In 2023, the multinational automotive manufacturer launched the first-ever, all-electric 2023 IONIQ 6. The award-winning car features Bluelink, digital key two touch, an in-car WiFi hotspot, and more. Additionally, the IONIQ 6 has an ultra-fast charging time of going from 10% to 80% in less than 18 minutes. Hyundai aims for the target buyer of the IONIQ 6 to be Millennial professionals in urban areas looking to go against the status quo by being behind the wheel of an EV without altering their lifestyle.
An exclusive collection is set to support Black designers on the rise. HubSpot and NTWRK have joined forces for a fashion drop at INBOUND 2022 — an annual event that brings industry leaders together — according to a press release shared with AfroTech. The creative talent behind the drop’s curation is Antoine Gregory. As the founder of Black Fashion Fair, a platform dedicated to Black designers and Black-owned brands, the creative was beyond fitted for the collaboration. Additionally, Gregory has worked with the likes of Akris, Dolce & Gabbana, Pyer Moss, Fubu, and Telfar. “Antoine Gregory’s Black Fashion Fair is a great example of a business that puts its mission at its core – and they’ve scaled while maintaining purpose,” Amy Marino, HubSpot’s Global Head of Brand Marketing, said. “We’re inspired by Antoine’s accomplishments and excited to partner once again with NTWRK to co-create a one-of-a-kind collection that amplifies these talented designers and their stories.”
The digital landscape continues to evolve with new innovative ways of marketing, advertising and branding for businesses. While Black business owners’ imitable creativity marks them as trendsetters in their respective markets, lack of access to essential digital tools keeps them a few steps behind when it comes to their businesses’ online presence. To improve that, the Fifteen Percent Pledge and Google Shopping have recently joined forces for a two-year partnership to help place Black entrepreneurs ahead of the curve. The Fifteen Percent Pledge, founded by fashion designer Aurora James in June 2020, is a nonprofit that pushes for major retailers to pledge 15 percent of their shelf space to Black-owned businesses. As Google Shopping is committed to Black businesses within its own company mission, the tech giant is now backing the organization in its Business Equity Community — an online, networking platform that will provide Black business owners access to digital tools, training and...
Nordstrom is joining the 15 Percent Pledge train with its own unique commitment to better support Black-owned businesses. According to Good Morning America, Nordstrom is the first major retailer to form a 10-year commitment in agreeance with the 15 Percent Pledge’s mission — the nonprofit which strives to holds large corporations accountable when it comes to supporting Black-owned brands. As part of its new pledge, Nordstrom has also announced plans to increase its purchases and partnerships with Black-owned or founded retailers by the end of 2030. “Long-term societal change cannot happen overnight and we’re in this for the long haul,” is what president and chief brand officer Peter Nordstrom said in a statement. “Nordstrom has established new goals and benchmarks to help it become a more diverse, inclusive and anti-racist organization,” 15 Percent Pledge adds, “and has made strides towards these goals through notable product launches and curations.” View this post on Instagram ...
Last year, Sephora committed a 15 percent pledge alongside founder Aurora James in an effort to show their support for Black-owned beauty brands on the market. Now the beauty retailer is recommitting its vow to honor these brands be reintroducing its 2021 Accelerate incubator program with a renewed focus, which for the first time ever features a cohort comprised exclusively of founders of color, a press release shares. Now in the program’s sixth year, Sephora is dedicated to evolving its business incubator — which previously focused on cultivating an international community of female beauty founders while supporting the launch of more than 50 women-owned brands — to reflect its recent commitment of increasing Black and people of color representation on Sephora store shelves. “Last year, we made a commitment to dedicate fifteen percent of Sephora’s assortment to Black-owned brands, and we quickly realized the role that our Accelerate program could play in not only helping us to...
In light of recent events, Band-Aid is launching a new line of bandages that reflect shades for darker skin tones. “We stand in solidarity with our Black colleagues, collaborators and community in the fight against racism, violence and injustice,” Band-Aid announced on Instagram. “We are committed to launching a range of bandages in light, medium and deep shades of Brown and Black skin tones that embrace the beauty of diverse skin.” In addition to their inclusive line of products, Band-Aid says it will make a $100,000 donation to the Black Lives Matter movement, reports CNN. While the brand believes it’s doing the just (and obviously right) thing, they were swiftly met with criticism. Many social media users pointed to the Johnson & Johnson brand’s lack of inclusivity, which should’ve taken place 100 years sooner. They also noted the businesses that already offer adhesive bandages for Black and Brown people, Black-owned Browndages and Tru-Colour. Too late!!!! I’m not buying these...